One Must Fall 2097

The Good
Where could I start? It's hard enough to find a fighting game worth playing on the PC and to top it off it's freeware! I first found OMF after playing the shareware a few years back and I instantly fell in love even though it was on a black and white monitor on an old 486. What makes this game stand out amongst fighting games especially for the PC is the incredibly simple controls and the RPG like tornament mode where you can buy robots and boost their stats and even boost your stats as a pilot. 1 player mode was dissapointing but the tornament mode more than made up for it. The graphics are much more than expected for a game of it's age and the music really hypes you up. Speaking of sound each time you score a hit there is a wonderful metal clanging noise. Another great thing about the tornaments is the ability to customize your robots colors. It has many aspects of a great fighting game even a fatality like "scrap" and "destruction" moves, but also has a great story and tons of secrets and extras. A total master piece.

The Bad
Sometimes things get annoying like the news caster or that repair guy saying the samething but at the same time these things make the game great and it's always satisfying to see your final blow on the news.

The Bottom Line
You might be thinking this is baloney because of the games age but the graphics are smooth though the sprites are a bit choopy (300X200) but they are rendered to fool you that they're 3D. If you love fighting games or RPG's then this game is defenatly worth downloading (HEY IT'S FREE). If you have a more powerful computer check out www.omf.com about information about the all new 3D game OMF Battlegrounds.

The Good
The music is very good, the gameplay is great, and the backgrounds are awesome. The varied robots are actually very different from one another, and not just when it comes to secret moves. The controls are very simple and intuitive, with only two attack buttons! In the story mode, you can pick from different pilots with varying speed, stamina and power to fight in the robot of your choice providing extra replay value.

The very best part of the game though is the tournament mode. You start out with a bare bone Jaguar robot and a wussy pilot. Each fight you win gives you money for upgrades and training, and later you might trade in your robot for a different model. You have to be careful because if you lose, you might have to sell some valuable components to pay for the repair costs. Even if you win, you might not get much money if you suffer a lot of damage during the fight, and the better your robot the more the repairs cost! This ability to upgrade your fighter and to change robots at any time you can afford one extends the replay value of the game beyond that of ANY other fighting game on ANY system! The many secret characters don't hurt either.

The Bad
N/A

The Bottom Line
Play the best fighting game on the PC and arguably in the world. The tournament mode will drag you back again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again...

The Good
Tournament play adds an unmatched RPG quality and makes for great replayability, and user addons as well. The unique pilot/robot system allows for over 100 possible combinations to fight with. News and tech reports after every fight add personality to the game. More secrets than any other fighting game I've ever played. There's always another hidden feature! A great sense of originality: each robot has completely different moves and looks. The arenas actually have an impact on your fight, from electric walls to jet plane attacks. Great music and sound (Epic's trademark).

The Bad
Most of the best features (like the air combos, super jumps, and block damage) are only accessible as secrets. Kind of annoying. Also, the announcer is repetitive the better you get (as you lose more badly, she gets funnier, though.)

The Bottom Line
I can't make the point enough times: THE BEST FIGHTER FOR THE PC. EVER. Similar games like Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, or Killer Instinct can do nothing against a game with over 40 different characters, almost no learning curve, and an RPG-style tournament mode that keeps you coming back for more. Not to mention the secret characters, moves, and even arenas!