HyperBlade - PC Review - Gamecenter

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HyperBlade

continued
it's da bomb
Aside from simply skating and scoring goals, players pick up all sorts of gratifying weapons and power-ups. Pick up mines and swarfs (missiles) at the armory and use them to blow up and knock down opponents. When players have the rok, they can run through multipliers, which make goals worth more points, and randomizers, which give them various power-ups (long shots, energy, immunity, and so on).
As a special bonus, players can also decapitate an opponent--scoring with the skull is worth four points. The faint of heart can turn off the violence, but there's no need to fret: in the year 2065, decapitation is humiliating but not fatal. Interestingly, all of these features (aside from decapitation) are very similar to Speedball 2's, which can only mean good things. HyperBlade does lack some important elements of Speedball 2, however, especially money and team customization.
even the best have room to improve
One of the best parts of Speedball 2 is the economic factor. Credits appear on the playing field, and players can scoop them up as they make for the goal. Once the match is over, you can spend the credits on improving equipment and players. The more a team plays, the more it evolves. In HyperBlade, teams remain static. You can't customize players currently on the roster or recruit new players. Some level of team customization would have made HyperBlade a more intriguing one-player game.
However, HyperBlade is not really meant to be a one-player game. It's much better suited to multiple-player action over a TCP/IP or IPX network. There's no way two people can play on one PC, but network games of up to four players only require one CD. On the negative side, there are some multiplayer omissions: no modem/null modem option or replay feature--nothing says "loser" like a replay of the game-winning point. Also, no player can control the goalie; playing goalie would be fun and would allow two extra people to join the game.

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HyperBlade

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