Fur Fighters

"Perfection. No other way to describe it."

Ah, Fur Fighters. One of those games I got for Christmas that I'd heard nothing about, and had probably come off the shelf of a used game store for somewhere in the neighborhood of eight bucks. So sure, when I first put it in I was kind of like, "Yeah, so what's this gonna be all about?". Two or three hours later, I think I was still gaping at it.

Fur Fighters is perfect. I don't really think I can explain it more accurately or frankly than that. It is basically the definition of perfection in a game that seamlessly blends the genres of shooter, platformer, and adventure, even with a tad bit of puzzle thrown in for good measure. The sheer amount of work and detail Bizarre Creations put into this game will make you want to play forever. It certainly made me want to. And it's pretty much the reason why I still play my Dreamcast today.

Story :: 7
I'll be realistic first though, before my starry-eyed rambling that is yet to come. Fur Fighters doesn't have a great story. Basically, General Viggo, a villain the Fur Fighters stopped long ago, is back for revenge, this time kidnapping the Fur Fighters' several children.

I don't factor story into this game's final score much though, purely because this story works quite well with this type of game. Simple, slightly comical, but fitting, nonetheless.

Graphics :: 9
Fur Fighters has a very unique look to it. All the buildings, vehicles (especially helicopters and tanks) have this cartoon-ish look to them and really adds to the game's slightly unorthodox atmosphere. All the backgrounds and landscapes are done beautifully though (this really shows in Cape Canardo, probably the best-looking level in the game, in my opinion). One thing you'll notice though is the detail. Oh, the sheer amount of detail in the game is amazing. Take New Quack City for example. Whenever you pass a sign or billboard and take time to read it, you can bet that it'll have something funny to say on it. This kind of attention makes every area fresh and exciting and really makes this game a joy to play.

I only dock points in this category because sometimes the camera will get "stuck" in a really bad angle, leaving you unable to move it. Otherwise, I don't have any qualms here. One other remark I'd like to make, though, is that I understand the PS2 version of this game is cel-shaded, whereas this (the Dreamcast) version is regular polygons. I'd just like to say for the record that I'd absolutely hate to see this game cel-shaded. It'd almost definitely take away some of the charm, in my humble opinion.

Sound :: 10
This is one area where the game shines. All the level music is really catchy (especially New Quack City and the James Bond-esque music of Viggo-a-Go-Go). To top that, each individual character has his or her own variation on the level music (barring the last world, but that music's too good to mess with anyway). The enemies ("stupid bears") make hilarious grunting noises that let you know when trouble's around the corner. Lastly, the guns all combine realistic sounds with wacky, cartoon-style effects. Great stuff, all in all.

Gameplay :: 10
This, by far, is the game's greatest strength (as it should be with every game). The formula is deceptively simple: enter a level from a central "hub", run around, shoot enemies up, collect babies, and get to the end. However, it's much easier said than done. Babies will only allow themselves to be saved by their respective parents, so somehow you'll have to figure out how to get the right character in a given spot to get the little guy. You'll need to collect babies to move on in the game (you must have a certain number to get access to boss fights), so if you don't have enough, you'll just have to revisit some previously played levels to get them all. Many babies require you to solve all sorts of strange puzzles to get to them, adding a huge amount of thought and depth to the game.

Challenge :: 10
One thing I like about this game is how it starts easy, and then really picks up the difficulty as you go on. By the end you'll have a tough job on your hands (I certainly did), so make sure you hone that trigger finger!

Replay Value :: 9
There's a lot to do in this game. Once you finish you'll need to go back and collect every last baby, and once you do that you should also get every gold token (doing so unlocks cheats). Also, I wouldn't object to a second play-through. Or a third. Or fourth. Not at all. (I think I'm on my sixth).

Multi-Player :: 7
While it's not the main focus of the game, Fur Fighters has a fairly solid multi-player mode with arenas based on the six worlds. The reason I dock points is because the arenas are fairly small, there aren't any computer-controlled enemies to kill, and frankly, it gets a bit boring after a while. I recommend you stick with the single-player, but multi-player does provide a nice distraction every once in a while.

:: Good :: (Anything 7-10)
+ Truly outstanding gameplay
+ Amazing amount of detail
+ Entertaining, if a bit illogical, storyline
+ Great replay value
+ Good challenge
+ Nice sound effects
+ Multi-player may occupy you for a bit
+ Nicely done graphically

:: Bad :: (Anything 0-6)
Nothing to report here!

Overall :: 10 (Not averaged)
Fur Fighters, in my opinion, is one of the greatest games for Dreamcast out there. And for around eight dollars, it's definitely a bargain considering what you're getting. A definite recommendation.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 12/06/05