Power Stone

When a system launches sometimes it's hard to pick a game. Given the amount of great games the Dreamcast launched with, no doubt early adopters had problems choosing a title. And with Soul Calibur pretty much stealing the thunder away from every other fighting game, it's no wonder other fighters were lost in the mix.

Capcom's Power Stone is one of those games. It mixes Poy Poy action with street fighter moves, and gives us something unique and clever, not to mention addictive as Hell. But to say the game was lost in the mix of early titles is an understatement, the game was nearly invisible to the average consumer ... even though it garnered across the board praise from critics.

The game play is simple, but the game impresses with its large interactive levels. Each level has been filled with breakable items, things to swing on, walls to climb on, and much, much more. And the back ground fights back, too ... only adding to the intensity.

Your goal in each level is to beat the opponent up ... that hasn't changed much, but Power Stone throws in weapons, barrels to throw, and these things called, well, power stones. These stones, when collected, will turn you into a super character with practically unblockable moves! The challenge of collecting comes when each person has a stone you need, and the only way to get it is to beat him up.

The characters are also extremely interesting, and it's anyone's guess if in ten years we'll see these characters fighting in a Capcom "VS" game. They offer an interesting mix of beautiful Arabian women to a character who looks like he just stepped off of the making of the Seven Samurai. It's perhaps the main character, however, that is the most perplexing. Red Whirlwind, a pilot (get it) is big and red, but man oh man is he dull. If any character makes it out of Power Stone alive PRAY it's not him!!

The game is a bit short, and not real full of extras ... but what is here is amazing. The control is tight and the mixture of traditional fighting and weapon based fighting is a nice twist. The game feels rushed a little but, but you'll never notice it when you're playing two-players. However, Power Stone's biggest feat was being a fighting game in the land of Soul Calibur, and yet being completely unique at the same time. No question about it, Power Stone is fantastic.