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Fatal Fury 2: A Take 2 Review by Bobak!
[This is my second, briefer review of FF2 after an accident obliterated the original]
Again Legendary Men Return...
It is not common knowledge that both Capcom's Street Fighter II and SNK's original Fatal Fury were both developed at the same time, outside the influence of each other. While Fatal Fury continued SNK's tradition of fighting games (like Street Smart), Capcom's well designed Street Fighter II went on to astounding success. A year later, SNK came out with a sequel to its own fighter: Fatal Fury 2. Adding characters, humor, and boosting itself in all the technical categories, FF2 proved that SNK could adapt the success of its competitor and improve on it (in ways that Capcom would also later 'borrow'). While Fatal Fury marked the beginning of the fighting genre on the Neo (which became known among certain video game circles as the "fighting game system"), Fatal Fury 2 pioneered the successful playability that gave SNK a competitive edge.
Graphics:
The graphics in FF2 greatly improved on the original. Terry, Andy, & Joe are larger and better animated. The new characters (like the immense Big Bear) and backgrounds are also well done. While they've been improved upon ten-fold by other Neo Geo games, they still hold their own -not detracting from the gameplay.
Music/SFX:
While the original FF was notable for its catchy tunes, FF2 burst with some of the best music to ever grace any fighter. In fact, many of the tunes first heard in FF2 were later remixed or retouched for later Neo Geo games. The sound effects are equally impressive; and, unlike earlier Neo Geo games, none of the sound or music in FF2 sounds like its coming from the end of hallway.
I absolutely must make special note of Lord Wolfgang Krauser, the final boss of Fatal Fury 2. Not only are he and his stage well drawn, but the sound and music they chose to accompany him has never, ever been matched. George Lucas once said that Star Wars' success was 60% sound. FF2's programmers proved that: As his stage begins, panning down from a cathedral-like ceiling, you hear his booming and articulate Teutonic voice bellowing "I'll chisel your gravestone... Sleep well!" -all the while a surprisingly well digitalized (for a cart) and especially dramatic rendition of Mozart's Requiem plays in the background, complete with the occasional thunderclap. This dramatic final stage was the first of its kind for a boss, and many games have tried, to varying success, to emulate it. However, even after 10 years, the original continues to impress.
Playability:
While not perfect, the gameplay in FF2 is a major improvement over the original. All the characters are strong enough to be competitive, and all the moves are relatively easy to pull off. The signature dual-plane battles that originated in Fatal Fury one are also present in 2. While this sometimes creates chaotic "hopping battles", I think it helps give the game some of its charm. The game is still very playable.
Overall:
While Fatal Fury 2 was updated quickly by Fatal Fury Special (which was FF2 with numerous improvements), the original should not be totally forgotten. In this age of very expensive home carts (has there ever not been?), Fatal Fury 2 and Special can both be found for reasonable prices. While FFS certainly has enough bonuses to give it an edge, should you come across FF2 first, I wouldn't hesitate picking it up.
Breakdown:
Graphics: 74%
Music/SFX: 82%
Playability: 80%
Overall: 75%
Krauser's Stage: 95%
Bobak!: is not schizophrenic.
Bobak!: is not schizophrenic.
