"An average port of a great series to 3D polygon."

FFWA(as it will now be called for the rest of this review) is the second attempt by SNK to take a fighting game to the 3rd dimension in polygon mode(Samurai Showdown 64 was the first). It is now brought over to the Playstation.

First Glance:
At first glance, you swear you're looking at Street Fighter EX. The graphics are on par with that game. When you first start up there is a nice cinema of Geese doing a workout. Beyond that you'll reach the title screen. You start with 12 immediate fighters, with two hidden characters to gain. Most characters are well known to players of the FF series.

Graphics:
As earlier said, this is SF EX. The characters from afar look like who they are but when it zooms in, you can see the polygons and facial features that just don't look right. During fights, you get all sorts of little additions. Terry Bogards Power Geyser looks like a gigantic explosion all done in polygons. When a hard hit or counterattack hits, it zooms in and shows it from a different angle, such as in Tekken 3. It also does the same with throws. The backgrounds are sparse, most are outside and look like the Tekken 2 backgrounds. It does have some nice cinemas, especially the one at the beginning of story mode.
Rating:8

Sounds
Voices are clear and sound like the same people who have been doing the characters for years now. The music is decent, nothing that will stick in your head when you are done with the game. Hits are loud and the explosions sound great.
Rating:7

Gameplay:
The gameplay is like old FF games. The player will have to get used to the new control layout. There was usually 2 punch and 2 kick buttons. there is now a punch, a kick, and a special button as well as a dodge which serves the same purpose as the dodge in VF3. Moves are simple to pull, unless you count some supers who are aerobics with your fingers to pull off. The computer has no problem with this. Now this is where the game suffers, at least in this reviewer's book. The AI is unbalanced. On normal you can get past the first 4 fighters without much hassle unless you really don't know how to use a character. After that, it's open up a can on the player as the computer will link 5-6 hit combos that you never knew of, will throw you whenever possible, and generally get you in a foul mood. Once you get to Geese, you will know pain. He has an automatic 7 hit combo which will drain your life meter, and if he has his super meter, it turns into a 19 hit combo. I found myself ready to throw the controller once or twice. In fact I only beat him becuase I used a cheap pattern.
Overall: 7 (higher if it wasn't for the AI)

Misc:
Lack of modes. Only Story, VS and Training. A data mode opens showing all endings when you get them(complaint: Endings are short and have little value, no real story here). Option mode is the same option in most fighting games. Nothing impressive.
Overall:6

That's an average of 7. It's coming american from EA later in the year I believe. A rental, not an outright buy. Except for the hardcore FF fanatic....like me. :)

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/99, Updated 04/25/01