"Like the Energizer Battery... it [SHOULD] keep going and going and going..."

Back in 1996, I purchased Sega's 32 bit console, the Sega Saturn. It was a good console, but the PSX and N64 eventually brought the console to death. Now Sega has recovered from the ''Saturn syndrome'' and now released the Sega Dreamcast.

The Dreamcast is a 128 bit system. It boasts great graphics, great loading times and a powerful sound processer.

Graphics: 10
Dreamcast processes the 2nd best graphical games as of August 2001, with the only beating PS2 by a polygon or 2. Games like Shenmue and Resident Evil CODE: Veronica are crisp with VERY little flaws. I was surprised to see that the Dreamcast comes VERY close to the PS2, considering the it came out in Japan in 1998, when PSX was in its prime. The PS2 came out nearly 2 years later in Japan and only barely beats it!

Sound: 10
Sega really improved the sound after the Saturn had a bad experience with sound. Games like CODE: Veronica and Shenmue sounded so rich in sound and quality it blew me away!

Features: 10
Well, aside from the lack of a Saturn player, Dreamcast holds its own it other categories. One category is the VMU. It is a memory card and a screen at the same time. The screen proves useful. If you play Resident Evil 2 or Nemesis, you can see your health instead of flipping to the item screen every 10 seconds.

Another place it excels over the PS2 in is the lack of a need for the EVIL multi tap. I didn't know what Sony was thinking when they only added 2 controller ports to the PS2.

I also like the concept of pressing the ''OPEN'' button on the DC and it takes to the dash board. The PS2 has a long and annoying blue dashboard, while the Dreamcast's is simple. When switching games, all you have to do is press open and pop the new CD in.

Speed and Loading Times: 10
The Dreamcast loads A LOT faster than the PS2 at times, while the PS2 excels. The Saturn loaded MUCH longer than the PSX so I found this to be a great improvement.

Aesthetics: 10
The Dreamcast looks like a nice system. It has a great color of whiteand the controller ports look cool. While it doesn't look as nice as the PS2, this still gets a 10.

OVERALL: 10
As of August, you MUST buy a Dreamcast. The Sports Bundle which features World Series Baseball 2K1, NBA 2K1 and NFL 2K1 is only $100.

The Sonic Bundle is $100. A Dreamcast by itself is $80 ONLY! Less than 1/3 of the price of a PS2! If you are a PS2 loyalist, get the Dreamcast and be more open-minded.

Great games like Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Resident Evil CODE: Veronica, Shenmue, Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi 2, Soul Saliber and MANY MORE come at VERY cheap prices and have just as much quality as their PS2 counterparts!

Although Dreamcast will be discontinued completely after March 2002, those classic games above will be in the history of video games forever!

RIP Dreamcast!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 08/17/01, Updated 09/21/01