Bet the dragon can pack a punch.
It can, and all the special moves are quite visually impressive when they go off, though the polygons, particularly of the characters themselves, don't yet seem that finely honed. However, it's the new Overdrive feature that's the really nice addition to Tosh 4's combat.

Overdrive?
Yes. Hit a succession of direction moves with the right button and you can store up enough energy to release a super attack, a dazzling, lightning-fast combination which looks really impressive when it goes off. Block and counter moves are accessible too. All of these different features seem to have been melded well so that the action is fast and smooth.


What are the environments like?
Basic, but with a genuinely 3D feel to them. The arenas you fight in include cityscapes, stone platforms high above forests, castle towers, industrial warehouses and futuristic platforms mysteriously suspended in pitch darkness. They certainly help lend the game that sense of place and atmosphere you expect of today's beat 'em ups.

Anything else on offer?
You are demanding, aren't you? Yes, there are a few other things on the menu, including time attack modes, hidden characters, mini games and a three against three team (not tag) tournament.

So Toshinden's new face shows promise, does it?
It's billed as a game that will rejuvenate the genre on PlayStation, and although that remains to be seen, it certainly does have a few features that should keep fight fans happy. Definitely check out full review, coming soon, for the low-down.

Do say...
I'm sorry, but that's just plain weird.

Don't say...
I thought Subaru made cars.