Review #652: 64 Memories - Fighter Destiny 2

 Brand be damned, they actually changed the title!

 Part 1: The Flashback
 What flashback? There's no flashback! I didn't own this game, but I wanted to. I also wanted to play it, but by the time it released(00's) the hot new thing was the PS2, so no stores nearby were stocking on new Nintendo 64 games, not even for rental.

 On another note, I feel critics were incredibly unfair to this game, claiming things that are factually incorrect, such as this game looking exactly like the first one. Which is wrong, this game has much better character models and even better animations. On the other hand, it is a horrible sequel, but not because it's bad, but because pretty much nothing has changed, even the unlockable characters have the same unlock conditions as before!

 Part 2: The Review
 It's pretty much the same exact game as before, but prettier. A and B are your two different attack buttons, R is used to block and Z for free movement around the arena. A+B are your grab, and A+B+Down is your grab escape. Your objective is to score more points than your opponent by either: Knocking them down, throwing them outside the ring, hitting them with a Counter or a Super Move, each of those having different point values. Whoever reaches the required number of points first wins. What value each result has, as well as the required number of points, can be completely customized on the options menu, which is pretty neat. And it's also exactly the same as the first game.

 The character roster is a mix of new and old characters, although now you start off with 11 characters instead of 9. There are five hidden characters, just like the first game, and they have the same requirements as the first game, so good luck at the rodeo! As for modes you've got your standard VS CPU arcade course, VS PLayer, Training and Record, which houses Survival, Fastest and Rodeo... pretty much the same modes from the first game. I know I'm being repetitive, but I can't stress enough just how similar both games are. That said, there is a new mode, Fighter's Arena, which takes the place of Master Mode. In this mode you play through a board game, defeating enemies, increasing your stats and learning new moves. Basically, Master Mode but with a new coat of pain!

 Unlocking characters felt as tough as it was on the first game, if not slightly harder since the CPU seems tougher, but I managed to last against the Cow in Rodeo by using Addrienne, using R to block the cow's attacks and countering with a simple BBBB attack string, going straight into blocking afterwards. Took a bit of time and a bit of luck, but I powered through it. As for Fastest, I just spammed Abdul's back,back B for easy victories. Survival and Fighter's Arena were obstacles I couldn't clear though, but Cherry and Master aren't characters I cared for too much anyways.

 Fighter Destiny 2 is a great game but a horrible sequel. I think the fact that it has better graphics, better animations, two extra characters and pretty much anything else the first game had makes it better by default... although by such a small, negligible margin that you are good to go with either game. That said, both games are entirely unique and original, nothing has come out in recent years that plays anything like them, just like Playstation's Bushido Blade series. Either 'destiny' game is worth owning just for the novelty alone, but the fact that they are good too is just the icing on the cake.
 8.0 out of 10