This isn't your average, run-of-the-mill fighting game. In fact, it's not what you'd really call your average fighting game franchise, either. Darkstalkers has always been something different, and Capcom has always given it that extra dose of attention to keep it distinctive from the other fighters out there on the market. This is what Darkstalkers has always been about - over-the-top, outrageous, blistering action with a cast of characters that really sets the franchise apart from others such as Street Fighter. These aren't your average brawlers either - each and every character in this game has some sort of otherworldly or supernatural origin. And this is what makes Darkstalkers so blissfully unique - it's not afraid to step over the accepted boundaries of what makes fighting games tick.
Released on November 1998 for the Sony Playstation, Darkstalkers 3 is Capcom's third official entry in the franchise, and surprisingly it has aged very well. Its sprite-based graphics might come off as dated to some, but for its time Darkstalkers 3 had (and still has) breathtaking visuals and a great soundtrack. The classic fighters from previous installments are all here - fan-favorites Demitri and Morrigan make a return, and several brand-new characters make their debuts here. Each and every character has their own backstory - which is especially commendable considering the fact that it's not everyday that you see a fighting game with such fleshed-out story details regarding the characters. Don't expect many clones in Darkstalkers 3, because each fighter has their own distinctive play-style and charm that makes each one a blast to play as, with varying speed, power, and other attributes. The roster is a healthy size, and range from the intimidating to the undeniably cute.
The game's plot is nothing special, but it does serve its purpose as to how and why the characters fight each other. There isn't much to say about it, and it's best if you play through the game's Arcade Mode if you want to learn more about it. Every character has their own story in the Arcade Mode - which consists of several stages (sorry, no car-destroying, barrel-bashing bonus levels) and ends with a final boss stage. The final boss depends on whom you decide to tackle the Arcade Mode with, as he or she usually has some sort of conflict with your character. Once the mode is completed, you can view that particular character's ending, and all endings are very interesting to watch because you get to see his or her motives, and it's always a treat to see how they behave outside of the fighting grounds.
Darkstalkers 3 is a very easy game to learn, but like many other fighters brand - it's very hard to master. It's a very easy pick-up-and-play sort of game, and newcomers should find no difficulty in getting into the fighting mechanics. Street Fighter veterans should also be familiar with the play-style, as the controls are generally the same except in a few areas. The Darkstalkers franchise in general has paved the way for numerous Street Fighter sequels, such as midair blocking and throwing, crouch-walking, and guard-canceling (all of which was later implemented in Capcom's later Street Fighter 2: Alpha). New players might find the game a little cheap and frustrating due to its fast pace, but even once the basic controls are learned, there are many new mechanics to delve into for the more advanced players to learn, such as throws and ranged attacks. There's even a Training Mode to supplement this - as players can choose a character and pit themselves against a stationary opponent to practice their moves and brush up on their skills. I particularly welcomed this inclusion, because in other fighters I found it very hard to learn new moves without getting constantly beat up by my opponent. The balance in this game is finely-tuned - numerous times I found myself in Arcade Mode playing as a new character and finding them strangely over-powered and exploitable, only to later play as another character and feel that same weird feeling of ultimate cheapness. Darkstalkers does the character balance right - since each character is some sort of otherwordly monster, everyone that you play as feels incredibly strong (compared to other fighters where everyone might seem incredibly weak, establishing a different sort of balance). Don't expect to button-mash and get away with it, though, as the game will punish you for constantly spamming and relying on cheap tactics. The game's artificial intelligence can be either merciful or simply relentless, depending on how you play.
What makes Darkstalkers 3 even more unique are the new mechanics that it brings to the table. All characters have a Dark Force (DF) gauge on the bottom of the screen that fills up over the duration of the battle, such as when damage is given to the opponent, blocked, or received. When the gauge is filled, you can choose to use it to perform stronger attacks, or reserve them for later use. The DF gauge has given a major overhaul since previous installments, where it was depleted gradually unless it was used before it was emptied. Once the DF gauge is filled, there are three options: you can use an ES attack to perform an enhanced, stronger version of a normal attack, or an EX attack, which are usually insane, over-the-top special moves that deal great amounts of damage. These EX attacks are usually accompanied by outrageous animations that are either hilariously ridiculous or devilishly brutal. The third option is to press either the strong punch or kick button, which causes the background to change into a surrealistic, supercharged landscape. This causes the current DF gauge to slowly deplete as you are given limited time to attack your opponent while you are given enhanced offensive or defensive abilities. For example, the werewolf John Talbain might increase his speed, resulting in lightning-fast afterimages that lead to insane combos, or zombie Lord Raptor might whip out a chainsaw and begin swinging it around like a crazed, blood-drunk rock n' roll maniac. The opponent can even use this DF move at the same time, resulting in pure awesome, chaotic battles that will most likely serve as some of your most memorable times of playing Darkstalkers 3. All in all, the Dark Force gauge really adds that sense that you're controlling a beast and not a mere human martial artist, and this definitely makes the game stand out in the crowd.
Visually, Darkstalkers 3 is a gorgeous game. Environments can range from a torture chamber, a laboratory with experiments-gone-wrong, and even a speeding train with disturbingly surreal human features with a skeleton pipe-smoking engineer commandeering it. Darkstalker 3's stages are just as insane as the characters they portray, and the feeling of this gothic, monster-filled world is only enhanced further with the amazing art direction. Not all stages are dark-toned, however, as there are beautiful arenas as well, such as a desert landscape at night and a lush, thick jungle. There are great minor touches that reflect the efforts put into the graphics of the game, such as water ripples and destructible objects in the environment. The characters themselves are meticulously designed and crafted, and it's safe to say that Darkstalkers 3 is one of the best-looking fighting games that Capcom's ever put out. The music sounds great as well. There are some tracks in the game that don't really evoke the fighting atmosphere (and in fact, a couple sound way too relaxing for a vicious battle between an undead samurai and a Frankenstein-esque experiment), but nonetheless the tracks composed for the game are a pleasure to hear.
The replay value of Darkstalkers 3 is surprisingly good for a fighting game of its time. There's the standard VS Mode and the Training Mode I mentioned earlier, but it doesn't stop there. There's even a Collection mode and an Original Character mode. The Collection mode is simply artwork of the characters and other visual goodies, but the Original Character mode takes things a step further in terms of how revolutionary the game is. Darkstalkers 3 was probably the very first fighting game to have a mode where you could customize your character (later popularized by Soul Calibur and Tekken). Although you can only change the color palette, you can change just about anything color-wise. You start by selecting a character from the roster and modifying his or her appearance via color (it's more in-depth than you think) and then fighting battles, gaining stats such as Dark Force gauge recharge speed, life, and other attributes. By completing battles, you gain experience at the end which levels up your character similar to an RPG game. It's very solid and unique, and many hours can be spent in this mode alone.
Darkstalkers 3 had me playing it for many hours straight, and it's safe to say that it's one of the greatest fighting games I've ever played - right up there some of my fighting favorites. I just can't seem to find any weak points about the game - it's simply revolutionary for its time and in each and every department it sets foot in it succeeds gloriously, and it's a shame that Capcom hasn't put out a sequel for it. The amusing and ferocious cast of characters, the absorbing atmosphere, plus the ridiculously fun and addictive gameplay had me playing it again and again. Those interested in a fighting experience should definitely check out this sadly overshadowed franchise, and anyone even slightly intrigued by the spooky tales of werewolves and vampires (or even fighting games) should not pass the Darkstalkers 3 up, because to do so would be an unfortunate mistake.