Draconus: Cult of the Wyrm - Sega Dreamcast

The game engine is a technical marvel, letting players move seamlessly from lush forests to the torch-lit interior of a castle. The combat seems shallow at first, but with a little practice reveals surprising depth. Both characters have tons of moves and combinations they can use to dispatch enemies--you'll have to use them all when minions rush you from all sides or you're dueling with one of the level bosses. The sorceress is a particularly fun role to play, because it requires lots of tactical brainwork for success. The characters are equipped with shields that will deflect all but the strongest blow. We were pleased to see that it's not possible simply to hold down the shield button to block; instead, you must press it each time a hit is absorbed, which adds immensely to the timing and skill required for success.

Sadly, the camera is better suited for exploration than combat. We found ourselves being attacked frequently by enemies before they entered our line of sight. The whirling camera also makes it difficult to line up an enemy for either attacking or blocking, but after a few hours of practice we usually were able to compensate for this oversight. Frankly, we were having so much fun slashing our way to victory that we were willing to forgive many of Draconus' faults--it stands as a great addition to the Dreamcast library. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros: Many combat moves to master Nice graphics, especially indoors Cons: Camera angles can be frustrating Voice acting is terrible