Proving once again you don’t need fancy 3D model rendering for an incredible gaming experience, Darkstalkers Resurrection brings some of Capcom’s best horror-inspired combatants out of their tombs and onto the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade. A compilation of 1995’s Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge and 1997’s Darkstalkers 3, Resurrection was developed by Iron Galaxy Studios and has many of the popular options and features similarly found in their previously released Capcom collections Marvel vs. Capcom: Origins and Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition.
Resurrection does a great job of recreating the Darkstalkers experience, from fan-favorite characters like the buxom vampiress Morrigan and catsuit clad Felicia in all their 90’s graphical glory to the frantic sweaty-palm inducing gameplay that all generations can appreciate. If you’ve never played a Darkstalkers title before, it only takes a basic knowledge of mechanics from the Street Fighter series to give you a button masher’s chance of survival while still having hours of fun. While you could complete the individual detailed Tutorials to master the moves of each character, blindly jumping into a pool of bloodthirsty piranhas online posing as fighting fans is so much more thrilling.
Once you do feel confident enough in your fighting abilities, Darkstalkers Resurrection’s robust online multiplayer mode is definitely where you’ll be getting your money’s worth. On top of standard quick matches and ranked matches, you can also join or host your own tournaments and tweak matchmaking options to suit your tastes and/or skill level. For voyeurs who would like to study their prey first, or those who simply love to watch a good fight or two, you can also view player uploaded match replays online to learn the subtleties of what sets great fighters apart from good ones.
Darkstalkers Resurrection is one of the best values available for fighting fans on any console right now, and really should not be missed. Old school arcade junkies will love the enhanced graphics and options of both Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge and Darkstalkers 3, and can rest easy that the original charm of each title has been retained. Younger fans of the fighting genre will love the original characters and deep lore, and will enjoy the challenge of going up against those who have played these titles for nearly two decades.
Even if you’re only mildly curious of how a bloody brawl between werewolves, vampires, mechanical automatons, demons, and Little Red Riding Hood impersonators would play out, Darkstalkers Resurrection is among the most fun you can have on either side of the grave.
Darkstalkers Resurrection is available now on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade.