SNK's SVC Chaos: SNK Vs. Capcom has finally come to Xbox, but its retro flavor actually hurts the gameplay experience. Capcom's excellent Capcom Vs. SNK 2 set a benchmark for other 2D fighters, and Chaos just feels old for a plethora of reasons.

Let's start with the graphics. There are many recognizable faces on the Capcom and SNK front, like Ken, Ryu, Ryo, Mr. Karate, Akuma, Mai Shiranui, and a slew of others (including Hugo from the Street Fighter III). They're animated pretty well, though a little more detail would have been greatly appreciated, but what really bothers me is the horrendous pixilation. It's downright ugly, and very difficult to look at after playing Sammy's Guilty Gear games. Also, the game's backgrounds are typical Neo-Geo variety, with very little going on. Sadly, none of them are memorable.

The game's soundtrack is also very disappointing. It just doesn't capture the intensity of some of the better fighters in the genre. Punches and kicks sound all right, and some of the character voices are decent, but if you ever see the soundtrack at an import shop, stay far away!

As for the gameplay, it comes up disappointingly short. SNK's carefully thrown in some excellent special moves, counters, cancels, and super moves, and it works pretty well, but timing and balance seem to be questionable in spots, especially when you're trying to pull off a super with the analog stick and end up doing something like a Dragon Punch instead, leaving yourself wide open for a vicious enemy attack. What makes matters worse is the AI, which is rather cheap, even on the lowest difficulty.

Nagging issues aside (along with the game's $50 price tag), there is some fun to be had with the game's various modes. Arcade Mode lets you take on several foes (including a couple of hidden bosses that will literally blow you away), you can also have fun with Survival Mode and take on numerous opponents for as long as you can, and you and a friend can battle it out in the game's Vs. Mode. However, the game's biggest draw is its online component. You can take on Live challengers in a number of match-ups and it works surprisingly well with no real hiccups.

In terms of unlockables, there's a mini-gallery to unlock new art, a Replay Mode to save your best fights, and a Color It mode, where you can alter your character's clothing hues for a better (or worse) appearance.

SVC Chaos: SNK Vs. Capcom is enjoyable to a point. It stays true to the Neo-Geo game and has enough extras to keep 2-D fighting fans glued to their seats for a weekend or two. However, it's not a value at $50 because it lacks the finesse and beauty of other fighting games in the genre. It's recommended for the hardcore brawling fans and the SNK faithful, but everyone else will probably want to upgrade to a next-gen brawler.