Dreamcast Games > sega

For those willing to take the bait, Sega Bass Fishing has an addictive gameplay hook that will reel in sporting enthusiasts and even a few hardcore gamers. This realistic 3-D bass fishing simulation shines with three distinct gaming modes, eight fishing environments, and 13 different lures.Let's be honest here. Fishing simulation games aren't for everyone. Many hardcore gamers will likely bypass this title because they believe the genre lacks the instant gratification of fast-moving shooters. That's a shame. Though it might not be everyone's can of worms, Sega Bass Fishing does offer a subtle, highly addictive gaming experience that will challenge even the most seasoned of game veterans. This isn't Quake, to be sure. But you'll need similar gaming smarts and strategies to succeed in this water-based sporting environment. It takes a skilled aim and a steady hand to hook and reel in the largest fish, which are surrounded by smaller, less desirable catches. There's nothing worse than casting your lure directly at a monster-sized bass only to have it intercepted by a meddlesome minnow. We encountered more than our share of near misses, which gives us virtual bragging rights to "the one that got away".While some gamers will prefer the subtlety of free-form fishing without time constraints, this game also features a fast-action arcade mode that requires the player to meet a minimum quota of catches before advancing to a new fishing environment. An optional Dreamcast fishing controller (sold separately) makes the task of catching these underwater critters all the easier. The controller, which also adds a realistic rumble when you catch a fish, is a highly recommended accessory for the ultimate home fishing experience. --Brett Atwood, Amazon.com Pros:Near-perfect translation from the hit arcade game Eight realistic 3-D fishing environments Three different game modes to choose from Great control with optional fishing controller (sold separately) Cons:Game genre will not appeal to everyone More Info

Platforms: Sega Dreamcast, ESRB Rating: Everyone More Info

One of the best fighting games ever, Soul Calibur not only offers you a fantastic plethora of fighting moves, characters and action, but also the chance to bury your PlayStation friends into the ground with its oozing graphics. Based on the great old fighting formula, you chose to play one of 19 characters in their individual quest for the ultimate trophy "The Soul Calibur". Yet the game doesn't just rest on its fighting laurels; it offers a whole host of gaming options: arcade mode, versus mode, team battle, time attack, survival, mission battle and art gallery modes. With choices ranging from how many characters you can defeat before you yourself are knocked out to working on a team level with multiple characters, it seems unlikely that this game will not keep you amused for quite sometime. If all this isn't enough, the game also opens up as you play. More characters, levels and even an art gallery of production and gameplay stills become available the more you play and the more you complete. If you want the choice of all the characters, you need to complete the game with every character first. What Namco have done is create a great game that also acts as a benchmark to anything else that follows it. The graphics are the best you're likely to see on the Dreamcast with both characters and scenery getting their fair share of the processing power available. Normally, fantastic graphics make for sometimes poor gameplay, because too much time has been given to putting that shine on the product, yet here, nothing has been hindered, creating a game that is superb. --Stuart Miles More Info

The much-awaited second installment of Sega's hugely ambitious adventure is likely to be made extremely welcome by Dreamcast gamers, as Shenmue 2 packs another four discs full of entertainment. Heck, you can even start with your save game from episode one if you managed to finish it. The game picks up with Ryo arriving in Hong Kong as he continues his quest to avenge his father's killing. It's quickly obvious that aesthetically things have improved further; the graphics are at times outstanding, with clearly little expense spared. The game itself follows a similar format to the original, as you explore, interrogate, fight and solve the puzzles needed to progress. Again, you don't have to do everything to get to the end of the game, and there's an awful lot of time needed to get there. It really is business as usual, and it's every bit as good as before to play. On the downside, and presumably to speed the release of the game, Sega have dispensed with an English translation, instead opting for subtitles throughout the game. It's not the end of the world, but it does now require a much more concentrated effort to play. And while it's not hard for those new to the franchise to dive in here, familiarity with previous events is still a help. Nonetheless, this is a compelling and cinematic title, and while it doesn't add an awful lot in terms of gameplay to the first game, Shenmue 2 is an excellent, well-written adventure that's well worth taking the time to explore. --Simon Brew More Info

Platforms: Sega Dreamcast, ESRB Rating: Rating Pending More Info

The long-awaited sequel to the Dreamcast's greatest sporting game arrives, and Virtua Tennis 2 is set to leave few disappointed. Much of what made the first game such a success is still intact--the simple controls, the variety of moves you can pull off and the challenging World Tour mode are all present and correct. The latter though has been severely toughened, adding a calendar element and the need to get both a male and female player to the top of their game, through tournaments and an extraordinary selection of imaginative skill challenges. The game itself feels a little slower and a bit more tactical than the original, and it does take a little getting used to. There's slightly less hand-holding this time, and it's up to you to work out what you need to do, and crucially, to get your timing spot on if you want to be playing the right shots. As you progress through the World Tour, you can build up the skills of your player, though, ready for the challenges of the increasingly tricky computer opposition. All this goes to make Virtua Tennis 2 enormous fun, achieving the rare balance of offering a substantial challenge to fans of the original while keeping the proceedings accessible and fun for the novice. The best tennis game ever, and one of the best sports games on any format. Who said the Dreamcast was dead? --Simon Brew More Info

Platforms: Sega Dreamcast More Info

Fighting Vipers 2 is a classic beat-'em-up that unfortunately doesn't really have much new to offer the genre, unless you really like characters wielding bicycles, skateboards and fluffy teddy bears. As you would expect with any fighting game, there is the usual choice of options to play with, and whether you head for the arcade version or merely the training room you can't help but think that you've seen it all before--and unfortunately you probably have. The trouble with the fighting genre is that there are so many games that it's a struggle to fine new ideas. This is a good example of that; Fighting Vipers 2 pales in significance to games such as Dead or Alive 2 and Soul Calibur. If you are keen to get a fighting game for the Dreamcast, there are plenty of other options with more recognisable characters; having completed all of these, it would probably be best to go back to the classics. --Stuart Miles More Info