Buffy the Vampire Slayer

"The curse of bad tv/movie licensed games ends here, Buffy slays on the XBOX!"

Buffy the Vampire Slayer debuted on the WB in 1997 as a mid-season replacement. Little did anyone know it would spin off into the legendary drama series it is now. Millions of people all over the world gather to watch the show but millions of others are missing out on what is considered the best series of all time! When was the last time a video game made from a TV show or a movie was good? I admit, Spiderman wasn't halfbad, but after playing the demo a couple times, I realized buying the entire game wouldn't work out. But when I heard Buffy the Vampire Slayer would be having it's own video game, I was excited! I have been watching Buffy since the beginning, and dreamed of the day I would be able to play as her in a video game, and it has come true!
First planned as a DC/PSX/PC game, it has then moved onto a DC/PSX game, then finally a XBOX exclusive, and boy does it deliver! 3 years in the making, many skeptics thought this game would end up in the discount bin with Spiceworld or Superman, but after it's release it has proven EVERYONE wrong! Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the XBOX is a perfect mix of surprises, action, fun, horror, humor, love and more!

GRAPHICS: 10/10
-- Buffy delivers top-notch graphics with large environments and detailed character models. Buffy is diverse in her movements and facial expressions, as well as Buffy's friends and enemies throughout the game. Bright colors, dark dim caves and scary enemies that make the zombies in Resident Evil scream in terror! Fire, smoke, water & the very amazingly portrayed DUSTING of vampires is what make Buffy stand out from games like Dead 2 Rights and move into the ranks of Halo and DOA3.

SOUND: 10/10
-- Buffy has one of the best beats and sounds from any XBOX game I have ever played. Rivaling Halo's cinematic and dramatic tunes with it's own dark, moody, spooky and creepy sounds as well as upbeat rock battle themes. The ENTIRE cast minus Sarah use their voices in here, which means, NO BAD VOICE ACTING!!! Alyson Hannigan, David Boreanaz, Charisma Carpenter, James Marsters, Nicholas Brendon & Anthony S. Head all lend their voices to make this game easy on the ears. Those with surround (like me) will JUMP at the sounds of screams and roars which suddenly spike from silence. Believe me, I have NEVER experienced such amazing sound from a video game, tv show or movie.

CONTROL: 10/10
-- Buffy has the best control scheme I have ever used in a game. Punch, Kick, Block, Jump, and Use are the basic functions. Combine then together to create devastating combos are what makes this special! You can move Buffy with ease, and take enemies on with no problem whatsoever. The button layout make it easy to perform tasks without a hitch, and you can change the layout if it isn't right for you (why wouldn't it be?!).

GAMEPLAY: 10/10
-- Buffy is not JUST a beat-em-up. You can perform up to 16 hit combos in a single shelling out of attacks. Buffy has more combos than some fighting games! And unlike all other games, enemies don't die after you deplete their energies, you have to finish them off (same goes with Buffy, she can only die if they crack her neck/squeeze her head/eat her head/suck out her energy/drain her of blood/throw her in water or fire,etc.). As Buffy, you must STAKE vampires to dust them, decapitation is always fun and so it holywater and fire, dont forget sunlight! The puzzles are very easy (most of them) and the battles are epic! This game truly is a masterpiece!

REPLAYABILITY: 10/10
-- It says 1 player on the box. 1 PLayer if you don't have the code to access the ARENA MODE. Setting that aside, the 1 player mode is a great game in itself with 3 difficulty settings and the knowledge that staking a vampire and seeing it explode doesn't get old. Still, if you have lots of friends who don't like taking turns, The Collective has included a secret Arena Mode (4 arenas) where you and up to 3 friends can duke it out. 1 Person is Buffy while up to 3 other people are her enemies in 4 arenas. The Arena Mode could stand out as it's own game if it wanted to, but The Collective was nice enough to include this! FUN 4 PLAYER ACTION!!!!!!!! WHOOOO!

OVERALL: 10/10
-- Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the best games if not the best game to hit the XBOX since Halo. Many people dismiss this game based on it's origin, and that when you can see who true gamers are and are not. The game blends action, humor, fun, horror, survival, fighting, love, and multiplayer in 1 title. There is no stupid story, no cheap voices, just a A+ quality game that shouldn't be passed up. Buffy the Vampire Slayer gets MY pick as the BEST GAME OF 2002. Buffy has made history as being one of the VERY, VERY few games that actually are GREAT that are based on a tv show or movie. Buffy deserves a play or 2, don't pass up this GREAT GAME!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 09/14/02, Updated 09/14/02