The unique portion of the game is in it's looks. All of the characters scale in and out as they move into the backdrops. While surely a great idea on paper (and surely one that would make the companies higher ups say "go for it"), it's execution is sorely lacking. Add in the four-player option and this game should've been gold.

Right from start, it won't take anyone very long to figure out something is wrong here. Animation is generally non-existent whether it be the main characters or the enemies. Due to the scaling effect, it's nearly impossible at times to figure out if you're on the same plane as an enemy. Be prepared to throw out a lot of phantom punches before finishing this one. Yes, the effect is nice (there's a ludicrous amount of parallax scrolling at times), but when it begins to effect the gameplay, it really should be taken out. If you get four-players going at once, be prepared for some major confusion and lots of pixelization.

If it wasn't bad enough as it is, just try actually hitting a guy when he's right next to you. The hit detection is so poor, you'll hardly ever get the chance to finish a combo. The last hit generally passes right through your opponents giving them the perfect chance to get some cheap shots in. Then again, they usually don't. The A. I. is laughable. Most will constantly walk left to right for a few feet in the upper corners of the screen until approached. You'll only be attacked by the quicker enemies who dash in from off the screen unannounced.

Admittedly, there are some nifty effects that have yet to mentioned. The evil guys will appear on screen anime' style before leaping into battle and attacking with magic produces the same effect with your character. There's an outstanding graphics engine here, but the developers completely missed the gameplay segment. Not even the four-player option can save this one. Very few games that are this sloppy actually make it to the market as a finished product.