To say Treasure is my favorite game developer would be an understatement. They are the reason I have not given up on gaming, and still own a Sega Genesis (Gunstar Heroes), Dreamcast (Bangai-O) and, for the sake of this review, a Sega Saturn. Sure, Playstation had Wipeout, Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, etc.-but what it never had was Guardian Heroes, and that is all that matters.

The best way to describe Guardian Heroes' gameplay is this: combine Street Fighter moves, Streets of Rage action, Killer Instinct combos, traditional rpg style monsters, environments and character building, and crank the action up by ten. You know when you play action adventure games, and they pit you against 2-4 enemies at once" In Guardian Heroes, there are times you will find yourself fighting against 10+ enemies at the same time– it is an action fan's dream!

The story begins when five friends find a special sword. A rebel royal soldier named Serena comes to get the sword, but she is followed by the royal army who is also trying attain the sword, even if it means killing Serena and the others. This is where the game starts, as the player takes control of one of the five friends.

The controls are very responsive and easy to master. The button commands are the following: up plain, down plain, weak attack, strong attack, guard, magic, magic attack and dead warrior control. The dead warrior control is very interesting. He is a computer controlled AI ally that follows your commands. You can give him execute one of the following actions at anytime during the game: guard player, follow player, stand still, fight freely, and beserk. Unlike many AI allies in other games, he actually helps. In fact, you will find yourself turning him off for most of the game because you need to kill as many enemies as possible to build your character, and he has a tendency of killing more enemies than you.

Graphically, it is very colorful hand drawn anime-style animation. Treasure even implemented one of the special effects that Saturn supposedly could not do-transparencies. My only issue with the game actually has to do with the graphics because certain characters, when they are very large or close to the front of the screen, will become very pixelated. The game also slows down when the action really picks up.

The music in the game is great. You hear everything from dance-type tunes to epic/orchestrated-style music, and, of course, traditional videogame music. It is very unique, creative, and diverse; complimenting the mood of the game, scenes and environments very well.

The sound effects are nothing spectacular, but not bad either. However, if you are not accustomed to anime-style sounds/voices, it might become a little annoying.

So if you are willing, and able, to purchase this now pricey classic Sega Saturn game ($125+), it is definitely worth every penny. Guardian Heroes has 30 non-linear levels, multiple paths, multiple characters, multiple endings, and– the real topper– 200 hit combos!!! Guardian Heroes is the true definition of a diamond in the rough.