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Last Bronx - Sega/AM3
by Eddy Tang ([email protected])
Lowdown:
I don't know if the US version will have all the goodies the Japanese version has, but I hope Sega USA does decide to treat the US gamers. My overall opinion: get the game if you like VF2, or if you want to get better at the Last Bronx arcade game.
At last, I finally got this game in the mail today!!! I am extremely lucky to be in a town that has a Last Bronx arcade game (Tucson, Arizona) so I was easily awaiting the release of this game. Here's the skinny on what the game comes with.
- 2-Discs, one for the regular game, and another for a tutorial. I don't know if the 2nd CD hides some art or anything else.
- RAM cart stickers...one with Redeye in background, one with SD Last Bronx characters, Last Bronx logo, and four circle stickers (which are plain red and black circles... I don't know what to use these for. (Note: SD means "Super-Deformed...big heads and small bodies, like kids).
- A poster...one with most of the moves listed for each character, and the other side has some sweet Last Bronx art. Screw the moves list...the tutorial CD has all the moves on it. I'm hanging up the art on my wall!
- Big instruction manual.
Other miscellaneous stuff, like an ad for more games, registration card and a B/W slip talking about something (says stuff about page 29 and 31 in the manual). I'm not too hot in reading Japanese, so if anyone else can explain this...
The backgrounds seem to be in 2-D, and the graphics look pretty hi-res (like Virtua Fighter 2 Saturn). It seems to play OK, except for a bit of slowdown now and then. It doesn't detract too much from game play, though. It plays a lot like the arcade, and graphics are pretty good for Saturn (although the arcade graphics would blow you away). Last Bronx from arcade to Saturn, to me, is like how VF2 was when it came to Saturn. An excellent port, and faithful to the arcade.
There is a animated intro to the game (not like the arcade), which leads me to believe that there are animated endings... there's a movie-viewing section like VF Kids, and all I have is the intro. Voices are pretty clear, and music is just like the arcade.
In the first CD...
There are quite a few modes to play in... Arcade mode, Saturn mode (which plays like arcade mode, but I don't know what's the difference), Time Attack mode, survival mode, VS mode, Watch mode (to just watch the CPU go at it w/two fighters), movies, and options. I can't understand most of the options, though.
In the second CD...
The tutorial CD has a Tekken 2-like practice mode, with a mode that shows the CPU doing a move, combo or combo juggle, then the player gets a chance to see if he/she can do it. The combos range from easy to very difficult (but amazing to watch).
The next feature on this CD is a intro to Last Bronx's features, told by 2 SD Last Bronx characters you choose. Full Japanese dialogue and everything, and I don't understand most of it. On the left and right are the two LB characters you picked, gabbing away about the features while you see the two, regular sized LB characters you picked duke it out on a small screen in the middle. Very little interaction, but it does show a few good tricks.
The third thing this CD has is kind of weird, but you pick a certain SD LB character, and it shows them talking for a minute or so with another character. I'm sure this has some kind of purpose, but I can't tell. The last thing on the CD is a options menu.
I did try looking at the CDs on my computer, since I heard that Fighters Megamix had some pictures on it's CD. I found...nothing. :P Well, nothing my computer can use...
Graphics: 7.5
- + Sega managed to keep the main look of the game and characters. Very good for a 3-D Saturn game.
- - Doesn't look as good as Virtua Fighter 2 Saturn... some graphics not as clean. Items on screen flicker on and off occasionally, especially in win poses.
Sound/Music: 10
- + All of the original music is there.
- + Voices are very clear...possibly clearer than the arcade.
- - Nothing I can think of...
Gameplay/Control: 8
- + Gameplay feels just like the arcade. Game engine seems successfully duplicated.
- - Slowdown when the action gets quick, or when performing some long combos. I guess it's because of the hi-res graphics at 60 frames per second. The only major flaw I could think of.
Lasting Power: 9
- + Has a challenge when set on the hard setting. Animated endings give incentive to beating the game. Excellent 2-player game. Tutorial CD a big plus as well.
- - Only 9 characters to play (including Redeye). Considerably small amount of fighters compared to other fighting games.
Overall: 8.5
- + Good, deep game to play. Above-average fighter with interesting characters. Fun factor is definitely there. Recommended for VF2 lovers, and recommended even more for the few lucky people who have Last Bronx in the arcade (for intense practice at home).
- - The arcade's graphics blow this version away by a long shot. Slowdown and flickering are the other main problems, and unfortunately both aren't rare in
this game.
-Eddy
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Questions or comments? Contact dEX.
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