Vampire Chronicle: The Chaos Tower Updated Hands-On: Multiplayer

Following our initial time with Vampire Chronicle's multiplayer, and after getting stopped cold on the 45th floor in tower mode, we decided to go back to spend some more time with the slick 2D fighter's wireless versus mode. The network mode adds the special touch of unpredictability when you're facing off against a human opponent that just can't be matched when you square off against the artificial intelligence. The mode is also an excellent testament to the virtues of the PSP's Wi-Fi capabilities.

To start up a match you'll just have to select network mode from the main menu and hop in. If you haven't clicked on your PSP's Wi-Fi antenna before selecting the mode, you'll be prompted to do so by the game. You'll then be asked if you're looking to play a standard versus battle or a limit battle. Once you've chosen, you'll see a menu of empty spaces in the center and your name in the lower left-hand corner of the screen. The empty slots (there looks to be space for a total of 15 if you scroll down) on the menu will be filled by any nearby PSPs whose owners are looking to get some versus action on. You or anyone within range can issue a challenge to anyone on the menu by highlighting their name and pressing the circle button. If you're receiving a challenge, a message will appear onscreen along with a timer bar that counts down. You'll have until the bar is done to accept the challenge.

Once the challenge is accepted, some data will be sent between the PSPs and you'll be taken to an options menu that will let player one tweak conditions, such as damage gauge, game speed, and timer speed. Once that's sorted, player one will choose which style to use: vampire, hunter, or savior. After that you'll go to the character-select screen and pick your fighter of choice, followed by the stage you want to fight on. Once the fight is over you'll go to a tally screen that shows you all the fighters and your personal win-loss record with them. At the bottom of the screen you'll see the option to continue (by having another fight with the same set of characters for both players, for example), select new characters, or quit the mode.

After spending a good chunk of time testing out the mode, we have to say we're impressed. Getting started is a breeze and the Wi-Fi range is impressive. While it obviously handles fine in close quarters, we got pretty adventurous and strolled outside a ways to see just how far we could push the connection. After about 15 yards, the signal started to weaken and caused a noticeable impact on performance, and once we walked even farther the game dropped the connection. We were pretty impressed, considering the signal held fast through a closed, solid door. By contrast, the DS wireless games we've played have been considerably more finicky.

All told, Vampire Chronicle's multiplayer mode features a good amount of replay value that ensures you'll come back to it again and again. As with the single-player game, the loading time between matches can be long, but it's still a fun experience. Vampire Chronicle is currently available in Japan. There is no official word on a US version of the game yet.