Battle Arena Toshinden Remix

"Not a bad fighter, grows on you in time"

Battle Arena Toshinden was a port of the PSX game that really launched the PSX. Though Saturn was widely thought of as inferior in the 3D department, Takara figured it would be worth the chance to bring it over, especially with how popular the PSX one was. Well, the game itself is kind of a mixed bag. Certain elements work well and create a good fighter, while other parts of the game just aren't up to par. Here are my ratings:

GRAPHICS: 6.5/10
Really, the graphics aren't terrible. The first time you load this sucker up, you might wonder how they even got away with porting this. But when you give it time, the graphics start to flesh out. The characters are pretty blocky, the movements aren't exactly fluid (but at certain points some combos come together well) and the stages are pretty standard. Each stage does have a unique feeling to it and complement the fighters well. I also think the camera angle is very good, it keeps you close to the fight, however at points it can become a problem because of angles. The fighters look decent enough that you can live with the graphics.

SOUND: 7/10
Mixed bag here. The sound effects really aren't that great. Basically every time you or the other fighter gets hit, the same sound effect plays. Yea, could get annoying after awhile. The punches and kicks are all really the same with only slight variation. On the other hand, the music for the stages is well done. Each one is different and is good quality that fits the stage. Lastly, the game features (in story mode) full voice acting between and after battles. I was really impressed with this. The voice actors are pretty good really, they give the characters some personality and the writing isn't bad. Honestly, the story element of the game is what kept me into it for the most part, so the developers did well here, especially since the PSX version didn't have any voice acting.

GAMEPLAY: 7/10
BAT is largely weapon-based combat. Each fighter has his or her own unique weapon, and the fights take place in 3D, where the different bumper buttons let you roll into another angle of the plane. This works pretty well and allows you to avoid attacks and re-position yourself. There are four buttons used for attacks, two kicks and two weapon attacks (one strong and one weak). I've heard people say that the PSX layout is better and I cannot comment on that, but I think the Saturn one works well enough. Matches keep a good pace, even though the framerate of the game is slow (especially looking at VF2 and Last Bronx, which both ran very fluidly). The move lists are all pretty standard, each character has four or five special attacks and one super attack that can be done when his or her health is low. Pretty simple combat, especially considering the amounts of moves in the other fighter offerings, but each fighter still does feel unique, which is a plus. Matches also occur in a ring, so ring outs are possible, albeit uncommon.

LASTING VALUE/REPLAYABILITY: 6/10
You've got the story mode, a 1P mode which is pretty much identical to story without the dialogue, a versus mode and a 2P mode. It's a decent amount of modes, the story mode should keep you hooked for a while because each character's story explains their past and the stories cross each other in some ways. You can also get different endings depending on which boss you lose to, so you may want to try each character to get the best ending. That's going to be the big draw for this game, as well as unlocking the three secret characters, which is pretty simple. Playing with a friend could increase it's value a little bit, but like most fighters, it could get old pretty quick. Making the story mode a little bit longer might have increased this value, but it's not bad the way it is.

WORTH BUYING: YES
It isn't expensive online, around 5-10 bucks, and it's a good fighter that will keep you on it for a little while. The characters feel fresh and the story adds to the game, and the gameplay is fluid enough, even though the characters are overly blocky. It may not be the best fighter on the system (though looking back on it I did give it the same score as VF2), but it brings a few new concepts to the table that are worth trying out. I would pick it up, and there's also a sequel called Battle Arena Toshinden URA that I wanna check out myself. Also, judging from the videos, the PSX one may run smoother and have some better graphics, but the Saturn version offers new modes and a new character. Your call.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/24/08

Game Release: Battle Arena Toshinden Remix (US, 1995)