| ARCHIVE STATS |
262 games
79 downloadable
1226 MB archived |
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| INDIVIDUAL GAME LISTING |
Virtual In 2   
Virtual In 2 is one of those games that really gave me an impression. Of course, the name of the game is a parody of sega's arcade hit Virtual On. But what struck me was the originality of the game, which sometimes is risky, especially for freeware game authors.
On first look, this game looks like a fighting game, okay, on the second look this game still looks like a pfighting game. Yet the game is different right from the start. The characters featured in this game are small 'SD' sized robots with a hint of Virtual On designs here and there. This is where the difference lie, this game fully uses projectile attacks as its main source of attack, which feels like a mix of space shooters and fighters.
In detail, the game has a full fighting game setup, health bars, timer and power bars etc. The main aim of the player is to gun the other opponent down. To prevent cheap continuous whacking, the robots are equipped with a jetpack, which acts really weird if you just got started, when jumping you actually suspend in the air for a while, tapping left and right activates the forward/backward thrusters. Tapping the jump button while in the air brings the robot back to the ground immediately. Though weird at first, the jump has now proven indispensable to me in dodging enemy fire. Some stages also has a set track of movement for the robots at the field, so the robots are force to move up and down the field, adding to the difficulty, yet giving another line of defense for you.
Yet after all this talk of originality and great concept in game play, the big question is, has this game executed these ideas well? My answer is no to a large extent. The game play, as many reviewers like to put it, just lacks polish. The ideas are great yes, but it all comes to whether everything else flows or not. One example is how one robot can be pounded by another robot, with no chance to recover at all. These cheap moves are even used by the computer itself. The game in my opinion is just not tamed enough, its just too frantic and in a bad way. Sometimes I resort to pressing all the keys at once to win, yet I lose alot even if I tried to use some skill and strategy into this game. Button mashers some may call this type of game. To me this game lacks focus, the focus of winning. The game's flaw is that sometimes, it just feels pointless, there is just no proper way to win this game. Just shoot and pray.
The graphics are decent stuff, nothing too amazing though. Typical of a Japanese title, this game features flashy graphics like transparent projectiles and wild explosions which shake the screen. The overall style is great, it successfully captures a futuristic anime themed experience. Character designs are simplistic but not ugly. The high resolution graphics also makes this game feel 'cleaner'. My only gripe, is the lifeless background which is basically just an image. I would have liked scrolling stuff and some movements which are the norm in this type of games. But that's just me being too demanding, the backgrounds does not hamper the game at all. One note though, the game's flashy graphics might make it hard to play for some, i did not experience this but one of my friends did anyway so, just a warning
The sound effects fit the game and are quite clear. The sounds of metal hitting the ground and projectile shots are very well done, no complaints though the 'frenziness' of this game tend to make the sound turn into a noisy mess. The music are okay, listen able tracks (it is techno I think). It ranges from catchy tunes in the menu area, to 'beat beat beat' music in the game area.
Kid safety is an issue I feel I have to address as a reviewer, the game is generally safe for kids to play, no blood or gore unless robot violence is a no no for you. Not recommended for those with parents against Heavy Metal, errr...Bad joke bad joke. :)
The game's menu interface is also something I feel should be commented on. It's not too bad really, nice logo, theme-fitting metal look. It was a little awkward to use the left/right keys to select around because the game does not use the up/down keys. Oh well, you will get use to it after some time. You will be glad to know that though this game is of Japanese origin, the text in the game are in full English. The tutorial included with the game however, is Japanese.
Longevity wise, this game takes a good while to finish with the training, single player mission and survival mode. The game's two player mode definitely prolongs the game's life. Personally the two player mode is great, it really instills that sort of 'I must beat you the next round feeling' in me. Ideal for a party!
Now on to the conclusion, to download or not? Well, this game is well worth the download if you want a break away from the stereotypical games. It is a nice 2 player game but do not expect to love it to death, this game is very subjected to personal taste. It is a very questionable game, because there is alot of good and bad points and it really depends how you view the game, from the good side or the bad? For me I liked it at first, hate it later, went back again and liked it again, you know that feeling. Gamers who have played Little Fighter 2 and Fighter's Kototai might find this game more appealing because it has some similarities. Final score an 8/10, maybe because I like to see the good points and the author deserve it tryng to make this a different game on the whole. Not an Editor's Choice, not a 'Games In Focus', but fun enough for me though.
*Note: The game's website have more characters to download and the designs are much better than some of the originals in my opinion. The default keys are, 1 player: left, right, z ,x ,c ,v and 2 player: 8, 9, 0, 1, 2, 3(numpad).
Remember...I am HyperRussell.
| PC REQUIREMENTS: I GHz CPU |
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GAME AUTHOR Juna
REVIEWED BY HyperRussell
STAFF RATING 8/10
USER RATING 7.1/10
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FILE SIZE 3.6 MB
FILE DATE Mar 24, 2004
UPLOADED Apr 18, 2004
DEV TOOL Hot Soup Processo
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NO DOWNLOAD |
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NO DEMOS 