Graphically, the game was kind of disappointing. Y'see, a lot of hoo hah was made about Fur Fighter's graphics when it was coming out, but I came away with the impression that I was playing a souped up 64 game. Now don't get me wrong, Fur Fighter's graphics aren't exactly horrible (bright, colorful, et cetera) but when you compare them to the beautifully constructed work in, say, Banjo Kazooie, it doesn't quite stack up. God is in the details, mein freunde.

Soundwise, Fur Fighters has some plain, albeit cheesy elevator music; wholly average. However, there is one greater issue of aural importance in Fur Fighters that caused me to have a grudge for it. Allow me to explain: when I first heard the "wah wah, wah wah wah" gibberish speak used for characters in Banjo Kazooie, I wasn't half as bothered as most people seemed to be by it. I mean, this IS the N64, not the PS, you can't expect beautifully recorded voice right? So Rayman 2 came along, and while it did bug me a bit more, I again forgave it (at the time I was playing the N64 version). But now I get to Fur Fighters, on the DC (the console with the best audio capabilities available) and what do I get instead of excellently performed voice acting? "Hooga booga wah wah woof ooga bonk rowr". AUGH! Not only that, but the feline character Juliet speaks with a pronounced (and annoying) French accent....while she's speaking gibberish That's just ridiculous. Move into the 21st Century here, people, either have actual dialogue or make the game text-only! Criminy!

But as usual, it all comes down to control, yet another iffy area of Fur Fighters. Using a the ever popular Turok-stylized control scheme (i.e. analog pad to aim, buttons to strafe and move forwards and back). While MDK2 pulled this off with mad credibility, FF falters a bit. Once characters begins a walking/attacking animation, they'll complete it to the point of temporarily being relieved of control. Icky. Add unspectacular level design to that, and well...not that it's all bad, the battles are pretty good, as well as some interesting character switching gameplay mechanics. In short, Fur Fighters equates to being a standard 3D platformer, with typical "scavenger hunt" play mechanics, and thus, the entire package just feels rather...standard.

All in all, if you really like 3D platformers you should rent this one, but don't get too excited. It's really really standard.

· · · Riisuke