It seems like everyone these days needs to cash in on the new style of
games started by sega's Virtua Fighter.  although Zero Divide doesn't take
its game engine much further than the Virtua Fighter games (it's still
basically two-dimensional combat with three-dimenionsal graphics), it does
offer some very unique character ideas, and this helps make its bid for
attention in this overcrowded genre somewhat more noticeable.  Zero Divide
also features some unique camera angles and a new way of handling the "ring
out" concept--the combination of these three characteristics help Zero
Divide give Tekken and Virtua Fighter a run for their money.

in numbers:

ORIGINALITY - 8 - part of a relatively new genre of fighting games, Zero
Divide does more than just push polygons--it pushes new play concepts.
perhaps the best example of this is its unique handling of the "ring out"
method of winning (or losing).  in Zero Divide, if your character isn't
moving with great enough momentum to throw them clear of the ring's edges,
they'll catch the edge of the platform and haul themselves back up--either
jumping high into the air, or flipping straight into an attack.  another
interesting feature, available only in one-player mode, is the "player"
camera angle; this puts you behind the right shoulder of your character,
and all "towards" maneuvers on the controller are activated with the
"right" direction on the D-pad.  players may also save individual matches
to the memory card, and then watch them later, from absolutely any angle,
in a replay mode.

CONTROL - 7 - although the controls may seem a little unforgiving at first,
their simple layout, featuring one punch button, one kick button, one guard
button, virtually no quarter-circle+punch type moves, and no dragon-punch
maneuvers, lends the game an instantly playable feel.  while some moves can
be notoriously difficult to pull off, most notably the throws, many
players, especially experienced fighting gamers, will be able to execute a
wide variety of special moves and combos right after they've popped Zero
Divide into the playstation the first time.  on the down side, this
ease-of-use also lends the game a high "spazz-factor," that is, the
possibility of victory being achieved by a novice player who simply hits as
many buttons as fast and randomly as they can.

GRAPHICS - 10 - Zero Divide shines visually, with a collection of
gouraud-shaded characters who may arguably be the most interesting in any
fighting game.  zero and eos are your basic kung-fu and judo types, while
draco is a massive flame-breathing dragon, cygnus is a cyber-ninja sporting
a convincingly translucent energy sword, tau is a gigantic scorpion-like
beast, and nereid is... well... something totally different.  the game runs
some of the most intricate and absorbing backgrounds i've ever seen, with
outstanding details--draco's stage features roaming dinosaurs in the
distance, and cygnus' stage has your characters battle it out while
standing in an ankle-high layer of mist, which breaks and reacts to your
characters' limbs.

ANIMATION - 10 - Zero Divide also shines on the screen, not just in the
still pictures on the back of the box.  watching draco's victory dance is
perhaps the most amusing moment in the game--second only to wild3's ground
hit (shooting his opponent as they lie prone on the ring surface).  the
attention to detail in Zero Divide's animation is very apparent--every
character moves with lifelike fluidity.  add this spectactular animation to
the unique "player" view, and you've got yourself an unparalleled vicarious
fighting experience.

SOUND FX - 8 - metal hitting metal has rarely sounded more believable--and
although Zero Divide doesn't feature the standard fighting game assortment
of "ha-do-ken!"-esque battle cries, its creature growls, from the likes of
draco and nereid, add to Zero Divide's already wonderful atmosphere.  some
people will become irritated very quickly by the incessant babblings of the
announcer, who declares "great counter!", "oh my god, what power!", and
other such observations at a wide variety of inappropriate junctures--i
personally found this feature rather amusing in its failure to correctly
respond to the on-screen action.

MUSIC - 10 - Zero Divide also features a nice variety of fast-paced music,
with some interesting time-changes and effects.  this game seems to be a
project designed to dip into everything, and the music is no exception--the
range of styles heard within the music is comparable to the range of visual
effects seen within the game's fighters.

in practice:

on the M.A.R.C.H. scale (of IGNORE IT, RENT IT, or BUY IT)...

ZERO DIVIDE
TIME-WARNER

BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT

Zero Divide genuinely fills a few holes in the 3D-fighters category; many
playstation owners will have friends who just never get into fighters like
Tekken or Battle Arena Toshinden, which feature a vast assortment of
difficult-to-execute special moves--Zero Divide opens up a whole new group
of competition in the two-player mode, with simpler controls and more basic
special moves.  the ability of the fighters to hang on the edge of the ring
to avoid the constant "ring outs" plaguing Virtua Fighter and Battle Arena
Toshinden makes the matches a little more difficult to win, and keeps the
occurrence of 8-second rounds down to a minimum.  the unique "player"
camera angle, coupled with the realtime view change option in the replay
mode, is a great show of the playstation's hardware capabilities--and most
importantly, the great variety in the characters and their attacks add
years to this game's replay value.