The Bloody Roar games have always been an entertaining series with a decent following. Never good enough to compete with the Tekkens, Virtual Fighters and Soul Caliburs, but never rubbish enough to dismiss out of hand, they occupy an uneasy middle ground of 'alrightness'.

The central concept is strong; that of warriors who can transform into hugely powerful beasts in combat. Switching back and forth adds a unique tactical element to bouts, and Bloody Roar 4 hasn't messed with the formula. What it has done, however, is introduce a whole new career mode with strong RPG elements.

Beat-'em-ups have always benefitted from a splash of RPG. In this instance, you're presented with a grid that doesn't look too dissimilar from Final Fantasy X's sphere grid. Instead of buying nodes, you fight, and victory earns you DNA points and the occasional new ability. You have a limited number of spaces in which to slot new attacks, combos, abilities and upgrades, and a limited pool of DNA points from which to buy them.

Interestingly, you can equip other characters' moves - for example, Yugo can perform Alice's sliding dash or Stun's ankle grab and throw. It's a genuinely good idea, but your progress isn't furnished with any kind of story or setting; it's just a sequence of random fights in random areas. A good game just got more interesting - with emphasis on the word 'just'.

Graphics 80%
Great transformation effects, gore and arenas.

Sound 50%
Cheesy guitar riffs and shaky voice acting.

Gameplay 60%
Slow at times, but competent with sufficient depth.

Lifespan 70%
Career mode is easy, but admittedly engrossing.

Overall 60%
It's no match for Soul Calibur II, but for fighting fans and completists, it won't shame your collection.