POWERSTONE (DC)
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By WILLIAM BARKER

Powerstone is upon us and if you own a Dreamcast, you need this game. Don't like fighting games? Me neither, but you will love this amazingly fluid title - trust me on this one. I think it's the mix of anime-style graphics, the 3D go-anywhere environs and the sterling gameplay. Let's not forget the multiplayer aspect either, which could be compared in some cosmic way to Mario Kart, where the play is evened up with a multitude of variables and weird powerups.

Powerstone manages to squeeze a plot into all the mayhem and tripping out involved, and the characters are loosely assembled around this idea. Set in the early 1900s, a cast of peppy protagonists are setting out on their respective journeys to travel the world and recover all the lost power stones. Once collected, these power stones are said to imbue a magical aura around the owner, enabling all sorts of wonderful or maligned deeds, depending on certain characters moral inclinations. Muahahahaaaa! (I'm evil, I like Darth Vader, I burn toast on purpose and I always go for the underdogs)

After the games anime intro, which is decidedly cheap, the menu pops up and gives you the usual choice of arcade and versus fights, plus options, credits and the intriguing scrapbook. This last option is fascinating, nay cool, as every time you finish the game with a different character something new and overly outrageous is unlocked. The first time I finished the game, with my current favourite character Ryoma , I unlocked a shield. You can also unlock a minigun, an extendo-pole and even some weird two-player modes and of course extra characters.

The game proper takes place in a number of colourful and vibrant locales. Of most interest would be the bar and the British replica of London, aptly named Londo to avoid any conflicts. The stages are multi layered, thus making certain attacks useless if not lined up properly. All levels contain a number of miscellaneous items such chairs, tables and huge wooden poles or lampposts. These are all interactive items and can be hurled, kicked and used for propulsion and some characters, namely the big heifers, can even rip huge items out of the ground and swing them wildly at their foes. Every now and then a treasure chest morphs which present you with any number of cool items, including bazookas and flamethrowers, heheh.

Playing the game can seem daunting at first, but after a few games most will find an amazingly deep and more importantly enjoyable game. The controls are basic, but not so much as in to reduce shelf life –- I have friends who got this game a year ago when the Japanese DC launched and they still play it! The game revolves around players smashing each other's skulls with their hands and feet and anything else the characters can get their hands on. But there is a twist, oh yes; it's a curly one. During a bout, power stones, or jewels will appear from dimension Zeebid (the complete truth) and once any one character collects all three a very cool and colourful transformation will take place. Your character becomes more powerful, can utilise super combo moves and even complete a quasi-finishing move, of which each character has two (though I think the fire chick Rouge has three).

The game is fast-paced, and very nice to watch. The visuals are super-crisp and the sound is of the highest quality too, and the music doesn't suck either - huzzah! The sound effects are loud, and though sometimes they tend to annoy, I think the game is better off with their inclusion.

ORIGINALITY 90%
SOUND/GRAPHICS 95%
PLAYABILITY 95%
ADDICTION 95%
ENJOYMENT 90%