Capcom ' s got more than a decade invested in the fighting-game business . Most of Capcom ' s fighters have followed in the footsteps of the Street Fighter games , keeping the same basic 2D gameplay . While the company has ventured into 3D in the past , nothing it ' s done has been even remotely like Power Stone .
Yes , Power Stone is technically a fighting game . But it ' s hard to compare it to your standard fighter . For starters , there ' s no block in the game . So all of the defensive maneuvers consist of staying out of the way of your opponent ' s attacks . This isn ' t nearly as hard as it sounds , given the game ' s 3D nature . Rather than pressing up to jump , you use the Dreamcast ' s analog pad to run around the arena in any direction . So you ' re free to run away from your opponent ' s larger attacks .
The aim of the game is the same as other fighting games , but the methods you use are quite different . For example , there aren ' t really any special attacks . You must use the arena as a weapon . Each playfield is littered with crates , benches , signs , and other items that you can pick up and toss at your enemy . There are also various items that pop up , including , swords , pistols , flamethrowers and gatling guns . But the main items in the game are the three power stones .
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At the beginning of a round , each fighter starts out with one power stone . The third stone eventually spawns at a random location in the arena . Getting all three stones shifts your fighter into overdrive , complete with a costume change . While powered up , each button press unleashes a super attack , usually resulting in a projectile . Each one of these attacks takes up a bit of your super meter .
The graphics in Power Stone are well done . The polygonal fighters are nice and smooth . The fighters are designed in a very cartoony style , and the stages are all incredibly nice . However , portions of the game ( some of the more extravagant super moves , or when players are on fire , in particular ) are plagued with slowdown , marring an otherwise explosive display .
All in all , Power Stone is a very fun and unconventional fighter . It ' s easy enough for even non-fighting game fans to pick up the basics extremely quickly . However , the excitement is short lived . Expect to enjoy it immensely for the first week or two , but don ' t expect to find very much long-term fun .
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