Review: Garou: Mark of the Wolves

Fighters are always strange beasts. They come in many different forms with different physics, enormous rosters of characters, and some of the most difficult moves to pull off, especially if you’re without one of the coveted fight sticks that many die-hard fans have sprung the cash for. Personally I like to dabble in various fighters just to get my feet wet and to find the series where my allegiances will lie in the future. I still haven’t decided on just one yet (and I of course don’t have to) but I’ve been investigating the Fatal Fury franchise quite a bit lately, and have recently jumped into Garou: Mark of the Wolves, a recent Xbox Live Arcade incarnation of the Neo-Geo classic. Is it worth a purchase? You’ll have to read on to find out.

Garou: Mark of the Wolves was released originally for the Neo Geo (and Dreamcast) as part of the Fatal Fury series (Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves). A departure that many fighters have largely ignored, it’s now available via the Xbox Live Arcade to download and enjoy at your convenience, rather than obtaining it illegally or depending on an old Neo Geo or Dreamcast to get your fight on. The Xbox Live Arcade iteration of the 1999 fighter doesn’t change a whole heck of a lot, but for what has been touted as a simple rehash of a classic, you can’t expect too much more than accessibility and a fair asking price.

While there is a semblance of arbitrary story thrown in, it’s so loose that you’ll likely not pay any attention, but it does in fact exist. Ten years after the death of the ominous crime boss Geese Howard, a ciy known as Southtown has been re-imagined as Second Southtown, due to its enjoyment of an era of peace brought on by the death of Howard, who corrupted it to hell and back. Unfortunately, this bout of peace will be short-lived, if a man named Kain has anything to say about it. He seeks to take out revenge on the deceased Howard and become lord of Southtown in the process. Because all fighters must somehow involved a tournament, Kain creates a brand new fighting tournament known as King of Fighters: Maximum Mayhem in an effort to find Geese’s son, Rock Howard, in an attempt to draw Rock into getting the 411 on Geese’s fascinating history. See? Arbitrary storyline.

Garou is much like any other 2D fighter you’ve likely played in the last couple of years or so, but it’s known mainly for its painstakingly hand-drawn characters, balanced brawlers, and overall polished presentation as well as its “Tactical Offense Position” mode that allows players to fill a special gauge that will eventually grant different types of special attacks, health bonuses, and the ability to make attacks even more explosive. This kind of system works well with a 2D fighter, and I found myself trying to use it effectively to my advantage in order to score a higher rank near the end of the match. You’ll receive a different grade upon completing matches, with the highest possible being the coveted triple AAA (a difficult feat to manage!). For secrets that I won’t divulge for those of you who have never enjoyed Garou, always aim for the best when it comes to end-of-match scores!

Garou features an impressive and intriguing cast of characters, from the venerable and familiar Terry Bogard to the sexy Bonne Jenet. No matter your fighting style or choice of play, you’ll find a character to enjoy and identify with. The female characters are either very sexy or annoyingly innocent though, so be forewarned if that’s something you’re picky about. Either way, you’ll find a great roster here with some familiar Fatal Fury favorites and newcomers that you’ll grow to love if you’re new to the game.

This version of the classic fighter boasts no new real features except for the ability to play online versus players around the world via Xbox Live, and achievements to collect. Because of this, it’s hard to call a venerable port, as nothing has been expanded upon or upgraded. The broken English is still the same, and the graphic quality is absolutely similar. But hey, if you’re just looking for a way to get into Garou: Mark of the Wolves, or simply another 2D fighter to add to your repertoire, this is a solid choice and one of my favorite fighting offerings on Xbox Live. Who wants to take on a few matches with my B. Jenet?

Doin’ It RIGHT: - An awesome, beautifully-drawn 2D fighter. - Another great entry into the Fatal Fury lineup. - Worth the points if you don’t want to track down a copy of the original.	Doin’ It RONG: - No improvements or extra content. - Wonky English localization.
FINAL SCORE: 7 / 10