The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.
Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.
Our latest entry takes a look at downloadable PSP outing, Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower.
——————-
Developer: Capcom
Region(s) available: North America, Europe, Japan
Players: 1-2
Released back in 2005, Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower takes the original arcade titles in Capcom’s criminally underrated fighting series and adds Wi-Fi multiplayer support and a plethora of bonus content into the mix. Despite Sony’s slab offering a less than stellar control set-up (six-button purists will probably scoff at the notion of playing the game on the go), The Chaos Tower has earned a reputation as one of the most competent handheld brawlers of its time. In other words, go and buy it. Now.
Fundamentally, The Chaos Tower adheres to the age-old paradigm set in stone by Street Fighter II, and as such doesn’t muck with an established formula. Gamers pick from a variety of characters and duff up one opponent after another, using a combination of standing, crouching and jumping manoeuvers. Each fighter has their own unique attacks, which you’ll put to good use in conjunction with Darkstalkers’ chain combo system. As with any brawler, you’ll have to master quick reflexes in order to whip out those special moves, though at the same time, the average button-masher could probably bag a few cheeky rounds by simply hammering away.
The Chaos Tower packs a meaty line-up of combatants, with nearly 20 fighters up for grabs. Everyone should find a favourite here, be it old timers like blood-sucker Demitri and werewolf Jon Talbain to ‘newcomers’ including phantom Hsien-Ko and demon chap Jedah. With every fighter seemingly offering their own take on Ryu and Ken these days, Darkstalkers’ line-up is pretty unique to say the least and a refreshing change from your bog-standard brawler’s roster. No wonder fans are still signing petitions for a new franchise entry to this day.
Darkstalkers also offers plenty of options to tinker with, such as plumping for either the original arcade controls or a more simplified scheme. This is particularly useful for arcade veterans who find it hard to acquaint themselves with the PSP’s set-up. Essentially, this system eschews the traditional quarter-circle, multi-button presses for special moves and lets you unleash power attacks by simply hitting the D-pad together with a face button. Elsewhere, there’s also a training mode on offer, as well as the aforementioned multiplayer component allowing for heated two-player battles among other modes.
Tune in again same time tomorrow as we once again have another peak Inside PlayStation Network.