Last Bronx
Review by: JiKLX
Introduction:
Last Bronx is a weapons based 3D fighter from Sega's AM3 division, also responsible for games such as Sega Rally Championship and Virtual On. It features various members of Tokyo (despite the rather odd title, the game has absolutely nothing to do with the Bronx) youth gangs as its characters and has a much grittier theme and feel than Sega's previous fighting games. It originally appeared in arcades running on the Model 2 board, and gained mainstream appeal in Japan but only a small cult following stateside. The game follows a long pedigree of excellent Saturn fighters including Fighters Megamix and VF2, and I'm happy to say that Last Bronx lives up to its heritage admirably.
Graphics:
Last Bronx may well be the best looking game on the Saturn, and stands up very well to any fighting game on any console. Featuring beautifully textured 60 fps, hi-res polygonal graphics, the game is clean, smooth, and detailed: everything a fighting game should be graphically.
Perhaps the game's most stunning graphical trait, however, is the tremendous amount of detail on the fighters. The polygon count on the characters is quite high, blowing away FMM and beating out even the amazing Saturn port of VF2. The characters faces, weapons, and accessories (ranging from belt packs to tatoos) have been modelled and textured brilliantly, producing character graphics that are in places virtually indistinguishable from the coin-op's. The characters animation is also excellent: the fighters move with a fluidity and speed on par with anything out there, and have some of the most brutal moves ever featured in a fighting game (Kurosawa's throws will make you wince the first few times you see them). The game also features a very cool weapon trail effect, creating an impression of speed and motion that is often missing in such games.
Also of note are the games backgrounds. While the fully polygonal backgrounds of the coin-op have not been preserved, the game does have a number of very impressive pseudo-3D effects (impressive enough to fool many E3 attendees, many professional video game journalists included, into thinking that they were true 3D backgrounds), and are a far cry from the floaty, noticeably flat backgrounds that plagued VF2 and FV. The backgrounds are composed of layers of 2D parallaxed backgrounds behind a Mode 7 floor and a polygonal fence, much like those of Fighting Vipers. Unlike VF or FV's backgrounds, however, the 2D backgrounds are layered and the floor has been done in high-resolution, providing backgrounds that scroll convincingly and have a remarkably polygonal look throughout. The backgrounds are also animated in places, making them seem less static and lifeless. Most impressive of all, however, is the addition of a second Mode 7 scrolling plane as a ceiling in some of the levels, giving those levels a sense of depth that rivals their coin-op counterparts.
Last Bronx's graphics are not, however, without their flaws. On certain throws and winning sequences (generally those in which both characters are shown very close up), there is severe polygon flicker (it actually looks more like the flickering pseudo-transparency effect used on the clouds in Ryu's SFA2 stage than regular polygon dropout and is quite irritating). There is also a bit of clipping and flicker on the fences during gameplay. Neither of these glitches is enough to severely detract from the game's graphical impact, but they do keep the game from attaining that arcade level of polish that games like VF2 Saturn or Tobal 2 on the PSX have. Also, while the game's resolution is considerably higher than the vast majority of games out there, it seems very slightly lower-res than VF2 Saturn (though, frankly, the difference is small enough that it's only visible using S-video). The game also occasionally slows down very slightly, but it's usually over by the time you notice it, and it doesn't happen often enough to be irritating. Also slightly annoying is the fact that the coin-op's realtime shadows have been replaced by garish transparent ovals. It's also worth noting that the backgrounds (as cleverly faked as they are) are still lacking the depth and atmosphere of the coin-op's stages and are missing a number of details such as the plane in Naked Airport taking off or the rain in one of the levels.
Sound:
Unfortunately, Last Bronx's sound is not nearly as impressive as its graphics. The sound effects are functional, if nothing spectacular, with solid collisions and hit noises. The voices are done quite well, and feature none of the garbling usually associated with Saturn fighters.
The game falls down somewhat, however, when it comes to music. The game has the same sort of synth-rock soundtrack that most Sega arcade games have, but unfortunately, it doesn't have any of the personality that rescued the music of VF2 or Sega Rally. While the music isn't bad as such, it's very generic and forgettable. I've played the game for several hours, and I'd be hard pressed to remember a single one of the songs. Given the game's trendy urban theme, a more techno oriented soundtrack would seem appropriate, but apparently AM3 didn't think of this. The soundtrack is salvaged somewhat by the catchy J-pop tune (apparently called "Jaggy Love", and performed by D'secrets) played during the intro, but even that is cut off rather unceremoniously about a minute in.
Gameplay:
Last Bronx is, simply put, one of the deepest and most playable fighters ever made. It features the same basic play style as VF2, with all the responsiveness and sophistication that made that game a classic, with its own distinct style and a few key innovations that make it an experience all its own.
The basic format of the game is very similar to that of VF2. It has the same 3-button layout, the same speed and responsiveness, and many of the same basic moves and game parameters. For example, mid-level kick still hits a crouching defender and is still executed by pressing DF+K, pounces are still executed by pressing U+P, basic throws are still P+G, and so forth. This makes the game much easier to get into, and allows you to learn the game's intricacies without wading through an entirely new game system. Not to mention, of course, that the VF2 game system is one of the best ever created.
Don't let that make you think, however, that this is any mere VF2 clone. For one, the weapons give the game a very distinct feel. Ranges are generally longer than VF's, and vary more from character to character, making positioning and range a different game altogether than it is in VF. Weapon-based moves also tend to have somewhat longer recovery times and higher damage ratios than those of most 3D fighters. The game also takes place in a large closed ring, meaning you can dash in and out freely without worrying too much about falling out of the ring or getting stuck in a corner. The jumps in the game are quite a lot less floaty than those of VF as well, making them a viable escape tactic. There is also a new forward roll move, executed by pressing P+K+G, which provides a new way to get in close or avoid high attacks.
The most important innovation in Last Bronx, however, is unquestionably the ability to G-cancel virtually every move in the game (for those of you unfamiliar with VF jargon, that means you can stop nearly any move in mid-animation by tapping G). The implications of this are tremendous, making it much more difficult to "turtle" and forcing players to stay on their toes to a greater degree than any fighting game out there. Here's an example: let's say you executed a canned combo that hits high, say, Kurosawa's B+P,P,P. In most fighting games, your opponent could simply block the attacks or duck and then punish you. A good Last Bronx player, however, would see the opponent blocking or ducking, cancel the combo after one or two hits, and throw or unleash a low or mid attack depending on the circumstances. This creates a nearly endless range of attack options, forcing your opponent to play aggressively and anticipate your moves rather than simply blocking or ducking, elegantly minimizing one of the most stubborn problems in the fighting genre. A game between two experienced Last Bronx players is a joy to watch, with intricate fakeouts and mindgames playing as important a part as simple combos.
Last Bronx does, however, have a few gameplay flaws that keep it from being on quite the same level as the VF series. For one, the combos and floats are quite a lot easier to execute than VF's and probably do too much damage, meaning that a lot of players can and will simply forgo learning the intricacies of the game's techniques and rely on canned combos. It isn't as bad as Tekken or Fighting Vipers, but it does occasionally make the game feel like some sort of VF-lite. The cast of eight (ten when the codes to play as Red Eye and Dural are discovered) characters is also a bit sparse, and their move arsenals aren't nearly as large as those of the VF cast. The lack of 3D movement also makes the game seem a bit dated, particularly to those players accustomed to VF3.
All complaints aside, though, Last Bronx is a supremely playable fighter, and is second only to the VF series in terms of depth.
Miscellaneous:
One of the things that really sets this game apart from the pack is its distinct theme and style. The character and background designs are nothing short of excellent (Kurosawa may well be the all time coolest fighting game character), and the game simply exudes style and atmosphere.
The game also has the usual complement of features. It has a brief anime intro, which looks a bit cheap but is nontheless a nice change from the CG rendered stuff we generally see. It can be played in Arcade mode, which replicates the arcade game (imagine that), or in Saturn mode, which places more emphasis on story and features short anime endings. It also features the obligatory Versus, Survival, and Time Attack modes, as well as the expected options. One disappointment in terms of features is the training/tutorial mode that occupies the second disc. It's not a bad idea, and it features amusing superdeformed versions of the fighters, but the interface is extremely slow and clumsy, and it doesn't really get into the advanced g-canceling and floating techniques for which such a mode might actually be useful. I personally prefer the no-frills training mode of Fighters Megamix.
As long as we're on the subject of extras, the game's packaging is excellent and features the sort of goodies usually reserved for pricey deluxe packs. The double CD case features nice anime art on both the front and back sleeves (again, a nice change from the CG stuff), and contains a very thorough and attractive instruction book, a fold out poster/movelist, and a set of memory card stickers (featuring a CG portrait of Red Eye and a superdeformed cast pic). The whole thing just smacks of quality, and is a nice finishing touch on an excellent game.
Overall:
Last Bronx is a must-own title: it's one of the best looking and playing fighters ever to grace a home system, and gives even the astounding VF2 Saturn a run for its money.
Score: 94%
(as a reference, I'd give VF2 a 95%, VF3 a 98%, FV an 87%, and FMM a 91%)
