After reading the disturbing review of Fantastic Four on PSX Power and
NGO, I felt compelled to write an objective review of this game,
especially because the faults PSX Power's review sites are either
completely false, or unbelievably exaggerated.  It's not a great game,
but it's far from the stinker they're claiming.

If you wish to use this review for your web site, please feel free to
do so, altho I'd prefer if you ask permission via email first.


*** Fantastic Four ***

Developed by Probe
Distributed by Acclaim

Sidescrolling Fighter
1-4 players simultaneously


The sidescrolling fighter is one genre that has been severely lacking
on the 32bit front, especially on the Playstation.  To-date, the only
title of this type that has been released domestically on the
Playstation is Batman Forever: The Arcade Game, which may be one of
the most worse games ever released for any system.  Horridly pixelated
graphics, below average sound, and unfullfilling mindless
button-smashing gameplay that doesn't really require you to look at
the screen, abound in unbelievable levels throughout that title.  

Along comes Fantastic Four, also from Acclaim, the title which Batman
Forever tried to be, but failed miserably.  Surprisingly pleasant to
the eyes and ears, F4 is also a good fair play to people who have been
itching for a multiplayer sidescrolling fighter for their Playstation.

Graphically, compared to recent game releases, the game is average.
It doesn't break any real boundaries and uses plenty of effects you've
seen before in other games, but at least it impliments these
established techniques well here.

All of the characters consist of 2d sprites.  An adequate number of
animation frames are allocated to each character's motions.  Standard
offensive button attacks typically flow through a unique 3 hit
animation sequence.  In other words, you'll see your character hit his
opponent up to 3 different ways before knocking them over.  Special
moves and super special moves are animated just as well.  The
animation for all the heroes and bad guys is adequate, and definitely
not jerky.  When zoomed in close, however, the characters do become
slightly pixelated, but not to the point of being an eyesore.  

The backgrounds are all 3d texture mapped structures, but, gameplay
still consists of your standard run of the mill side scrolling
fighter.  No real interaction with the environments, just scenery to
walk by and through.  It's as if somebody took a 2d background and
transfigured it into something that looks 3d.  The resulting effect
works surprisingly, and the levels scroll by convincingly, despite the
characters all being 2d.

Some special effects lace each of the backgrounds.  On the first
level, 3d cars will drive by which you can stop and flip over mainly
for yucks.  Boats float along with the waves on the dock level.
Personnel shuttles fly in on the Skrull level to drop off enemies.
There are some reflection effects on various levels which is pretty
impressive, especially while fighting Moleman.  The whole floor
appears highly polished and reflects everything going on on top of it.
Other reflection effects occur occassionaly on various stages in items
such as mirrors, and puddles.

There's an FMV intro, which showcases each Fantastic Four hero(except
She-Hulk) for about 10 seconds.  There's also FMV for the "Game Over"
and for beating Dr. Doom, which unfortunately is painfully short.  The
FMV is of good quality, everything being rendered ala CGI.  This game
is one of the few cases where it would have benefited from more FMV.
More for the ending, and especially some kind of sequence before each
level.  It would have added to the game's atmosphere and made the
storyline more appearant.

Typical punch and kick sound effects abound throughout the game.  Not
like that was unexpected.  There is some in-game speech, but it is
limited, usually coming down to each character(be it hero or boss)
having a single line that they announce when they arrive on scene.
The Thing will say "It's clobbering time!", the Human Torch will say
"Flame on!", Psychoman will taunt "Do you think you can defeat me
within my own domain?" before battling him, and Moleman will cry "My
work! My work! It's all ruined!" after you defeat him.

Background music is normally along the lines of techno-jazzy.  Each
level has it's own, and it seems to fit.  It's not remarkable.  It's
not annoying.  It's just sort of there.

Gameplay is typical of this genre.  Enemies will appear from the
sides, and approach your hero.  You beat them up while trying not to
get hit in the process.  You eventually defeat them, the arrow sign
flashes and you scroll a bit further ahead, and repeat the process up
until you meet the boss of the level.  The only other change in this
rythmic process being the different background environments, which do
occassionally pose a challenge of sorts.  Don't fall into the pit, or
don't fall off the side of the path, although these hazzards do take
different forms.

The enemies never swarm around you to the point of utter frustration,
which would usually result in mindless button slamming.  So the
gameplay isn't spaztic as it gives you the opportunity to actually
think of which move you would like to perform next.  One criticism is
the lack of boss AI.  The bosses don't attack significantly different
from the normal baddies, and the only real difference is that their
life bars are slightly longer(with emphasis on the word "slightly").
The resulting problem is that boss encounters can go by more quickly
than anticipated.

The default difficulty is average, and can be made either easier or
harder.  On the harder difficulty, more enemies appear with stronger
lifebars and the tendency to do more long range attacks, which would
probably liven up a 4 player game.  On the easier difficulty the
inverse is true.  Factor in the ability to change the number of lives
and continues, and the difficulty is whatever you choose to make of
it.

Each character has a decent array of moves, especially considering
past entries in this genre relied on one or two attack buttons.  There
are two different normal attack buttons, each differing in style,
range and speed.  A jump button, after which in the air you can use
one of the attack buttons for a different mid-air attack.  A block
button, which surprisingly, is a necessity on some levels to protect
yourself against charging baddies or gunfire.  Three different throw
buttons, allowing you to throw an enemy(only works on the smaller
baddies) either horizontally away, or into or out of the screen.  

And lastly, there's the special move button.  By holding in the R2
button and performing a two-tap move(like U,R for example), you can
perform a special move which is indicative of the hero's powers.
Human Torch can shoot a fireball, or flame the floor around him.  The
Thing can throw a piece of the floor, or do a sonic clap which affects
all enemies around him.  Each hero has 3 special moves, and 1 super
special move.  Special moves can be performed repeatedly and without
penalty, but the super special move can only be used when your force
meter is at least %50 full.  You pick up force icons along the way to
increase your force meter.   These super special moves affect all the
enemies on the screen.  Human Torch will shoot fire into the air,
resulting in a fire rain.  The Thing will slam the floor, rippling it
and sending the shockwaves outward.

One last play item worth mentioning is the intermission fights which
occur between some levels.  A single player will goto Central Park and
face off against either Iceman, the Hulk, or Dragonman.  There's no
real explanation as to why you're fighing these characters, and you
get the impression that these characters were licensed from Marvel but
never found a place in the normal game.  It would be interesting to
find a code that would allow you to play as one of these three, or any
of the boss characters for that matter.

All in all, this game is very typical of it's genre.  Apart from the
3d backgrounds, the game doesn't break any new ground.  The ability to
have up to 4 players play simultaneously helps add to the experience,
but in the end, the game is what it is, a repetitive sidescrolling
fighter along the lines of TMNT and Final Fight.  It's the type of
game you break out every once in a while to play with friends, but
don't play regularly.  It is the best of it's type currently available
for the Playstation, light years ahead of Batman Forever.  If you like
these types of games, then, by all means, check it out.  If not, steer
clear, as it's just more of the same.


Peter Bott
faethor@ptd.net


Overall - 6


Graphics - 7 

 +  3d texture mapped backgrounds.
 +  Some areas of play zoom in or out to encompass the current
playfield.
 +  Reflective surfaces in some levels.
 +  3d background animation such as passing cars, floating boats and 
    incoming shuttles.

+/- All characters are composed of sprites.
 +  The sprites are adequately detailed and animated.
 -  The sprites get slightly pixelated when zoomed in close.

 +  Some good quality FMV sequences.
 -  The game could have benefited from more FMV sequences.


Sound - 6

+/- Typical punch/kick sound effects.

+/- Techno-jazzy background music.


Gameplay - 6

 +  Heroes have a decent array of attacks at their disposal that are
    fairly easy to learn and use.

 +  Ability to use drone hero players which are computer controlled.
 +  You can set the default AI mode of the drones to either 
    defensive, protective, or offensive.

 -  Repetitive gameplay, which is typical of this genre. 
 +  Ability to juggle opponents.
 -  Bosses aren't that much harder than normal enemies.
 -  Only 3 enemy types per level.
 +  Adjustable difficulty.
 +  Friendly fire damage effects can be toggled on or off.


Replayability - 5

+/- The game's typical of it's genre.

 +  Up to four players can play simultaneously.
 +  Ability to change your selected character at any time.
 -  No 2 players can be the same character.

 -  Only one ending.
 -  Linear levels.
 -  No memory card, password or level select options.

 +  A training/battle mode which allows you to play on a small stage
    (Central Park) against friends/drones in a "to the death" match.

+/- Simple little racing game to play during load 
    times(8-9 seconds on average) between levels.