PlayStation

Star Gladiator Episode 1: Final Crusade

Star Gladiator kommer kanske inte att bli en klassiker, men det är ett gott val för den som är ute efter lite annorlunda fighting. Och vem är inte det...

Away from the gameplay itself, the charismatic alien characters do their part to add to the atmosphere, and there's little doubt that Star Gladiator's animated 3-D backgrounds are the best going. All in all, the surreal alien characters, weapon-based fighting, and overall quality make Star Gladiator yet another peal of the thunder in the resounding Capcom storm.

That Capcom’s first 3D take on the beat-‘em-up (excluding the Gaiden version of That Game) should be both derivative and near-average is not, necessarily, cause for concern. There’s little doubt that Star Gladiator represents something of an experiment in 3D, and perhaps that’s why the developers have felt able to borrow so freely and shamelessly from their rivals. Look closely and you’ll see variations on Tekken’s tenstrings and reversals, Toshinden’s side rolls and weaponry, Virtua Fighter’s ring-outs and button blocking – everything established by other 3D affairs – being explored and sometimes exploited. Even the scenario doesn’t bother to strive for originality, echoing Star Wars just a little bit too brazenly for its own good.

This is a niche 2-D fighter trying to pass off as something else. It has an audience, and it's understandable why. Those are the patient types, willing to disregard the flaws while digging into the fighting system deeper than most people would ever try. It's an admittedly fun, light weapons fighter, just not one that's going to appeal to everbody.