Brutal: Above the Claw

[Melf]

Ok, give us an upgrade and we expect all the good stuff from before with a few tweaks, as well as some new stuff. What we don't expect is a game that plays worse than the original, especially when it's on more powerful hardware. Games like Brutal: Above the Claw was why the 32X was never taken seriously. When your 16-bit version plays better and is more fun, why upgrade? Still, we have a review for those of you considering a purchase anyway. Don't say we didn't warn you!

[Mendicant]

If you see it for a few bucks, pick it up, and daydream about the awesome game it could have been.!

But I DO have "the awesome game it could have been". Pocket Fighter.

[Flash1087]

Pocket Fighter. Classy.

I remember enjoying the heck out of the Genesis version of this, shame the 32X one was such a dropped ball.

[Obviously]

Oi, I really hate Brutal. It's not often I say that about a game because there's always the chance of it being someone's favorite game and I start a flame war.

It just seems like a reall half assed attempt. The character sprites were always poor and the characters themselves are lousy designs (Yes, there's many half-decent furry artists who can draw a better fox with boobs than Roxy) and lousy characters is murder for a fighting game. The fighting is boring after the first ten minutes and the upgrade system was more annoying than it was innovative.

As a fighting game fan, Brutal is near the bottom of my list.

[RaveFury]

Oi, I really hate Brutal. It's not often I say that about a game because there's always the chance of it being someone's favorite game and I start a flame war.

Hey! Brutal is my favorite game! I'm going to start a flame war!

Actually, you hit on the main reasons I gave it a low score. Aside from me liking about half of the character designs, I agree with pretty much everything you said.

Sometimes it was hard being a fighting game fan in the 90s.

[Genesis Knight]

Thinking of the tortuous hours I spent with Brutal (Gen) makes me sick. =P What an awful, awful fighting engine.

[Flash1087]

...just me then, huh?

In my defense, I was about 6 when I played it.

[redrum666]

...just me then, huh?

In my defense, I was about 6 when I played it.

wow and that game was MA-13 bad Parenting at its best

[Genesis Knight]

Why would Brutal be MA-13? That's just stupid...all little boys bash around their teddy bears and make them fight each other, which is essentially the same as this game.

[RaveFury]

I enjoyed the Sega CD version for a week or two, Flash1087, so it's not just you. If you have a Sega CD, you might want to track down a copy (somehow...) and give it a whirl - it blows the Genesis one away.

[redrum666]

Why would Brutal be MA-13? That's just stupid...all little boys bash around their teddy bears and make them fight each other, which is essentially the same as this game.

any body have the box for the 32x version its rated T for teen so it should tell you on the back of the box why it rate for teens

[David J.]

Since I am a frugal person who shops at dollar stores, I recall seeing tons of copies of this BRAND NEW for the PC for sale.

[RaveFury]

Well, the PC version is a different animal (pun!) all together, actually. All your special moves are unlocked from the begining, and the game plays much more like an arcade fighter. Of the five versions, it's second only to the Sega CD game.

I'd actually reccomend it over the 32x title if you have a decent PC controller.

[Flash1087]

I enjoyed the Sega CD version for a week or two, Flash1087, so it's not just you. If you have a Sega CD, you might want to track down a copy (somehow...) and give it a whirl - it blows the Genesis one away.

Oh, good. Now I feel better. As soon as I get a Sega CD I'll give it a shot.

wow and that game was MA-13 bad Parenting at its best

Quite the opposite, actually! My parents were pretty quick to differentiate between video games and reality, which is why I got away with playing stuff like Doom when I was young. I had a fairly upstanding childhood.

[redrum666]

Quite the opposite, actually! My parents were pretty quick to differentiate between video games and reality, which is why I got away with playing stuff like Doom when I was young. I had a fairly upstanding childhood.

said the guy befor he went on his killing Spree