Retro Review – Tobal 2 [PS1]
A fighting game lost in time and translation, Tobal 2 stands the test of time as one of the best, lost gems of the genre. But what makes it so good? Let’s find out.
Gameplay: Tobal 2 is by far the greatest game ever developed by Dream Factory; it takes elements from every previous work up to that point and blends them together into a massive pit of fighting game bliss.
There are two primary ways to play Tobal 2, as a fighting game, and as a dungeon crawling RPG. On the fighting aspect of the game, players will compete in one on one fights in complete 3D environments. Controls are tight and responsive, providing fast paced gameplay, although the game does suffer slightly from moon jump syndrome, which was common place for 3D fighting titles at the time. On the other end of the spectrum, the dungeon crawling mode features gameplay elements that would be the ground work for a future title of Dream Factories, known as The Bouncer. Players pick their favorite character currently unlocked in the roster and explore a deep, expansive dungeon, leveling their fighter and fighting hordes of enemies and monsters, all of which can be captures Pokemon style with special crystals that will unlock them for use in the other fighting game modes. In total, players will have access to a roster of 200 characters.
Presentation: Any long term anime and manga fan will instantly notice something special about this game: the art was done and directed by Akira Toriyama. The full 3D characters models are well rendered, and I’ve seen very few graphical glitches. For it’s time, this was one of the best looking 3D fighters out there. The music was done by another well known man as well! Takayuki Nakamura, the man responsible for the music of Virtua Fighter and Ehrgeiz comes back to bring his assorted musical taste back to Dream Factory. Every musical arrangement is light on the ears, but still gets the blood pumping.
Value: Like every fighting game, Tobal 2′s primary source of replay comes in the form of beating your friends into a bloody pulp. However, unlike other fighting games, Tobal 2 also gives gamers that exta boost of tasks to complete by allowing them to max out every character inside of the dungeon mode. Completionists will certainly have their hands full unlocking the full roster and maxing out their stats.
Final Words: Tobal 2 is a fighting game with tons to offer. Intense head to head action, Pokemon-esque RPG mayhem, and so much to conquer. The story is a bit on the weak side, and by that I mean there’s almost no story at all. Also, this game is import only, unless of course you hunt down the fan-translation. So the game is hard to come by, and will probably set you back a pretty penny. But if you love fighting games, this is a must have in your collection. I give Tobal 2 a solid A.
+ One of the best 3D fighting games
+ Beautiful visual and audio presentation
- Japanese import only
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