Over the last few months, we've spent quite a bit of time counting down the best and worst 3D fighting games. We've covered Virtua Fighter, Dead or Alive and, most recently, both Tekken and SoulCalibur. But what about the also-ran fighting games that were popular enough to get a handful of sequels, but not popular enough to still be going today. I'm talking about games like Battle Arena Toshinden and Bloody Roar, two franchises that were hot in the 1990s, only to be completely forgotten about just a couple decades later. Did these franchises deserve better? And, more importantly, what did Electronic Gaming Monthly have to say about these two 3D fighters?
In case you're wondering, EGM reviewed a total of eleven games across the two franchises – six Bloody Roar games and five for Battle Arena Toshinden. This covers pretty much every game in both of those series, except for Toshinden 4, which never got an American release. What we're going to do today is count down the best and worst Toshinden and Bloody Roar games using Electronic Gaming Monthly's own words and scores. There's no editorializing here, we're going to focus on what the critics said back when these games first came out. So, go and get bitten by a werewolf, because we're taking the fight to a very small ring when we claw our way through Electronic Gaming Monthly's Top 11 Battle Arena Toshinden and Bloody Roar Games.
Bloody Roar 4 (PlayStation 2)
#11
“Usually, when a fighting series reaches its fourth installment, it's doing something right. In Bloody Roar 4's case, however, the only truly positive thing I can say is that it lets me beat on other people as a six-foot-tall rabbit, and even that got old after a few minutes. Roar is just a shallow button masher, one that's not much fun whether you're playing alone or with friends. And what's the point of even having different stages if every last one is bordered by four invisible walls? Stay away from this beast – it bites.” (3.7 out of 10)
Battle Arena Toshinden Remix (Saturn)
#10
“I was very disappointed in Toshinden Remix for the Saturn. First, let me rip on the voices of the characters. They're far too overdone to even be funny. Sofia's voice is almost as deep as Rungo's! I know she's a strong fighter, but come on! Plus, during the fights, they're all screaming and grunting in loud, exaggerated ways. More important than this, there really weren't any major enhancement. Sure, some cinemas and a boss, but that's not enough to make me happy. The only thing that I like a lot was the art of the characters on the select screen. This is a good one to rent.” (4 out of 10)
Bloody Roar Extreme (Xbox)
#9
“I am usually at peace in the world of beasts, but Bloody Roar Extreme is something else entirely. Its goofy characters and lackluster environments pale compared to those in other Xbox fighters. And the simplistic button mashing combat mocks the natural ferocity, grace and patience that my real-life animal friends once channeled into my deadly mantis stance. Infected by Bloody Roar Extreme's mediocrity, I now move in lame, predictable ways, and require months of meditation and fasting to regain my power.” (4.3 out of 10)
Battle Arena Toshinden URA (Saturn)
#8
“Another unimpressive version of Toshinden comes to the Saturn. I know darned well that the Saturn has the power to make a game like this look good, so I guess I'll have to blame this one on the developer ... sorry. Let's start with the graphics – first the character selection screen is blocky and the pics of the characters are sprites rather than actual 3D polygons. The graphics during play are decent, but really could've been better. Most of the movement of the characters is delayed and at times even slow. I can't say that I was too excited about playing URA – I expected a lot more. It's a good rental but long-term play may be tedious.” (4.6 out of 10)
Bloody Roar 3 (PlayStation 2)
#7
“Bloody Roar 3 is a lemon. It offers moves, it offers combos, it even offers technique. On paper, Bloody Roar 3 rivals games like SoulCalibur with an impressive list of gameplay goodies. Some hands-on time will quickly reveal, however, that this game is full of mechanical problems: Characters turn around too slowly; the evade/escape system requires such precise timing, it's practically useless in a live match; you can heal way too much while in beast form, etc. Bloody Roar 3 is best saved for those who can enjoy flashy, button mashing gameplay, and who don't really need a technically adept fighting game engine.” (5.7 out of 10)
Bloody Roar: Primal Fury (PlayStation 2)
#6
“Eighting's mighty-morphin' animal-fighting game is back on the GameCube with better graphics, a couple of new characters and minor tweaks to its frantic gameplay. But these so-called improvements don't really change the fact that Bloody Roar: Primal Fury still plays out like a spazzy button-mash contest, where the winner simply jams on the combos as fast and often as possible! What contributes to the scrub vibe is the roster of characters who all attach with approximately identical speed and priorities. But even while Primal Fury will do nothing for hardcore fighting fans, casual gamers will get a kick out of its superb graphics, special effects and over-the-top action.” (6 out of 10)
Bloody Roar II (PlayStation)
#5
“Bloody Roar II is one of the spazziest fighters since Toshinden 3. It's a decent game ... that is, if you don't mind a lot of tap-tap combos combined with frantic, almost mindless gameplay. With Bloody Roar II, more often than not button mashing will win more games than actual strategy. The game sure does look nice, though. It's almost worth checking out for the eye candy alone. Just don't expect a Tekken or Street Fighter-like hardcore fighter.” (6.5 out of 10)
Battle Arena Toshinden 3 (PlayStation)
#4
“Here's another good example of a fighting game with lots of options and tons of characters that I couldn't get into. The graphics look nice, but often are too flashy – almost overkill. Some of the attacks are some of the coolest around, especially the ones when guns are used. Still, Toshinden is a solid buy simply for the amount of characters.” (7.1 out of 10)
Bloody Roar (PlayStation)
#3
“Bloody Roar is the fighting game for everybody. Its massive moves list borrows from just about every fighting (although its super-fast engine is most similar to Fighting Vipers), making it easy to get into. While random button mashing will work fine against inexperienced opponents, the counters and beasts' ferocious juggles make Bloody Roar surprisingly deep. The game is also flashier than Soul Blade and Star Gladiator put together.” (7.9 out of 10)
Battle Arena Toshinden (PlayStation)
#2
“Toshinden is the most visually impressive fighting game I have ever seen. The game plays well, and the characters are all pretty cool. Unfortunately, once you've seen all it has to offer, it loses its appeal. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Toshinden, but it gets tiresome. The American version has changed voices and music. Most of you won't really care, but if you've played the import game, it is rather annoying. Toshinden is cool. Show it off to your friends.” (8.1 out of 10)
Battle Arena Toshinden 2 (PlayStation)
#1
“I appreciate both Toshindens because they combine the 3D look of Virtua Fighter with the special moves of Street Fighter. Games like the Virtua Fighters or Tekkens are fun to look at, but I want to see some fireballs, flaming dragon punches and other flash stuff. I'm actually surprised that more games do not take this approach of ‘the best of two worlds'. Toshinden 2 does not compare graphically, however, to Virtua Fighter 2. It wasn't quite as smooth and had fewer polygons. If you can avoid comparing the two, you have a great 3D fighter in Toshinden 2, which I guarantee will go down as a classic.” (8.1 out of 10)
