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Darkstalkers Resurrection
By Joseph K. Saulnier
Darkstalkers Resurrection is pretty much what you have come to expect from all of the other Capcom fighting game re-releases. The mechanics are not updated, but it does update pretty much everything else in the game, ranging from art to achievements.
Because of this, there’s not a whole lot to talk about here. Anyone who has played Darkstalkers before knows what to expect in the form of gameplay; and if you liked the original, you will love this updated version. Unfortunately, if you didn’t like the series, then there isn’t really anything groundbreaking or revolutionary that will convince you otherwise. Darkstalkers Resurrection isn’t anything more than a love letter to the existing fans that helps them to remember why they fell in love with the game in the first place.
So I am fully aware that not everyone has played the series before, so I will give a quick rundown: Darkstalkers is kind of an intermediary game between the slow technical combat of Street Fighter and the fast and frantic combat of the vs. series.
Supposedly, Capcom was split up on its decision to remake either Night Warriors (Darkstalkers 2) or Darkstalkers 3, so they just decided to remake both games. You can choose to play either one, much as you could choose between Marvel Super Heroes and Marvel vs. Capcom in Marvel vs. Capcom Origins. To be completely honest, you will likely be playing Darkstalkers 3 most of the time. It’s the game that feels more polished and is certainly the game that more people are playing.
But, no Capcom remake would be finished without a host of new graphics options, and there is no exception made here. There are filters that you can apply to make the game look as smooth, or as pixelated as you want; and you even have the ability to fix the aspect ratio to work with the newer TVs.
However, none of the coolest thing that Darkstalkers Resurrection has to offer is the “over-the-shoulder” view, which pretty accurately simulates standing over the shoulder of an old pro at your local arcade, waiting for your turn to play. Of course, having never actually needed to play from this perspective, it’s a little weird to control. It’s not likely that this option will be used much outside of playing around with your friends; but still, it’s an amazing piece of nostalgia that satisfies old arcade regulars like me.
A full tutorial has been integrated into Darkstalkers Resurrection, and it’s actually a pretty decent tutorial compare to other fighting game remakes. The tutorials actually teach you the utility behind each character’s best moves. The game also has a full list of achievements and challenges that can be set to scroll up the margins of the screen as you complete them. The points you earn by completing these challenges can then be used on a number of mostly aesthetic unlockables.
These days it’s impossible to talk about a re-release without mentioning the inevitable inclusion of online mode, and Darkstalkers Resurrection’s is one of the best. The game’s online modes take full advantage of the GGPO networking library, the best online library for fighting games out there. Most matches go off without issue, and you can easily play matches across the country without perceiving a hint of lag. The problems only start showing up when you decide to take on opponents from the other side of the planet.
In Ressurection’s online multiplayer you can now filter matches both by region and by ping, making sure you only get the best connections possible. You can create eight-player online lobbies that allow you to set your own rules for the game, including straight out banning characters that you just don’t want to deal with. If you are a fan of online-only tournaments, which have become all the rage in the fighting game community in recent days, you can run one using the game’s online tournament mode. Finally, if you feel the need to show off your Darkstalkers prowess to the world, you can upload your match replays directly to YouTube from the in-game interface.
As I mentioned, we all know what to expect from a fighting game remake, and we know exactly what Darkstalkers Resurrection has to offer. If you enjoyed Darkstalkers in the past, you will absolutely love Resurrection. If you didn’t, Resurrection isn’t going to convert you. And if you never played Darkstalkers in the past, what’s the matter with you? Sign on to PSN or XBLA and get this game. You owe it to yourself to experience one of the most important titles in fighting game history.
4 stars out of 5
