Seventh Cross Evolution

"Very addictive"

Sometimes it just seems like when a few people give a game thumbs down, everyone has to jump on the band wagon. What I'm saying is that no one even gave Seventh Cross a fraction of a chance before they started bashing away at it. I have heard only NEGATIVE comments, read only degrading reviews, and watched several copies of the game collect dust in local import stores. This tells me that all it takes is a little bad press to send a promising title such as Seventh Cross down in flames.

Graphics 6/10: The visuals are very simplistic, and certainly do not highlight the full potential of the Dreamcast. This is somewhat understandable though, considering that this game is HUGE. Most areas seem to stretch forever, and the sheer abundance of them shows that NEC at least made an effort at creating a believable environment. But as realistic landscapes are Seventh Cross's graphical high point, they also prove to be it's downfall. Slowdown reaches an almost unbearable peak, making you wonder why NEC took the size of the surroundings to such an impractical level. This should serve as a reminder that sacrificing playability for realism is never a good idea. On a more positive note though, the characters look especially good, and that leads to one of the most enjoyable aspects of this game.- The pursuit of gaining enough power to mix and match body parts and then seeing what awesome looking beast you've created.

Sound 5/10: The music is sort of a tribal/techno mix that's good, but not good enough to stand as a memorable soundtrack of any kind. The main problem though, is the sound effects themselves. Not only are they repetitive but they severely lack variety and can easily become annoying. Had just a little more time been spent on adding more than grunts and scraping sounds, the audio would be much better.

Control 9/10: No complaints here. You can move back, you can move forward, and you can move left to right. Spells and attacks are just a button-press away, and menu navigation is a snap. That about sums it up. It would have been nice though, if we'd been given the option to use analog instead of digital.

Gameplay 10/10: Warning: This is the kind of game that is DEFINITELY not for everyone. If you don't like simulations and/or RPGs, then you will absolutely HATE this game. Don't buy it unless you have played it, or are absolutely sure you enjoy this genre of games. That said, and being an RPG/sim fan myself, I have to say that this game is one of the best of its kind. You get the thrill of evolving and customizing your own personal life form, and you get to engage in RPG style battles;magic spells and all. Also, you have the ability to create and manipulate the DNA strands of your character, making it's appearance and survival completely within your control. Mixing, matching, fighting, and exploring. These aspects and more make for a game that will keep you playing for hours and hours.

Final Thought: Some will love it and others will hate it, but the fact remains that if you are willing to give Seventh Cross a good long look you will find a highly addictive and unique game that has simply been given a bad rap.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/25/99, Updated 11/25/99