Ultraman Fighting Evolution 3

 

It’s always good when you can get a game in a language you don’t know one iota of, and STILL enjoy it completely. Well, you will have some problems with the menu screen, but it’s not all that hard to figure out anyway. With access to most of the Existing Ultramen (at the time) created, it does give you a wonderful chance to mix and match, creating your own little episodes. Ultra Mode is a simple scenario based story mode. Familiarity with the series will REALLY help you here, as each level is graded, and more or less, if you stay true to how it worked out in the series, your score will be boosted. So yeah, losing to Zetton isn’t all that bad, although I never saw Zoffy actually jump in and FIGHT him after Ultraman lost to him… but it’s fine with me, never have too much Zoffy.
Vs mode is obvious. Team mode is a nice little addition, allowing you and a friend to fight as 2 Ultramen against monsters. It does screw up the camera angle up a bit, and it’s somewhat hard to remain on screen sometimes. Battle mode is simply you versus 5 monsters, one at a time.

It's no secret around Game FAQs that I am a big Ultraman geek. From my early reviews as BubbleDude to my future ones to come, you can expect me to review Ultraman games like you can expect to see sand on the beach, so what makes UFE 3 so special, read on and find out.

Story 8/10: To be honest, this game has no real plot. The story mode is very cool though, they give you different missions, each one a battle taken from an Ultraman Movie or episode of the TV show, and after 40 years, there are plenty of missions highlighting some of the best Ultra battles! Ranging from the Ultraman to Ultraman Gaia, this game delivers for fans old and new. As far as an in game story that connects it all together, sadly I haven't been able to find one, perhaps I should get someone to translate the instruction manual for me, but let's face it, it's a fighting game, the story's not important here, the only thing that is important is monster smashing!

Then there is custom mode. Knowledge of the language or a lot of time really helps here, you can pick and choose what special moves each character has.
The game play itself is simple, even without knowing any Japanese, but it probably would help a bit, because the special moves can be a bit complicated to use. Under each health bar is a red bar that grows as you are hurt (dizzy bar I guess) and when your opponent uses a specific move (usually assigned to circle) you get knocked down, while your opponent charges up to use a special move on you (all done nicely, and usually with different camera angles each time) the red you have under your health bar drains (a timer I guess) while at this time, your opponent has the chance to push a button and use a special move (the bigger the move, the longer it takes to charge) and if you can press the same button, you can block the move (most of them) if not, then you get hit. And if you have little or no health, game over.
Game Play 10/10: Oh man, this will make any Ultra-fan drool. First there is the story/mission mode I described above. Then there is arcade mode fir those of you like myself who just want to fight as an Ultraman or monster. VS. mode where you can play one battle against either the computer or a friend, and next comes the newest mode to the UFE world, TAG TEAM! Not really tag, more like double team, a mode where you and a friend each pick an Ultraman and team up to fight various monsters. Sadly, this mode is very short. There is a practice mode, a training mode and a custom mode that unless you can read Japanese you will not be able to play, but no big deal, and of coarse the replay mode that lets you save your best fights, and you will want to make use of that!

The old two button energy attacks of UFE are a thing of the past. Now it's as simple as doing your take down, and then hitting one of the four action buttons. You can also do a quick energy attack with the R1 button. Ultramen like Tiga and Dyna can even change between their 3 fighting modes! Control is smooth and simple; it doesn't get any better than this!

A one-on-one fighter like its predecessors, Ultraman Fighting Evolution 3 brings back all your favorite characters from the Ultraman universe, including Ultraman A, Ultraman Jack, Ultraman Leo, and Ultraman Taro, while adding all-new characters like Ultraman Cosmos and Gaia. Modes of play include Battle, Training, Custom, and Tag, in addition to an interesting View Mode that allows players to just sit back and explore the sharply-rendered Ultraman character models.
As long as you have some patience at the beginning, and a Love of fighting games, this game should easily prove to be something you’ll enjoy for a long time.

I just can't praise this game enough. The graphics, while not quite as good as the PS2's Ultraman, are up there. Among the best I have ever seen! Every detail was put into this one. When an Ultraman goes into battle, you first get a shot if his transformation sequence taken from the show, sound effects and all! The music is all take right from the show, and when you are about to claim victory, your current Ultraman's theme song begins to play. A nice little touch
This game hits it head on here as well. With 14 unlock able characters, the tag team and VS. modes, and a great combat system, you will play this one again and again!

Buy or Rent: Hands down no question, fan of Ultraman, giant monsters, or fighting games in general, you will want to buy this one.