Dark Rift

Dark Rift, N64

So after last week’s stinker, it’s time to mix it up a bit.  This will be our first N64 game AND our first fighting game.

Fighting games are kind of hard to review in my opinion.  You can describe the controls in a platformer or FPS and its usually pretty easy to convey what you like or don’t like.  That’s harder in a fighting game as, at least for me personally, its really hard to understand control flaws unless you play them yourself.

In addition, a lot of elements of other genres just aren’t that important in fighting games.  Most fighting games have nonsensical or non-existent storylines and Dark Rift is no different.  You have a collection of fighters competing for something called the “Core Prime Element,” all for their various reasons.  It doesn’t get much beyond that, but in a fighting game that’s okay.

I should also mention this is a pseudo-sequel to another 3D fighter called Criticom, which I had never heard of before I did research on this game. Maybe I will play it some day if I can ever get my hands on a Sega Saturn (Dark Rift was supposed to get ported to the Saturn as well, but it never happened).  I can’t really comment on what the games have to do with each other and chances are not too many people could.

I guess we should get started with the high point; the graphics.  The graphics here are pretty great.  The characters are well animated and far less blocky than you would expect from this generation of gaming.  The movements are very smooth and natural.  The backgrounds are pretty minimalist, but they still look good.  They really give you the illusion that you are fighting in an actual space rather than within the confines of a game.  

I also have to credit the sound design, which is pretty unique for a fighting game.  Like the backgrounds, its very minimalist but well done.  The sound is also very clean here, especially considering its a cartridge based game.  Each track fits perfectly with its character and environment.  

Speaking of characters, its time for our inaugural fighting game character roll call!  Dark rift stars:

Token human soldier guy!

Blue Amorphous blob man!

Slow Knight Lady!

Random Jungle Princess!

Big Fat Green Guy with a Huge Axe!

Generic Techno Samurai!

Generic Techno Samurai’s Girlfriend!

Super Demonic Demon!

...and I think I might be forgetting some others.  They may be well animated, but none of them are all that interesting.  

The biggest problem here is the control.  You have a vertical and horizontal slash, a kick, a throw, a block and a “special move” button.  You can also circle left and right (ya’ know, because its a 3D fighter).  Each character has a limited number of special moves, none of which are all that special.  Almost everyone has a quarter circle forward projectile, which is about the only use the special move button serves.  While the animation is smooth, the controls are extremely delayed and the special moves aren’t responsive at all.  In a fighting game, that’s a massive, massive problem.  All of the the characters feel the same, with some being faster than others.

The controller itself also works against you.  It’s no secret that the N64 controller was not designed with fighting games in mind and it really shows here.  The shoulder buttons strafe, which is the right call, but having B throw and A as the mostly useless “special” button feels a bit off.  Having all the other attacks mapped to the C buttons means you will often hit one when you need to hit the other, which is problematic for blocking. That could just be my fat fingers, but it happened to me a lot.  The 3D nature of the game makes it hard to use the D-Pad, but everything feels way too stiff and unresponsive with the joystick.

Fighting the AI isn’t all that interesting and it punishes you for being aggressive.  The best way to beat the computer is just to sit and block low, wait for the opponent to attack you and counter strike.  It gets boring fast.  The special moves rarely work and usually aren’t worth the effort.  It’s also hard to tell where each attack is going to land.  You might think you are safe and all the sudden you are taking damage.  The computer can quickly chain combos together and drain your health really fast.  At least the combos are simple enough and you can do the same to the AI.  It’s nice that its fair, but it still isn’t that fun.

You could do way worse than Dark Rift, but you could certainly do better.  The N64 was mostly a wasteland for fighting games, so this was still one of your better options on the console.  The cool atmosphere, interesting sound and outstanding graphics help pull it up from the dregs, but the delayed controls and sense of sameness prevent it from truly being worth more than a play through.  

6/10

Play this game if:

You want to play a fighting game that takes place in a unique setting

You have played the other 3D N64 fighters to death

Your only other options are things like Shaq Fu

Avoid if:

You own a console that has better fighting games on it

You own Super Smash Brothers

You like when your controller inputs actually register in-game.