Shifters PlayStation 2

From 3DO, the company responsible for the Army Men series of titles, comes Shifters, a third-person adventure in which players can shapeshift into any one of 24 different creature types. Two worlds lie in close parallel to one another: one a peaceful land, the other ruled by anarchy and chaos. However, an evil madman has discovered an ancient artifact with the power to create a gateway between these two worlds. Now, as bizarre abominations flood into your world, you must make use of your newfound shapeshifting ability to find the villain responsible, and put a stop to it all once and for all.

As the game's protagonist, Alleron, you must traverse the Medieval, Arabian, and Steampunk environments, utilizing your shapeshifting gift to assume one of 24 different forms, encompassing 12 different classes, six species (Bestials, Deadspawn, Kreegan, Automata, Hybrids, and Genies), and four subforms. With each new shape, your abilities will change and grow, allowing you to bypass traps, or gain new combination attacks. Form points are acquired as your character increases in level, and these can be used to upgrade to the next available subform. Scattered throughout the world are towns, with item shops and townspeople, the latter of which will ask you to perform side quests for them.

Form-specific attacks aside, Alleron is capable of performing melee and projectile attacks as well as casting spells. When engaged in melee combat, vertical swings deal more damage, but can be more easily dodged, while horizontal attacks have the potential to strike multiple enemies at once. By sacrificing some of your health and mana reserves, it's possible to perform powerful attacks. Alleron can also block enemy attacks, but while doing so, his rate of movement is slowed considerably. The lead character, Alleron will be familiar to many as the hero of the Warriors of Might and Magic games. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide