Developer.....AM R&D Dept #2 Publisher.....Sega Players.......1 or 2 Difficulty....Rock HARD!
Many of us remember what could have been when Sega converted the original Virtua Fighter to the Saturn from the CG Model 1 board. The Model 1 could display 180,000 light-sourced polygons per second, the Saturn over 200,000, yet AM2 bodged the conversion by rushing it for the machine's Japanese release. When we got it in Europe, they used a set interpolation method to increase the resolution for us but made it look even worse. Okay, it was a good game, and gameplay is where it matters, but most people couldn't see past the scrappy graphics (despite the nice lighting on Sarah's stage). When Sega announced a conversion of Virtua Fighter 2, everyone scoffed. Imagine converting a CG Model 2 game, with texture-mapping and high resolution, to a machine which couldn't even perform simple polygon geometry! Well, weren't they shut up quick...
Virtua Fighter 2 is simply the best 3D fighting game to appear on the Saturn, bar none (even Dead or Alive doesn't quite match it)., and this is a near-perfect translation. Yes, you can gasp if you want...
The nature of Virtua Fighter 2 is just like its predecessor. It's a one-on-one 3D fighting game, featuring characters with their own personal skills and techniques. VF2 has all 11 arcade characters (including Dural), and the object of the game is to (obviously) select your fighter, and beat each opponent, finishing off with Dural.
The main area of concern for VF2 was the graphics. Not too long before its release, there were few who would have predicted the outcome. What we got was fast hi-res 3D graphics, with detailed textures, scalable backgrounds, 60fps (NTSC, 50 PAL) update and amazingly smooth-looking fighters. Clothes move, shadows are transparent, eyes and mouths are animated, and each character is amazingly detailed and realistic. We all miss the cheesy grins of the characters (replaced by 2D portraits that grin), especially the maniacal Lau, but the detail is so much higher than in the previous game. Each move is executed with perfect fluidity, and there is NO slowdown. Glitches are pretty minimal, and everything scales astonishingly smoothly. They had to scrimp on a couple of things, namely colour, and features like the bridge, but it's nearly all there. Sure, the conversion to PAL meant that they had to use interpolation to increase the picture height by 20%, but this doesn't matter because it is not noticeable. There are (non-stretched) videos which portray the characters, and boast excellent clarity due to the Duck TrueMotion system. It's also worth mentioning that VF2 is double the speed of its predecessor.
The sound is an area which many people have disagreed. Personally, I like it. The fx and speech aren't too great (blame the arcade game!) but the game includes a remix soundtrack of the arcade as well as the original one, and I'm happy to say that it is really good. Even the old soundtrack sounds cool.
VF2 has a reputed 2,000 moves (that's what it says on the back of the box, and just about every move from the arcade game), which is astounding. However, the real gem is the game content. Not only is there the arcade mode, but a ranking mode (as in VF, but instantly selectable; you just have to survive without losing, and perform as many different moves and techniques as you can), an expert mode (where the computer learns your techniques, providing an even stiffer challenge), a watch mode (where you watch two randomly-selected characters fight), and a team battle mode, which some of you may think "VF3". This is where two teams of five fight each other. When one character is wiped out, another replaces him/her. Either playing this yourself solo or against a friend, or sitting back and watching the computer, this is a joy to behold. You also have the option to keep damage incurred or replenish it, and the latter allows for less predictable matches, which is all fine by me! Plus you could swap joypads with friends and, theoretically, play with 9 people (if each team loses a match alternately)! Add in the variable difficulty levels, VF2 version 2.0 and 2.1 adjustments for moves and clothing, and a learning data section, and there's every reason to call this the most lastable fighting game on the Saturn, even more lastable than the 32-fighter Fighters Megamix, simply because of the inclination to master the game and succeed.
Bottom-line is, VF2 is fab, almost-arcade perfect, the best Saturn fighting game ever, and almost the best game on the Saturn full-stop. If it wasn't for NiGHTS and Panzer Dragoon Saga it would be. Astounding!
Graphics: 95% Sound: 89% Originality: 38% Lastability: 94% Gameplay: 95%
Overall: 94%
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