The Review Menu
Yellow Fade
2K5
  1.5 stars

January 13, 1999
by Trevor Covert

SRP: $25
Doomhammer Software
2K5
Download Demo (20 MB)
Download 1.1 Update (650 KB)

System Requirements: PowerPC, System 7.5 or later, 12 MB free RAM, 8 MB free hard drive space

Pros: comprehensive documentation, source code included
Cons: boring gameplay, mediocre graphics, lackluster music, poor AI

    2K5 attempts to deliver a quality combat game experience, but it falls short in numerous categories. The game suffers from mediocre graphics, lackluster music, a poor AI, and extremely repetitive gameplay. 2K5 might interest a younger child for a few hours, but the replay value is nearly nonexistant and will leave them itching for something more.

click to enlarge    In 2K5, you choose a character to fight with and then go head-to-head against computer-controlled enemies. The game takes you to various locations, but the background scenery is plain and uninteresting. The various characters are extremely unbalanced, so using the some characters makes it virtually impossible to complete the game. There are no diffculty settings to work with, nor can you save your progress at any stage during the game. The only help offered is a practice level where you get to beat up on a lifeless dummy.

    While a practice level can help you learn a character's moves and weapons, you'll be sorely disappointed when you find how very little options you have. The four moves or weapons for each character are assigned to keys that cannot be changed. You can, however, create your own characters using tools provided with the game. The game's source code is also included for budding game developers, as well as comprehensive HTML documentation for these tools and understanding the entire game and its capabilities.

    2K5 is a disappointment on nearly every level, the foremost being gameplay. When a game isn't fun, it fails in its primary purpose. tr