Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower

"From Chaos"

Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower is a 2D fighting game from Capcom for the PSP. After doing a little research on the game, I discovered that it is actually a port of a Dreamcast game titled Vampire Chronicle for Matching Service. The game was released on August 10, 2000 in Japan, and was limited to only 5,000 copies, available exclusively through Sega Direct.

There are nearly twenty characters to choose from, each with their own special moves and abilities. The characters are taken from each game in the Darkstalkers series. I usually play using Lord Raptor (go figure). The characters seem to be influenced by old monster movies, with a bit of an anime flare to them. Each character looks great and is animated well.

Like most fighting games, there isn't much of a story to Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower. In fact, there really isn't a story at all. The Arcade Mode is setup similarly to most of Capcom's previous 2D fighters, such as Street Fighter. You simply progress through a series of fights until you reach the last character. Once you defeat your final opponent, you're whisked away to the credits.

There is also the Chaos Tower mode, which allows you to choose three different characters and use them to fight your way through a tower. Each character has their own level, and some levels contain certain battle conditions.

Additional modes include Training and Multiplayer. The Multiplayer mode allows you to wireless connect to opponents in your vicinity using the Wi-Fi support. I have not personally played the game against another player using Wi-Fi, but I have heard it works well.

One weak point in the game is the controls. Specials moves are performed by inputting half and quarter circles along with a multi-button pattern. Occasionally you will find it difficult to pull off special moves using the control pad, especially with the quick play of the game. If you find that you are having a hard time, you're in luck. An “easy” control scheme options exists in the game that allows you to use the same special moves with a few simple taps on the D pad.

We all know how great most of the 3D games look on the PSP, and now we know a 2D game can look great too. The sprite character and level designs, along with the animation, is crisp, clean, and very impressive. If you don't care for the 16 x 9 display, there is an option to switch to a 4 x 3 screen. The sound effects and music in the game are also very good.

Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower is a great addition to any PSP library. If you're a fan of 2D fighting, this game is definitely for you.

8.5/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 03/30/05