Gaming Target - Xbox: Bloody Roar Extreme

Written by Alex Fitzgerald on July 09, 2003

Full Review: Taking the Roar to Xtreme!!...instead of, you know, part 5

The fighting game genre, which was all but dead a few years ago, has suddenly become very competitive. Games like Yu Suzuki's Virtua Fighter 4 have set a new standard in fighting games that newer titles are having a difficult time measuring up to. One of these new games is Bloody Roar Extreme, a special edition of sorts for the Xbox. Though the game can stand on its own, it still lacks a few key elements that would allow it to compete with the big boys.

The game's plotline is pretty basic. Two groups, the humans and the Zoanthropes (you can all ready tell this is going to be great) have been fighting with each other for a while, and in the midst of all this fighting a new kingdom has sprouted that many Zoanthropes belong to. Within this kingdom though unrest is starting to be commonplace as rumors are flying around about experiments being done on Zoanthropes to see what allows them to transform into beats. To calm the citizens of this new kingdom a fighting tournament has been established where the winner will be awarded the title "Zoanthrope Champion" and a large cash prize.

While it's doubtful that the game's plot will have you pumped for fighting action the game's actual gameplay will. Though the game still uses the shoulder buttons for 3D movement, and some other elements interrupt the game's flow occasionally, by in large the gameplay is pretty fun. Combos and special moves are easy to pull off, but not too easy, and the ability to transform your characters into mutant bunnies and rabid squirrels only makes the game more enjoyable.

The game also delivers when it comes to gameplay modes. Though the game doesn't offer anything terribly original, the game does come with ever-traditional fighting game mode present and accounted for. Survival, Arcade, Versus, Time Attack, Team Battle, Training...they're all here for any fighting game nut to get into.

The game's graphics aren't stupefying but they do the job. The character animations are unique and fluid, and the fighting arenas have a decent level of detail. As for audio, the sound effects are gruesome sounding and the tunes you fight to, though nothing overly complex, still work to set the game's fast paced tone.