One Must Fall: 2097

"Robots? Check. Fighting? Check. Fun? Checkmate!"

Introduction
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Let me start off by saying that the demo for this game was one of the first files I downloaded after I finally got an Internet connection way back in 1994. It took hours just to download it on my (now) unbearably slow 14.4k connection, but it was definitely worth the wait.

Gameplay: 10/10
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Wow. The gameplay on this baby holds up today just as well as it did when it was first released. There are three different game modes: 1 player, 2 players, and Tournament. Tournament mode is where the game really gets fun. It features 4 difficulty levels, 4 character avatars, and 4 tournaments (of increasing difficulty). There are 11 robots to choose from (1 is only available for use in Tournament mode) and each have their own feel. (In Tournament mode), you can buy upgrades for your robot and even gain special enhancements after certain matches (against secret characters). Another great thing is that you can completely customize the colors of your robot.

…and I almost forgot the “fatalities.” They come in two parts, Scraps and Destructions. You have to do the Scrap first and as soon as that is performed successfully, you may finish with the Destruction. (The timing on the Destruction move is crucial.) These moves have more of a purpose than the fatalities of the Mortal Kombat games, though. The advantage to being able to perform them in OMF: 2097 is that they boost your score and in Tournament Mode, your score determines how much money you make after each match. The more money you make per match, the more enhancements you can buy for your robot, and those enhancements are extremely helpful when going up against boss NPCs.

Story: 10/10
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The year is 2097. Major corporations such as “W.A.R.” have become the ruling powers in the world. Major Kreissack, the person responsible for the overwhelming success of W.A.R., is the main foe in the game. It seems that he is not being entirely truthful with the public about W.A.R.'s operations. Each playable character has their own motive for defeating Kreissack, so I would suggest playing a bit with each character so you can view their dialogue with their opponents. The cast of characters include, but are not limited to, humans, aliens, ninjas, scientists, and there are even some cameos by Jazz Jackrabbit and his posse. =-)

Graphics: 8/10
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At the time this game came out, the graphics were slightly sub-par in comparison to other fighters of the generation. The avatar's of the NPCs and PCs are noticeably blurry (more so than, say, SFII or MK). The special moves and “fatalities” are impressive, though. Additionally, the different robots are actually quite detailed. I cannot justify giving this more or less than an 8, so that is what I am going to give it.

Sound: 8/10
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The sound effects are…okay. Acceptable. Satisfying. Then again, how great can the clanking of metal sound? Said clanking is present where it should be and there are a few background music tracks, but they are not very interesting. In all honesty, I rarely have the sound on when I play most games because I am usually listening to a CD or LP instead.

Replay Factor: 9/10
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There is a lot of replay value in this game, considering that there are a few different game modes and numerous different robots you can take command of. However, the game (in tournament mode) is pretty easy, which hurts the score in this section slightly. There are some secrets that allow you to raise the difficulty significantly, though. The programmers are deserving of kudos for adding them in for an extra challenge.

Final Recommendation: 9/10
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It is 2006 and I still play this game occasionally. If that does not say enough about this game, then I do not know what does. If you can find it, do yourself a favor and play this masterpiece of a game.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/28/06