Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms

" Sega does it again"

Sometimes reviving classics can be a harsh task, and the influence of the original doesn't always carry through. While it's charming to own another Altered Beast game, I don't think people remember the quality, or the lack thereof. I wouldn't call it over rated, or even exposed, I'd just have to warn less-apprehensive gamers that the fan following may not be as justified as it seems. Sure, the genesis game was great, but the appeal is fairly low if you're a new comer, and you may just want to sit back and leave it to the retro gamers.

For a Game Boy Advance action-plat former, Altered Beast performs fairly well. The combat is swift, and very little of the gameplay is as stiff as the predecessor. The controls are well fleshed out, and everything moves flawlessly about the screen with grace and energy (though your character may feel like he's either stubborn, or holding back.) Throughout the game you'll always be in the “center” of the action, meaning you will always be in the middle of the screen. This can get annoying when you are trying to turn directions, or are trying to get your character to do too much at once.

There's a selling point for the Altered Beast series. I believe it‘s the fact that you can turn into wicked beasts and take control as their form as you rush through 15 old school realms and slaughter everything in sight. Guardian will only take a week at most for the more seasoned gamers, but new players may never pass the first level. If you know what you're doing you're set, if not, then look elsewhere for a great portable action game. That's not to say newcomers cannot enjoy Altered Beast. I find this game to be completely enjoyable to any audience, and I think Sega did an incredible job setting recreating one of their most beloved franchises (not an easy thing to do.)

Altered Beast's visual performance is simply stunning. Everything looks full of life, and color. The graphical style is hardly a pinch off of what the original delivered, and it's fairly intimidating to see what the GBA can really handle. If I wasn't reassured before, now I know the Game Boy Advance can handle most SNES/Genesis games with ease, and I trust it would run them smoothly as well. All of the effects look amazing, and there's no discrediting the endless creativity Sega slaved into the final product.

One thing that will forever be remembered about Altered Beast is that it was a beauty in the 16-bit era. This still holds true today. The backgrounds are lush, and vibrant. It's unfortunate that the characters clash with the brightly animated backgrounds. As for the audio, Guardian of the Realms isn't doing too bad for itself. Everything sounds accurate, and all the catchphrases stuck on like glue. If you remember something you really liked from the Genesis version, chances are that it's in this game as well.

Overall, Altered Beast is a fun (quick) romp through a classic period in which people played games more for the gameplay than the graphics. However, Guardian delivers on both fronts, and produces an exciting GBA game that feels like it would be more at home on the arcade. While portable gaming is becoming the haven for retro games, aren't we getting a little tired of it? Nonetheless, Sega put in a solid effort, and emerged with a solid product.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/02/05