Power Stone 2 review (Dreamcast)

As you might imagine, Power Stone 2 looks just about as good on the Dreamcast as it does in the arcade, thanks to your friend and mine, the Naomi hardware. But the Dreamcast version has lots of other little extras that add some longevity to the game. In one mode, you'll earn items and money as you play the game. You can then go to a shop and use the money to purchase even more items, and you can also attempt to combine two of your items (by tossing them into a large, mystical furnace) to create a third, new item. Some combinations are better than others, of course, and certain mixtures will simply net you a twisted hunk of useless metal. The whole process is similar to the combination options in games like Monster Rancher and Persona. The game also contains a versus mode that lets you set up various team battles or free-for-alls, as well as an online component that connects you to the Power Stone 2 home page.

Fans of the original Power Stone will be pleased with the similar, yet definitely enhanced feel of Power Stone 2. Even with only two players, it's still a lot of fun, plus the game is significantly more balanced than its predecessor. As a four-player game, it's definitely one of the wildest fighters to come to the Dreamcast.