DESCRIPTION

Published as a budget title in the U.S. by XS Games, Sol Divide is the work of Japanese developer Psikyo; best known in the West for such Dreamcast titles as Gunbird 2 and Mars Matrix. A 2D side-scrolling shooter, Sol Divide casts players as one of three mythical warriors — Vorg, Kashan, or Tyora — each possessing unique melee and projectile attacks in addition to innate magical abilities. Steeped within the realm of medieval fantasy, players will find themselves confronted by a cadre of mythological beasts, including skeletons, dragons, serpents, and various flying entities, as well as large end-of-level boss creatures. In Arcade mode, defeated enemies yield both power-ups and magic spells, the latter imbuing your chosen character with any number of devastating attacks. Utilizing these spells, however, draws from a reserve of Magic Points.

The power-up system differs somewhat in the game's Original mode, in that treasure chests can be acquired during play and added to your character's inventory. Opening these will furnish the player with a random item, among which are power-ups that cannot be lost, even in death. Also, in this mode magical spells are finite as opposed to simply drawing from a reserve of MP. Additionally, Original mode rewards players with experience points, thereby allowing their chosen avatars to increase in strength and ability. Sol Divide offers support for two-player simultaneous play. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide