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The Week Ending January 25, 2000

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and Vigilante 8
With the Twisted Metal series easily being one of the most popular PlayStation franchises out there, it was only a matter of time until we saw a comparable game arrive on the Dreamcast. That game is Vigilante 8: 2^nd Offense, and although it is also available on other platforms, the Dreamcast version clearly has the lead when it comes to technical might. I can't tell you how great it feels to play a game like Vigilante 8 and imagine what Twisted Metal would look like with high-resolution 3D-accelerated graphics.
Yes, Vigilante 8 is a beautiful game to look at, but does the playability measure up? Yes and no. Although there is a lot of variety in the concept, ranging from vehicles such as a moon buggy to a garbage truck, the game seems overly complicated. Players who buy this type of game have one goal: To blow stuff up. Here, even the arcade mode can be frustrating, as you'll often find yourself missing power-ups because of the loose controls, or at the very least you'll get stuck behind an object because the camera control isn't spot on.

Vigilante 8 is the first real vehicular combat game on the Dreamcast, and there's no question it looks phenomenal. But at the end of the day, it's one of those games that is probably a better rental than purchase, unless you're a huge Twisted Metal fan. (If anything, it gives you an indication of what Sony might pull off when it comes to Twisted Metal on the PlayStation 2!)

Your Comments?
Agree or disagree? I'd love to hear your opinions.

Thanks for reading! That's the Gist of It.

Geoff Keighley
Editor-in-Chief
GameSlice