Virtual-On: Oratorio Tangram Ver.5.66

It's a great online experience, and it's a lot of fun to play a hidden gem from the past.

The various battlegrounds of Virtual On are just as well modeled as the Virtuaroids and are pretty expansive for a mid-’90s video game.

A really great game, but emphatically not one for everybody. Thank goodness for trial versions.

The closest version to the arcade yet but do try the demo first to make sure you can get into it.

It takes a certain kind of person to find this fast-paced arena combat exciting and that price tag isn't exactly recession friendly. The few presentation quirks and lack of local multiplayer support won't be enough to turn fans away, especially given the crisp visuals and smooth online matches.

This giant robot action game makes up for its lack of accessibility with fun, nuanced combat.

If you are a fan of the series you’ve already dropped the MS points and are battling it out against other others. The tough to master controls and the higher than expected cost will detract potential players and that should not be the case. Once you get a hang of the dual-analog controls or tweak them to your liking, you will have a hard time putting this game down. If you never got around to playing this in the arcades or never owned a Dreamcast, this is now your chance.

For beginners and intermediate level players, Oratorio Tangram presents an unmatched experience, a bright and energetic burst of fantasy combat, still quite unlike anything else in videogames.

A fairly straightforward arcade conversion, but still a unique mix between fighter and shoot 'em-up.

Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram should only be considered if you're willing to take on the multiplayer and a lot of time to learn the subtle intricacies.

With no major update to the visuals or sound and a lack of online players, you really have to ask the question; is it worth it for a few mechs? If you are a cult fan of the series, then yes it is. But for the new players and the guys sitting on the fence, there are far better things to spend a tenner on.

You'll love or hate it, no doubts. Great concept, great mechs, old school.

A bright and cheery Mech’em’up with a bright charm and nostalgic gleam that despite its problems is worth checking out, provided you agree with the price.

Although VOOT's endemic control woes aren't impossible to overcome, it keeps the game from being the truly pleasurable adrenaline blast it should be.

There's no denying Virtual On: Oratorio Tangram has a lot of charm - it's a robot fighting game. While the controls could've been less finicky, there's certainly something special about going against your friends on Xbox Live and just button mashing just for the hell of it.

A short, hard, occasionally clumsy niche game. [Aug 2009, p.104]

A classic game spoiled by the controls. [July 2009, p.96]