Act: OMF: Battlegrounds [by Diversions Entertainment]

Game Review: One Must Fall: Battlegrounds
Release: March, 2004
Genre: Action
Developer: Diversions Entertainment
System Requirements: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP, 500MHz CPU, 128MB of RAM, recent 3D accelerator
Players: 1-16 (Simultaneous)
Price: $29.95
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One Must Fall: Battlegrounds is a great game that you aren't playing!

When I had a chance to preview One Must Fall: Battlegrounds, I commented on the innovation of this 3D fighting game. The finished version is here, and it was even better than expected! Multiple interactive arenas littered with items, power-ups, and weapons, different bots with all sorts of special moves, and a cast of characters populating an interesting and twisting story make for one heck of a game. The one thing I focused on in the preview, however, were the controls. OMF lets you control each limb separately, and you always feel like you have exact control of the game. With the finished version, I found that I never felt like I was battling the controls, which allowed me to concentrate on my enemies.

One Must Fall: Battlegrounds is set in the same universe as Diversion Entertainment's One Must Fall 2097. It takes place 20 years later, and many of the characters in the older game are back. Fighting in arenas with giant robots has become popular, and you can punch, kick, and otherwise destroy your opponents on your way to the top. As you play, you discover different members of different groups, some of which get along while others won't get be eating together at Thanksgiving.

You control a giant bot from a third-person perspective. As I mentioned before, you can control each of your arms and legs, allowing you to punch and kick with precision. Diversions Entertainment must have worked tirelessly on the controls because I found them to be quite intuitive. While moving around with only four arrow keys might sound limiting, your bot has a few tricks up its sleeves. Different keys allow you to evade to the side, jump in the air, run, or dodge. You can also press the evade key and up to turn towards your opponent quickly, which is a great way to make sure your back isn't turned.

And you'll need to make sure that you have your opponents in front of you. OMF allows 16 players to play at once, and having enemies behind you isn't advisable and is a sure-fire way to get a beat down. There are a number of bots to chose from, along with a large number of characters to play as. Each bot has certain attacks specific to it, such as Jaguar's Super Concussion Cannon or Pyros' Super Fire Spin. But more important than your special moves and regular attacks is the ability to make combo attacks. At first you will probably get used to doing simple two hit combos, but after awhile 5-10 hit combos should come naturally. Scouring the world wide web, I found a number of fan sites that had combo lists for some of the bots, some with over 20 hits! You can even take advantage of elements from the arena to help you, as electric fences, falling missiles, and spider bots are only some of the threats included.

With so many characters able to play at once, you also have to be careful that someone doesn't steal your combo! OMF allows you to rack up as many hits as you want, but if someone manages to get a hit in at the end, he/she gets credited with the hits. That means your 10 hit combo can become someone else's 11+ hit combo if the opponent you are pummeling doesn't land before getting hit by another player's attack. This dynamic makes for some interesting battles and can also allow hit counts to get pretty high.

Each arena has a unique setup. The Blade Pit has buzz saws flying around the circular arena as blades periodically keep all players from staying too close to the edge. Desert features a pyramid in the center along with some hazardous sand if you fall off of the edges. The Desert arena also features items that can be picked up such as the nuclear missile and the air strike, both of which can do combo damage to your enemies.

While the single-player game allows you to train, compete for trophies, and otherwise go through the story, the multiplayer game is a real treat. OMF makes use of a built-in GameSpy client that searches for Internet and LAN games, allowing you to play against real people instead of simply bots (although the AI can be tough on certain modes). You can even host your own game.

And here is why I said you aren't playing it. As great as this game is, it was rare for me to find a running server during this review. I did get a chance to play with some people, and with the practice I had in single-player, I held my own for the most part. Even though I did lose a good share of the matches (er, maybe all of them), I had a blast playing against actual opponents. I believe most games will, too.

Longtime fighting game fans will have a lot to love with this game, and I think any gamer will also appreciate its quality. The combo system, interactive arenas, and amazingly intuitive controls all show the amazing job Diversions Entertainment did with this title.

Graphics: 9
The variety of the bots and arenas are done very well, and the special effects, especially when a combo finishes off an opponent, are beautiful. Gorgeous environments mixed great lighting effects makes this game look great.

Sound: 8
As your giant bots run, you can hear the ground shaking. Each hit clangs off the opponent's metal. Environments each have their own moods. The music is also quite good, although it isn't spectacular.

Game Play: 10
I have to say that Diversion Entertainment did a great job on the controls. While some people might complain that they don't have the ability to use a mouse, the keyboard or game pad work surprisingly fine.

Value: 9
Besides network play, the single player mode has a long list of options, Different tournaments and training areas are available, so you can keep playing for a long time.

Concept: 9
3D fighting games aren't new, but the combination of interactive environments, combos, and controls make for a very innovative game.

Fun: 9
There were days when I found myself playing this game for hours longer than I had expected, and it is simply because it is so much fun! Fighting through the tournaments and learning more about the story were great productivity killers for me.

Overall: 9
I really think that One Must Fall: Battlegrounds is a game that should exist in the collection of any gamer who enjoys innovative twists on old game play. A game that allows for so much control and so many options is more than just a fighting game. This game is truly great.

Added: September 21st 2004
Reviewer: Gianfranco Berardi
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