Night Warriors: DarkStalkers' Revenge

"Time to unleash your darker side..."

I can honestly say this game is one of the reasons I finally broke down a bought a Saturn. I initially wasn't going to drop 400 bones on a system that didn't seem to have the 3D prowess of its competitor, the Playstation, but Capcom changed all that with the release of NightWarriors. Having initially imported Vampire (Darkstalkers) for the PSX, hoping that the new warriors from the sequel would be hidden in the game, I was disappointed when I discovered they were not (though the bosses were playable). Then I played the game for the first time on my friend's Saturn and I realized I had found a new home for my 2D fighters…

What story it there to tell here? It's basically a game about a bunch of supernatural creatures from a different plane of existence battling it out for supremacy. This time, two hunters have joined the fray- one seeking a way to end her curse and the other on a quest to wipe the scourge of the Darkstalkers off the face of the planet. So it's not Pulitzer Prize winning material- what else do you want from a fighting game?

What can I say about the graphics that I haven't already said about nearly every other Capcom fighting game on the Saturn- they are, quite simply, beautiful. Far surpassing the 2D prowess (or lack thereof) of the PSX, the Saturn is the perfect system for those near cartoon-like graphics Capcom put into their titles. This is a near spot-on port of the arcade game, so die-hard fans will be happy to know that the frames of animation missing from the original Darkstalkers game on the Playstation are intact for it's second outing on a home system.

Unfortunately, sound quality seems to be a casualty in the early 32-bit console ports from Capcom. The music sounds washed- out, almost like from an older movie without benefit of digital sound and the audio effects sound quiet and hollow. It still baffles me that such an obviously talented group of programmers would have so much trouble getting a handle on the audio components of either the Saturn or the Playstation when both are almost equal in power to their own CPS-2 boards. Regardless, the audio get bad marks in big red ink on the game's report card.

Control is where NightWarriors truly shines. To date, Sega still has the best game pad ever released in their Japanese version of the Saturn controller. And it's games like this (and nearly ever other Capcom game for the system) that prove it. If you've ever played any Street Fighter game, you'll feel right at home in the Darkstalkers series. Familiar control inputs (and even similar moves to go with them) pepper the game for nearly all the characters. You want specials? You got 'em. And it's all handled flawlessly through a finely tuned and precise handling control scheme. Kudos to Capcom for making fighting games that are just so darn fun to play.

What can I say about the game design that isn't already apparent from just looking at the game- it kicks ass. The Darkstalkers represent some of Capcom's finest character creations and the backgrounds are still among my favorite to this day (with only Gem Fighter edging it out). The overall package comes together quite nicely and because of its uniqueness, stands out as more than just another Street Fighter clone. Yes it does little to revolutionize the genre, but it refines it such a manner as to keep the gameplay fresh and exciting.

Surprisingly, there are little extras to speak of in this game which is highly unusual for a Capcom title. Aside from the character palettes and backgrounds from the first game, there is nothing else here but a straight arcade port.

Really, if you're a fan of Capcom fighting games then you already own this game. If you don't have it, or are new to the Capcom fighting scene and happen to have your hands on a Saturn, then you owe it to yourself to track this gem down to add to your collection. eBay or video game specialty store bargain bins should have it for a reasonable price.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/10/09

Game Release: Night Warriors: DarkStalkers' Revenge (US, 02/22/96)