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Ehrgeiz
God Bless the Ring!
 
Believe it or not, but roughly 20% of all software sold for the Playstation game console is in the form of a fighting game. So it should come as no surprise that software wizard, Square would like to exploit a piece of that market.

Being no stranger to fighting games, with previous groundbreaking titles such as the Tobol and Bushido Blade series, Square has taken what they have learned from those previous games, thrown in some incredible handling characteristics and unleashed their latest fighter - Ehrgeiz!
 

Ehrgeiz Rocks..!
 
      Ehrgeiz is another fighting game from the same folks that created both Tobol No. 1 & 2 AND it also includes a fully translated story mode to boot. The game features some nice character designs and some familiar faces...namely Cloud of Final Fantasy VII fame.

We just received our beta version of the game and I can safely tell you that this title is going to seriously rock in the fighter arena.

The main game features an impressive array of fighters including several characters from the Final Fantasy VII universe. The fighting takes place in a true 3D universe where you can use the analog mode on the controller to move your character all over the screen. There are even arenas where you have the ability to jump up or down onto ledges, walls and all sorts of things.

This is quite easily the best-implemented 3D-fighting engine that I have ever seen so far on a home console system. Characters also have their own special attacks that can issue some real pain to your opponents. Cloud Strife for instance has his enormous sword that he can wield for some devastating results. Characters can also grasp their opponents and attack or throw their victims.

More Than One Game Too!
 
      Not content to deliver what may be the best fighting game seen so far on the Playstation, Square has included several mini games and a fully realized quest mode.

The mini games are just that, little side diversions that are sure to entertain and amuse gamers while they are taking a breather from the main game. The mini games consist of the following:

Infinity Battle:
This is a single player game and involves defeating all opponents that appear in the character's path. Once your Physical Strength gauge is depleted, its lights out and the game is over. Each time you defeat an opponent your strength is replenished so the name of the game is to keep defeating your enemies!

Battle Runner:
This is a two-player or one on the CPU match. Players run around a circuit type field and in order to win, the player must run around the regulation course faster than their opponent. Once again, when you Physical Strength gauge is depleted or your opponent finish's the game first you lose. Things can get pretty wild as you are punching it out with your opponent to sap their strength and finish first.

Battle Beach:
Another two-player mode, this one has you participating in a series of activities on a nice warm sunny beach. There is "Battle Dash" which is a simple start to finish race, "Battle Flag" where you must outrun your opponent and be the first to dive onto the flag at the end of the race and finally "Battle Hurdle". Here you run along the beach and jump over branches that have been place in your way. Again, first one to the finish line wins!

Battle Panel:
One or Two-players fight it out on an 8x8 grid that consists of panels with each players respective colors. Be the first to fill in the majority of your color on the board and you win. Of course, you can also pummel your opponent in the process.

Wait... There's More!
 
      Last and certainly not least, Ehrgeiz contains a fully realized Quest Mode that is truly a full game all in itself.

This is a one-player game that has a man partnered up with a woman. You can only bring one player down into the dungeons at a time but can switch back and forth between the two players whenever you wish, by simple going back to your "hotel room" and selecting the other character.

The game consists of two main areas, first there is the over world that contains various shops in which you can purchase food, armor and repairs for your weapons. You also get valuable clues by talking to the people here as well as getting asked to do some special missions.

The second area is the dungeon itself. There are several locations that allow you to enter the underground caverns; some containing much more powerful monsters so it is up to you to decide where you wish to begin.

Once you enter the dungeon you have to be alert to your condition. While down there you get hungry, and when you get hungry you must eat so make sure you're properly stocked with food. It's not quite that easy though…as a human your body must take nourishment from 5-key food groups.

Next there are the monsters that inhabit the dark dank corridors. Fighting is done in real time and there are often a slew of opponents that you have to mow down…all on the screen at the same time! You are not defenseless though, as you can purchase or find all kinds of weapons and battle armor to assist you in your battle.

The Materia system is also used in the game. You can equip various Materia to be used as Basic Materia attacks and Ultra Materia attacks. Of course, not being a Magician you must purchase Magic Stones to enable your to execute the Materia commands.

Sight and Sound
 
      The graphics in all the modes of Ehrgeiz are outstanding. The main fighting game features smooth, wonderfully texture-mapped characters that appears to come alive as you move them around the fighting area.

The animation is smooth as silk and the special effects are outstanding. Just running around will elicit small puffs of smoke and dust from your character's feet. In the "Battle Beach" mode you can actually watch your steps make footprints in the sand! Now that's what I call attention to detail. There is also no polygon breakup or seams from either the characters or the backgrounds. You are going to be amazed.

The graphics in the Quest mode are simply breathtaking. Obviously running in the Playstation's Hi-Res mode, the backgrounds are totally awesome and the characters are extremely large and well defined. You are going to get totally spoiled and begin to wonder why all RPG styled games couldn't feature graphics this lush and rich.

The music in Ehrgeiz is wonderful…particularly the sharp little sound bytes that ensure after a characters victory. If you are playing as Cloud, you are treated to the ending battle theme from FFVII. Sound effects are awesome as well with sharp, crisp clangs from your swords and thunderous lightning claps from newly deposited monsters. The music and sound effects keep you completely involved in whatever game mode you are playing in and round out this fantastic quite nicely.

When Can You Expect..?
 
      Ehrgeiz is scheduled to pummel store shelves this May. Do yourself a favor, start saving your money now because you will not want to miss this title!

Features
 
      
• Exciting arcade-quality fighting action
• Challenging and intense mini-games
• Full-featured RPG adventure
• Sixteen intense 3D rendered characters including favorites from Final Fantasy VII
• Features an "anything goes" method of play where each character has the flexibility to move in a full 360-degree range of motion
• 60 frames per second make each movement smooth and highly responsive
• Randomly chosen dungeon layouts make the adventure RPG mode unique and innovative
• Endless fighting combinations that will challenge even the highest skilled players
• Multiple level battle arenas
• Hand to hand and weapons based combat
• Different end movies for each character
• Secret characters become playable after certain conditions have been met.

 
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