With Capcom Fighting Collection 2 a month away from launch, I was able to check out a handful of titles available in the latest fighting game compilation ahead of its scheduled full retail release. Until now, Capcom has mostly shied away from including full 3D titles—outside of, perhaps, polygonal-based assets in backgrounds and such in select games—but with the release of Capcom Fighting Collection 2, that will change with the inclusion of titles like Power Stone 2, Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein and Project Justice.
Like previous iterations, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 will feel familiar. Outside of the games themselves, the menu and UI seem nearly identical to other releases—for better or for worse. But on to the games! Starting with arguably my most anticipated title in the collection, Power Stone 2 feels great to play again using modern controls.
Disappointingly, however, the game seems to be derived from either the Dreamcast title or arcade ROM, as it doesn’t appear to feature the widescreen support that the PSP version of the game had. For those unfamiliar with the game, Power Stone 2 originally launched in 2000 and was one of the first examples of a party-based fighting game, bumping the player count to four and putting it in line with the then-still relatively new Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo 64.
Power Stone 2 leveraged the horsepower of the Sega NAOMI—the beating heart of the Dreamcast—and brought with it not only impressive graphics but a rock-solid level of performance, placing it in a league of its own. Flash forward to today, and the once-impressive game still manages to look rather slick, even in its 4:3 presentation, making it feel right at home within the Capcom Fighting Collection 2 roster.
“Power Stone 2 feels great to play again using modern controls.”
Keeping with the 3D trend with the Capcom Fighting Collection 2, let’s talk about Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein, a game that, admittedly, I knew little about—outside of the inclusion of the character Hayato Kanzaki in Marvel vs. Capcom 2. The game is a sequel to an early Capcom 3D fighting game called Star Gladiator, with both titles feeling like a direct response to something like Star Wars.
Plasma Sword features a roster of 17 playable characters, all of whom wield some form of energy-based weapon or the titular plasma sword—again, seemingly a direct response to the iconic lightsaber. As most combatants come equipped with their weapons of choice, Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein feels like a mix between Soul Calibur and the floaty juggling mechanics of Tekken.
What makes Plasma Sword unique, however, is the inclusion of Plasma Field abilities. When activated, these deploy a unique area-of-effect that can drastically change the flow of a fight—such as stopping time or freezing an opponent in a block of ice for a few seconds. Additionally, powerful special attacks that use the plasma gauge add even more pizzazz to the game, helping it stand out from being just another early 3D fighting game.
“What makes Plasma Sword unique, however, is its inclusion of Plasma Field abilities, which, when used, deploys a unique AoE that can drastically change the flow of a fight.”
Finally, Project Justice, the sequel to Rival Schools, features impressive 3D graphics for its era—brought back in full swing for Capcom Fighting Collection 2. The game includes a robust story mode with branching paths and alternate endings, including exclusive characters who join your team depending on your choices throughout the story. If you’ve never played Rival Schools or Project Justice, the game features a shounen anime aesthetic with a strong focus on sport-themed characters—such as a baseball player and a Street Fighter-like schoolgirl reminiscent of Sakura, with her penchant for punching.
One of the more interesting mechanics in Project Justice is its team-based abilities, which generally come in two forms: an attack-based team-up and a passive buff that powers up and fills your character’s meter. Furthermore, responding to your opponent’s team combo with your own triggers a dramatic cut-in, where both teams’ support characters enter for a sudden-death minigame that can cancel your opponent’s attempt.
There’s more I’d like to discuss about Capcom Fighting Collection 2, but for now, rest assured it’s shaping up to be another solid release—thanks in part to the inclusion of 3D-era titles that help keep things feeling fresh.
