Bloody Roar 3

Morphing monster fighters return to the gaming scene in Bloody Roar 3, the first Roar title for the PlayStation 2.

When Bloody Roar first arrived on the PlayStation in 1998, it became a sleeper hit because of its user-friendly controls and its odd lineup of fighters who transform into animal, insect, or reptile alter egos. Unfortunately, the latest installment in the series, Bloody Roar 3, offers few updates to that formula aside from improved graphics and some new fighters.

Roar 3?s 12-fighter lineup runs the gamut of genre stereotypes, from voluptuous ladies to lumbering hulks. The responsive and intuitive controls make the game exciting to play, and while the characters hardly lack diversity, their lack of balance makes for matches either quick and one-sided, or long and evenly matched. Effective graphics provide sharp details for the fighters, and the battles never suffer from slowdown even when the screen is packed with special effects, blood, and other flashy visuals. A solid soundtrack fares just as well?especially intelligible snippets of spoken dialogue.

Roar 3?s diverse 3D fighting engine will keep fans of the genre enthralled. The game?s pairing of Tekken-ish button-tap combos and splashy Street Fighter?esque super moves strikes an addictive balance. Although these facets make Roar fun to play, it?s disappointing that more new innovations weren?t added to the third installment.

The PS2 has been barren of ?A? fighting games since launch, and while Bloody Roar 3 is a refreshing change of pace, it doesn?t offer anything that wasn?t featured in its first two incarnations. Newcomers will be pleased, but for rabid fans, this is a mute Roar.

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