Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms

Sega's 1988 arcade hit and launch title for the 16-bit Genesis receives its first sequel in the form of Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms. Players are once again summoned by Zeus himself -- from the grave -- to battle an unknown presence. Instead of journeying through the underworld to rescue Athena as in the original, players must embark on a quest to become a Guardian, the protector of all that is seen and unseen throughout the universe. This side-scrolling adventure takes place across 16 different lands, each possessing a key needed to fulfill the quest. Of course, there are also magical orbs to find whose very essence has the power to transform the character into a powerful creature of mythical descent. Thirteen beastly transformations are available throughout the game, including that of a dragon and scorpion. Combat involves hand-to-hand attacks as well as projectile and magical blasts. Each creature can be further enhanced after collecting power-ups such as venom and shock wave. Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms also supports two multiplayer modes: a two-player cooperative option and a four-player battle mode.

Control Pad Left or Right = walk, swim, fly, change direction
Control Pad Down = crouch
Start Button = pause
A Button = punch
A Button + Control Pad Up = uppercut
A Button + Control Pad Down = crouching punch
B Button = kick
B Button + Control Pad Up = high kick
L or R Button = jump
L or R Button (hold) = super jump
B Button + Control Pad Down = crouching kick ~ Keith Adams, All Game Guide

The archetypal arcade title of its time, Sega's Altered Beast has, after more than a decade in obscurity, risen from its proverbial grave. The product of a collaborative effort between 3D6, THQ, and Sega, Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms borrows much from the design of its progenitor. However, little is added to a bare-bones formula, and the exasperating flaws of the original title remain. Players once again assume the role of a resurrected guardian who, at the behest of Zeus himself, must traverse the realms of Olympus, retrieve the keys to the Hall of Realms and ultimately, defeat the Dark Reaper, Arcanon.

To accomplish this Herculean feat players punch and kick their way through the bevy of creatures, acquire three Spirit Balls in order to attain the so-called Altered Beast form, and square off against powerful bosses. You do this no fewer than 15 times, with little (aesthetic differences aside) to distinguish one realm from another. New to the franchise are power-ups, offering such amenities as invulnerability, increased strength, fire attacks, and screen-clearing explosions. Sadly, many of these expire so quickly that they prove largely ineffectual, and they do not alleviate the tedium of the continuous wave of generic creatures indigenous to each realm.

The stale gameplay is compounded by levels that drone on far too long, with scant rewards offered for a player's efforts. The payoff -- attaining the final Spirit Orb necessary to facilitate the beast transformation -- occurs right near the end of each world, giving players little time to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Like its predecessor, the fighting can be fun for brief periods, but given the leaps and bounds made in game design in the years since its inception, there is no excuse for the title's adherence to such an archaic formula, homage or not. The four-player competitive and two-player cooperative modes add a much needed breath of fresh air, but since each player must own a copy of the title, not many people will use these features.

As the obvious focus of the title, the beast forms have clearly been given the most attention. The enemy creatures, however, possess only a handful of animations and are often palette-swapped, imbuing them with some truly hideous color combinations. The environments range from impressive to downright horrid. It's an odd concoction, truth be told, because the title sports a reasonably accomplished graphics engine only to be marred by questionable artistic direction. As a homage to the original title, Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms is merely passable, thanks to its carbon-copy design; fans expecting a revitalization of the franchise should look elsewhere. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide