Developer.....Capcom Publisher.....Virgin Interactive Players.......1 or 2 Difficulty....Medium to bloody ridiculous!!!
A lot of people can remember playing the arcade version and have fond memories of this instalment in the best-selling Capcom 2D beat 'em up series. In fact, a lot of people still play it and this version is as faithful as you'd get.
The Saturn version features all 18 fighters, each with their own techniques and special moves. They aren't too different in power, and while some are similar, they are noticeably different. A lot of oldies are here (Ryu, Ken, Chun Li...), but you've got Alpha-exclusives such as the Guile-like Charlie (Nash), the 15 year-old school-girl Sakura, the Sagat-like Adon, and the mysterious Gen. Sure, it would have been nice to have Cammy, E Honda, Blanka, Guile and maybe one or two from other Capcom fighting games, but the secret variants like Evil Ryu and especially Shin Akuma (Gouki) are welcome additions.
Of course, it's a one or two-player one-on-one beat 'em up, with the player having to win one more round than the opponent to proceed. Everyone knows that. But it's the quality of the conversion that stands out. The graphics are on a par with the arcade original, with large, colourful fighters and plenty of speed. There are plenty of turbo settings too. It helps - the PAL conversion is poor, and therefore a little slower than the coin-op. The animation is all there and there's an abundance of colour. There's a really neat gallery of art, featuring 100 images from the Alpha series, all displayed in high resolution.
The sound is exact too, but the arcade original's sound was a little muffled, and this is mirrored here. However, there's a VF2-style remix soundtrack, and it really shows. It's not bad on the ears at all.
The gameplay is the special part. The usual three-punch three-kick approach applies, and the D-Pad allows for jumping and blocking as well as the normal movements, just like in the other SF games. The special moves and techniques have varying powers, like the normal combat moves, and require practice to learn and master. The gem is the alpha-countering and combo system; there is a gauge at the bottom of the screen that charges when you perform moves. You can counter an opponent's blow with the Alpha Counter, and all characters have two types that require one gauge of the bar each. Pressing a certain combination of buttons unleashes a custom combo, where you can attack an enemy how you wish with different levels of power (depending on how many bars are charged and the strength of the attack you use). There are also the super combos, which have varying powers but are static in nature. Mastering the combos and the methods of using different levels of power, as well as charging your gauge, is an integral part of Street Fighter Alpha 2, and helps make the game as lastable as it is. Add in the eight difficulty levels, the speed settings, the two-player mode and the survival mode (where you try to beat everyone without losing), and the game can last forever. There's even a training mode with special features, such as a recording mode to see combos that you've performed, and even replay the whole round!
There's so much more to mention (things like alternative endings, secret character variants and moves, fight options like time limits and no. of rounds, etc…) but it's safe to say that SFA2 will last you ages. It's a game that highlights the Saturn's 2D dominance over all but the Dreamcast, and is certainly one of the best 2D fighters around. Sure, many people will prefer VF2's smoothness, finesse and 3D graphics, but this is a great game. On a different note, I cannot compare this to the original Alpha, as I've never played it. From what I understand, this is better, but I'll reserve judgement. I bought my copy for £6.99, and from who - EB, in Boston, England. Nice people, I'm sure you'll agree. I always seem to buy the best games cheap (Burning Rangers is a good example).
Graphics: 91% Sound: 85% Originality: 32% Lastability: 92% Gameplay: 92%
Overall: 92%
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