One Must Fall 2097

The Good
Where could I start? It's hard enough to find a fighting game worth playing on the PC and to top it off it's freeware! I first found OMF after playing the shareware a few years back and I instantly fell in love even though it was on a black and white monitor on an old 486. What makes this game stand out amongst fighting games especially for the PC is the incredibly simple controls and the RPG like tornament mode where you can buy robots and boost their stats and even boost your stats as a pilot. 1 player mode was dissapointing but the tornament mode more than made up for it. The graphics are much more than expected for a game of it's age and the music really hypes you up. Speaking of sound each time you score a hit there is a wonderful metal clanging noise. Another great thing about the tornaments is the ability to customize your robots colors. It has many aspects of a great fighting game even a fatality like "scrap" and "destruction" moves, but also has a great story and tons of secrets and extras. A total master piece.

The Bad
Sometimes things get annoying like the news caster or that repair guy saying the samething but at the same time these things make the game great and it's always satisfying to see your final blow on the news.

The Bottom Line
You might be thinking this is baloney because of the games age but the graphics are smooth though the sprites are a bit choopy (300X200) but they are rendered to fool you that they're 3D. If you love fighting games or RPG's then this game is defenatly worth downloading (HEY IT'S FREE). If you have a more powerful computer check out www.omf.com about information about the all new 3D game OMF Battlegrounds.

The Good
This game is one of the very few 2D arcade fighter for the PC that really shine. It's original, fun to play, and still holds it's own after all these years. The graphics were very good and still work nowadays, but the real winner in this game are the tournament modes which are a great way of extending gameplay and were a first in 2-D arcade fighters. You can customize your 'bot in lots of ways, and offers an unique challenge that lasts a lot more than the standard "arcade/story" game mode.

The Bad
There are a lot of flaws with this game that will make it a not-so-hot game to the eyes of fighting aficionados. Mainly the lame special moves, the lack of scrolling arenas (which REALLY cramps up the action) and a strikingly slow-paced action, when compared to other beat 'em ups. Plus some of the bots are really lame.

The only other gripe I have with the game is a love or hate thing. Quite frankly giant bots are cool if they tear up cities and cause nuclear explosions when they fight. If you take stuff like that away the premise then gets really lame and I'm guessing most fighting veterans like me prefer the good 'ol "in your face" fist fights between humans than this "light" version of bot mashing.

The Bottom Line
For a PC gamer this is as good as it gets. It's original, it's got more gameplay and re-playability in it than those lame console ports and it delivers some serious fun. For those already versed in the world of "Sho-Ryu-Kens" this is no masterpiece, but it's still quite good and offers a nice change of pace.

The Good
Tournament play adds an unmatched RPG quality and makes for great replayability, and user addons as well. The unique pilot/robot system allows for over 100 possible combinations to fight with. News and tech reports after every fight add personality to the game. More secrets than any other fighting game I've ever played. There's always another hidden feature! A great sense of originality: each robot has completely different moves and looks. The arenas actually have an impact on your fight, from electric walls to jet plane attacks. Great music and sound (Epic's trademark).

The Bad
Most of the best features (like the air combos, super jumps, and block damage) are only accessible as secrets. Kind of annoying. Also, the announcer is repetitive the better you get (as you lose more badly, she gets funnier, though.)

The Bottom Line
I can't make the point enough times: THE BEST FIGHTER FOR THE PC. EVER. Similar games like Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, or Killer Instinct can do nothing against a game with over 40 different characters, almost no learning curve, and an RPG-style tournament mode that keeps you coming back for more. Not to mention the secret characters, moves, and even arenas!