Garou: Mark of the Wolves

"Garou: Mark of the Wolves... Excellent Graphics & Smooth Gameplay Combine to Form the Ultimate 2D Fighting Experience"

The Neo-Geo Advanced Entertainment System is fourteen years old. Yet it keeps pumping out incredible graphics, graphics good enough to rival any 2D game in existance, and some of the highest megabyte counts in the world. You see the key is in the RAM. The more memory each cartridge is stuffed with, the better the game seems to be as far as visuals go. So what does the best-looking Neo-Geo game weigh in at? A solid 688 megs. Released in 1999, Garou: Mark of the Wolves battled with Street Fighter III for the title of the best-looking 2D fighter ever. Garou: Mark of the Wolves pushes the Neo beyond anything it has ever generated before. The ancient hardware seems to have found the secret to the fountain of youth as it keeps giving out better animation, with more colors, more action, more detail, it seems like the Neo keeps on putting out more of the things that make it so legendary. SNK has figured out the tricks of this beast, working with it for over a decade will give you a good idea of just how they have done this. They know everything about the hardware, the ins and outs, the dos and don'ts... SNK has learned it all. And with Garou: Mark of the Wolves, they have utilized this knowledge to the full extent. The graphics are so silky smooth, featuring all kinds of animation, which is some of the best animation you will ever lay your eyes on. The backgrounds are pure works of art, the characters are unique and have personalities all their own. The soundtrack is one for the books too.. featuring some of the best music to grace an arcade game, Garou: Mark of the Wolves seemingly has it all. The gameplay is as impressive as the graphics. With up-tempo fighting action and a rejuvenated and overhauled fighting system, Garou is one of the most playable fighting games ever. This sequel to the Fatal Fury series blows each and every one of its predecessors away. Completely. Total domination. Aside from the fact this game looks drop dead gorgeous and plays 'like butta', it also features completely new characters, all of which look great and pack some of the fiercest moves ever seen. Garou: Mark of the Wolves may just be the heir to the throne of The King of Fighters series...

(gameplay - 10)
Mark of the Wolves has some of the most responsive controls I've ever played with. This game is remarkably deep, a game that cannot be fully understood and grasped until you've spent some time toying around with it. The game features awesome special moves and a fast and furious combo system that really extends the depth of the gameplay. The quick gameplay means that 'silent' moments with little or no action just does not exist. The battle is never-ending, furious fighting action that keeps up a frenetic pace from the start all the way to the finish. Talk about sweaty palms. Not a moment can be spent contemplating anything more than your next attack. Pause for more than half a second and prepare to be slapped around like a doll. Expect fast and furious fighting every single round as you are required to bring your 'A' game to the table if you expect to win.

(story - 9)
Ten years have passed since Geese Howard died by his own hands during the Real Bout Fatal Fury series. His son Rock Howard became an orphan and was raised by none other than The Lone Wolf Terry Bogard. A new generation of fighters has stepped up to the challenge to be crowned as the new King of Fighters. An evil madman who sold his soul to the devil for power is the first of two bosses. His name is Grant. The main boss behind the story is Kain R. Heinlein, a madman who is carrying out the wishes of none other than Geese Howard. Kain is the uncle of Rock Howard, and possesses all the fury and might that one would expect in the Geese Howard lineage. His main agenda is to create a society where the strong rule the weak. He is a fiendish devil intent on ruling this society with an iron fist. Prepare for the showdown of a lifetime if you make it to this maniac of a man.

(graphics - 10, sound - 9)
Looking at these graphics will make you wonder how SNK possibly created them with the Neo hardware. The characters are drawn very well, and show a great amount of detail. They are all decked out with cool outfits and awesome animation. Each character has their own personality and unique flavor to them. From the psychotic long-haired Freeman, to the all-new look of Terry Bogard, to the sons of Kim Kapwhan to the son of Rock Howard, these characters are all very likeable. The backgrounds are just about perfect. The final two stages are very impressive, but really they all are. The action going on the in the backgrounds of some of the stages is enough to rival all of the action going on in the battle itself. With mirror-like floors to a Satanic temple, to a jumping casino and a backwoods karate dojo, the stages are all very well done and look great. Lots of detail and colors are of the sweetest of eye candies. The Neo-Geo has impressed me over and over again, but this time I wonder (with a bit of sadness) if this is the top of the mountain. Has Garou pumped every last bit of graphical wonder out of the aging arcade hardware? If so, make sure you have a copy of this game, because these kind of visuals never get old. The music is great, more of the old Fatal Fury style of music is found here and the tracks all are wonderful. The heavy metal tune found in Grant's stage is awesome, it totally revs me up for the battle performance of a lifetime. The music ranges from melodic, soft tunes, to heavy metal guitar-laden tracks. There is a bit of everything in between. The sound effects are incredible too, the voices are clean and clear and the attacks sound powerful and painful.

(replayability - 10)
Learning the ins and outs of the game, mastering the controls, will all take a little patience and requires time. However once you've found your magical fighter and learned their moves, you'll find yourself coming back to this game like a junkie. The play mechanics are so well designed, the graphics are so deliciously beautiful that you'll be hard-pressed to find a better-looking 2D fighter out there. The soundtrack is jumping and really gets you into the action. Playing this game with a friend is also tons of fun, in fact Garou: Mark of the Wolves should be in the dictionary next to the word FUN.

(recommendations)
This is the best Neo-Geo game visually and it has gameplay to match. This game raises the bar for every 2D fighter out there, and really is a dream come true for Neo fans. If you have never heard of this game, I highly recommend you seek it out in an arcade somewhere or simply buy yourself a Neo-Geo and this game to go with it. Garou: Mark of the Wolves is a must-own, its a game that can turn Neo haters into Neo fanboys, it is the game that SNK has been aiming at all along. Garou: Mark of the Wolves has one of the coolest names a game has ever had, and it features wicked jams, unbelievable graphics, ultra-smooth gameplay, and lots of depth to keep you coming back for more. Expecting anything more than this may be asking too much of SNK. They delivered the ultimate Neo fighting experience in this wonderful game, and any fighting game fan will quickly put this game at the top of their list as one of the best fighting games ever. Garou: Mark of the Wolves deserves that kind of praise. So quit reading and track down a copy of this game as fast as you possibly can.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/12/04