History VideoGame / AlteredBeast

* ''VideoGame/AlteredBeast1988''.
* ''VideoGame/AlteredBeast2005''.

If you were looking for tropes named after these series, see MacGyvering and LockingMacGyverInTheStoreCupboard.

''"Altered Beast"'' refers to two series:

[[quoteright:233:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/AlteredBeast.jpg]]

->''[[RiseFromYourGrave WIIIIIISE FWOM YOUR GWAAAAVE!]]''
-->--Sound compression making the game's opening memorable for [[{{Narm}} the wrong reasons]].[[note]][[TechnologyMarchesOn Keep in mind, this sounded AWESOME when it was released!]] [[/note]]

A BeatEmUp by Creator/{{Sega}}, appearing at the arcades in the late 1980s, and later ported to home consoles like the UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem and UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis. Two pseudo sequels were made, one for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance titled ''Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms,'' and a UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 reboot titled ''Project Altered Beast'' (which was released in Japan and Europe, [[NoExportForYou but not in America]]). The main gimmick is that your character can turn into various humanoid monsters, like werewolves and dragons.

Interestingly enough, the first game of this series is considered by many as a cult classic game and [[SoOkayItsAverage an average game]] at the same time. The reason is because the Sega Genesis port was extremely similar to the arcade version in gameplay, sounds, and even graphics.[[labelnote:*]]Although hardware limitations prevented the inclusion of the rather impressive (for the time) scaling effects sequences seen on the arcade original.[[/labelnote]] [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny This doesn't sound awesome nowadays]] (we even have a trope called PolishedPort), but don't forget we are talking about the late '80s, ports were either [[PortingDisaster terrible,]] [[ReformulatedGame different,]] or simpler games.

Storywise, the original game has [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Zeus']] daughter Athena being kidnapped by the evil sorcerer Neff and two centurions being [[FirstEpisodeResurrection resurrected]] to [[ResurrectedForAJob rescue her.]]

In ''Project Altered Beast'' the story follows a man called Luke Custer who is a [[SuperSoldier "Genome-Cyborg,"]] [[BioAugmentation a human whose DNA and other genetic make-up has been artificially altered]] allowing [[LEGOGenetics micro-chips containing the genetic make-up of other creatures]] to [[ShapeShifting transform]] him into an [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent anthropomorphic beast.]] After surviving a [[HellishCopter helicopter crash,]] Luke [[AmnesiacHero loses his memory]] and sets off to learn about the truth behind his past and the Genome-Cyborgs.

Neff in his "Van Vader" form was included in ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'' for a very brief cameo role, although he was colored purple in that film. To be fair, [[TurnsRed that was his color after he took enough damage]] in the game. This design would later be used for his appearance in ''VideoGame/SegaHeroes''.

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!! [[ElmuhFuddSyndwome Wiiise Fwom Youw Twoopes!]]

* AbnormalAmmo: Aggar, the first boss, ''[[LosingYourHead decapitates]]'' himself and throws his head at you. His head regrows quickly to replace the lost one however.
* AdaptationExpansion: The NES version adds a werelion, wereshark, and werebird, and the GBA game adds power ups and beasts.
* AncientGrome: The manual says the protagonists are Roman centurions, yet the setting is clearly Greek and so are the gods' names.
* {{Animorphism}}: The main mechanic via Spirit Orbs. You get them by beating up flashing enemies and picking the Spirit Orb that falls out.
* ArcadePerfectPort: [[VeryFalseAdvertising A claimed example,]] and it was one of the biggest selling points for the Genesis / Mega Drive port. In truth, it's not even close, neither in terms of technical fidelity or content wise. From a technical perspective, the arcade version has higher quality sprites, larger color palette, much better audio quality, and scaling effects the Genesis version lacked (the Genesis version did however have parallax scrolling which the arcade version lacked). Neither is it very faithful in terms of content: The level layouts are different, the beasts perform differently than they did in the arcade, and trying what works easily on most of the bosses on the Genesis version will get you killed in five seconds in the arcade. Yeah, it SEEMS close, at least until you actually go back and play the arcade version.
** Still, compared to every other port of the arcade game at the time which had very significant alterations made (especially in graphical quality) and other arcade game ports, next to those the Genesis version was very accurate for its time. 40% of the arcade version may have been lost or deliberately changed, but on other platforms you could see as much as 80% of the arcade version lost.
* BaldOfEvil: Neff.
* BearsAreBadNews: The Werebear, the beast of Level 3. On one hand, you become a bear that [[TakenForGranite breathes enemies into stone]] and can turn into a rolling buzzsaw to shred your enemies. On the other hand, this bear is bad news ''for your enemies''.
* {{Camp}}: Between the comical designs of the animal transformations, the weird powers, the even weirder transformations of the villain, and the ending, it's pretty clearly going for this on some level.
* ClassicCheatCode: Allows for reaching other levels, changing health / lives and which beasts you turn into in which levels.
* CycleOfHurting: No MercyInvincibility means this will happen ''a lot'' if you aren't careful. Especially with the Chicken Stingers in the second stage who will trip you up and then just destroy you while you're on the ground.
* DubNameChange: The Chicken Leg is the Chicken Stinger outside Japan.
* ElmuhFuddSyndwome: Probably unintentional ([[{{Narm}}y hilarious]]) in the Sega Genesis port.
* EvilLaugh: The main villain goes "Ho ho ho ho" when stealing your spirit orbs.
* FacelessEye: Octeyes, the boss of Level 2. In fact, its main attack even consists of firing off hundreds of poisonous spores shaped like eyeballs.
* FairPlayVillain: Neff will refuse to fight the player if they reach the end of the level while still in human form and will flee up to two times to allow the player to achieve transformation. It is implied that he does this because [[NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction he doesn't want an easy victory.]] However, if the player still hasn't transformed after running into Neff for the third and last time in a level, he will decide to stop running and fight you right then and there, leaving the player to fight with a more limited means of offense than he would've had in a beast form.
* ForcedTransformation: The cutscenes show Neff turning Athena into a bird. Once he's dead, she's returned to normal.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Level 4 has statues of anthropomorphic rhinos. Guess which form the final boss takes?
* GainaxEnding: The Arcade release [[spoiler:ends with the revelation that the entire thing was just a movie being filmed, and that the cast and crew all go out for a cold beer after wrapping the shoot]].
* GiantFlyer: The pterodactyl like enemy.
* GrowingMusclesSequence: The effect of the first two powerups.
* HalfHumanHybrid: Most of your beast forms. Neff's final form in Level 5, along with the Rad Boar, Dark Unicorn, and Gory Goat enemies from the same level.
* MagicPants: Character grows. Shirt rips. Pants still on. Though [[ClothingDamage the shirt still gets shredded with each expansion.]]
* MoodWhiplash: This otherwise dark game ends with a jarringly peppy [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW19g4Zq6is ending theme,]] which wouldn't be out of place in ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo''. The arcade version even ends with [[spoiler:the game being [[NestedStoryReveal revealed to be one big movie production.]]]]
* NintendoHard: The arcade version and its ports. ''Especially'' the ports, which give only three lives, no healing items, no extra lives, no MercyInvincibility, and no continues.
* OneWingedAngel: All the bosses are Neff transforming into some kind of monster.
* OurMonstersAreDifferent: All the transformations of Neff. Including Aggar, a legless flesh monster with endless heads that he can rip off and throw at you, Octeyes, an eye composed plant creature, Mouldy Snail, a literal dragon snail (too much snail), and the Crocodile Worm, a jewel wielding dragon that can summon smaller, fiery dragons to attack. His final form is a giant Rhino-Man hybrid.
* OurWerewolvesAreDifferent: The Werewolf and Golden Werewolf of Levels 1 and 5.
* PaletteSwap: The Golden Werewolf's actual powers are no stronger than the normal Werewolf's. He just [[MadeOfShiny looks shinier.]]
* PantheraAwesome: The Level 4 beast, a Weretiger.
* PersonalSpaceInvader: The Round Leech that goes on your head and stays there until you punch it out.
* PlayingWithFire: The powers of the Werewolf, Weretiger, and Golden Werewolf are based on pyrokinesis -- the werewolves being able to dash forward for a flaming tackle and throw fireballs that fly straight, whilst the Weretiger's fireballs move up and down in a wave pattern and its dash attack goes up then back down to attack enemies in mid-air.
* PreAsskickingOneLiner:
--> '''Neff:''' [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom WELCOME TO YOUR DOOM!]]
* ProsceniumReveal: [[spoiler:The ending of the arcade version reveals that the entire game was, apparently, one really bizarre movie.]]
* RiseFromYourGrave: Possible TropeNamer. Zeus commands you to "Rise from your grave and rescue my daughter", whereupon your newly-reanimated body does exactly that.
* SavageWolves: The two-headed wolf enemy, which in its albino ([[AmazingTechnicolorWildlife blue]] in the Genesis port) version provides the UpgradeArtifact.
* SaveThePrincess: The objective of the game.
* ShapeshifterBaggage: Neff can transform into creatures twice the size of him.
* ShirtlessScene: In the Genesis version, the first Spirit Orb removes your shirt.
* ShockAndAwe: Weredragon's powers -- consisting of being able to fire off long ranged laser bolts, or produce a powerful electric field around itself in order to block projectiles and fry any enemies that come close.
* ShoutOut:
** The two headed wolves are likely a reference to ''Film/{{Clash of the Titans|1981}}''.
** In the first level, the tombstones read Alex and Stella, after VideoGame/AlexKidd and his girlfriend (the Genesis version only has Stella).
** In the arcade version, the first part of the weredragon's roar during the TransformationSequence reuses one of Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'s roars from [[Film/Godzilla1954 his debut film]]. The second part reuses Film/{{Gamera}}'s roar from ''his'' [[Film/GiantMonsterGamera debut film]].
** The last level has in the foreground [[https://epicplay.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/altered-beast-rodin-1.gif two bodies that resemble famous works of art]], namely Rodin's ''The Thinker'' and Munch's ''The Scream''.
* SpinAttack: One of Werebear's powers -- the Body Spin -- enables it to leap up for a [[VideoGame/{{Metroid}} Screw Attack]] style vertical spin that can rip through enemies, and is the most effective way of defeating Mouldy Snail.
* TakenForGranite: One of Werebear's powers -- the Bear Breath -- enables it to turn enemies to stone by breathing on them for a OneHitKill. However, [[ContractualBossImmunity it doesn't work]] on Mouldy Snail or any of the other bosses.
* TempleOfDoom: Level 4.
* TransformationSequence: The player character, after getting three "POWER-UP!" [[TransformationTrinket spirit balls]] (the Werewolf morph is [[http://www.i-mockery.com/shorts/altered-beast/3.gif pretty detailed,]]) and the villain when seeing you're transformed.
** Interestingly, the other transformation sequences were not nearly as detailed -- they usually consisted of flickering back and forth from an image of the two forms rapidly.
** Instant in the C64 version.
* TurnsRed: The bosses.
* UndergroundLevel: Levels 2 and 3.
** Technically, Levels 4 and 5 are also underground. The centurions are traveling to the ''underworld,'' after all.
* UpgradeArtifact: The orbs that pop out of the blue wolves when you kill them.
* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: After you defeat Neff at the end of each stage (except the last), he steals all your powerups and escapes.
----

!! The [[UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 PS2]] game ''(Project) Altered Beast'' has examples of these tropes:

* AbilityRequiredToProceed: The level progression will guarantee you to get a new beast form or a new Learning Genome for said beasts, then use their abilities to move on to the next part of the level or a new area. Many of the secret areas also require you to, again, get the required form and/or Learning Genome to access.
* AirborneMook: The earliest examples would be a flock of ravens, then a swarm of bats and another swarm of giant hornets. Once you get the Garuda form, flying bird mooks also appear. In particular, the Accipitarian and Raum mooks encountered much later in the game are apparently part of the experiments to make the Garuda Genome Chip.
* ALizardNamedLiz: There are two bosses named Xenesthis and Callichthys. Their names actually tell you that they're a GiantSpider and [[TheCatfish a giant catfish]] respectively. In a variant, there's another boss Sarcosuchus, named after the ancestor of crocodiles... and is a giant crocodile.
* AllYourPowersCombined: [[spoiler:Anastasia can do many things Luke can do with his beast forms. As mentioned by her, both are chimera-type Genome Cyborgs (while Brad isn't).]]
* AmphibianAtLarge: [[TheVirus Genome Mist]] has caused many toads and frogs to mutate and grow to the size of humans. One of the bosses, Sasquatch, is a much larger frog crossed with a gorilla with ice powers.
* AntiFrustrationFeatures: It's fine to just skip the story cutscenes; you can watch them in the Gallery later.
* AmnesiacHero: Luke loses his memories after the helicopter accident. As he acquires Genome Chips, more of his memories return; Anastasia also helped him fill in the blanks.
* AquaticMook: There are multiple variants of them depending on the stage.
* ArmlessBiped: The Cockatrice enemies (and the KingMook Basilisk), as well as the Unique Enemies, are all looking like birds without wings.
* ArrogantKungFuGuy: Brad, a cold and haughty guy who was the first Genome Cyborg, and a rather powerful one too; he was the one wounding Luke in the past, and it shows more as a boss - he can FlashStep out of your attacks and slug you just as quickly. He even would take time to [[TheComputerShallTauntYou cross his arms and tap the ground in boredom or]] {{Finger Wag}} you, should you get knocked down; [[EnemyPosturing he's also open to attacks during such]].
* AttackOfTheMonsterAppendage: In the river you can see some huge, spiked tentacles coming out of the walls, but you never see what they're attached to. They may be mutant alge though.
* AwesomeButImpractical: The [[HumanoidAlien U.W.H. (Unidentified Weightless Human)]] twenty hit combo. On the plus side, it can [[OneHitKill kill any enemy]] except bosses. On the negative side, it requires [[SomeDexterityRequired memorizing a twenty button sequence with good timing]] and it only targets one enemy at time; in a game where monsters love to swarm you. Nonetheless, it's still necessary to defeat one of the [[MetalSlime rare enemies.]]
** The Wendigo's grab and throw ability sounds fun but is aggravating to pull off correctly, especially the grabs that are the part of a combo move, as it'll require you to grab the closest enemy after you have punched them (away) first.
* BadBoss: Aeshma will often crush and throw the Bloated Corpses around him during the boss battle, while the Basilisk will often pounce on his own Cockatrice babies and eat them to replenish his strength.
* BatOutOfHell: The boss Balrog, a giant bat that is on fire due to having the Minotaur genome chip. There are also swarms of bats as mooks.
* BeastMan: Outside of the hero's transformations, most of the later enemies in this game are beastmen of sorts, often with unusual looks, including boar-men, ram-men, goat-men, vulture-men, toad-men and horse-men (as in, humanoid horses, not people riding horses).
* BigCreepyCrawlies: Mutated wasps and centipedes are enemies you'll face.
* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler:After the first phase of Anastasia boss fight, Brad comes in and saves you, as well as slashing a huge gash on her body, but then he got violently thrown to the wall for his problem and died. This allows you to attack her further.]]
* BigfootSasquatchAndYeti: The third boss is a Sasquatch. Played with in that it's a mutated frog with a body resembling a gorilla. The Wendigo form you get from it resembles a sasquatch or yeti better.
* BloodierAndGorier: And how! Just take a look at the transformation cutscenes.
* BodyHorror: The {{transformation sequence}}s. They're all quite detailed and [[PainfulTransformation painful looking.]] [[spoiler:The scientists you see in the cutscene before Anastasia's boss fights are also in the stages of slow mutation and all of them are looking pained and helpless. Then there's her own first "beast" form, i.e a giant louse with many faces of people she absorbed in front of it, her own torso sticking out of its top and 2 extra large arms. She also throws those faces at you, by the way.]]
* BonusDungeon: The [[ElevatorActionSequence Elevator of Doom]] is an extra game you can access after beating the story, where you'll be pitted against waves of enemies in a large elevator. At first you have 4 elevators, each forcing you to use 4 of your basic forms; completing those four will unlock 2 elevators that forces you to use your 2 other forms; completing those two will unlock an elevator where you're free to use any form, and completing that one will unlock another multi-form elevator that leads to the BonusBoss.
* BraggingRightsReward: The Weretiger form. Unlocked after obtaining every single Enemy, Beast, Boss, and Unique data... Which leaves nothing else to do beyond replaying the Elevator of Doom minigame or, if you feel like it, playing a new game with the form unlocked from the start.
* BreathWeapon: Aside from your Wendigo, Minotaur and Grizzly forms (and technically Merman and Dragon too) having access to them, some enemies and bosses also have breath attacks.
* CallBack: Cockatrices resembles the "Chicken Legs" from VideoGame/GoldenAxe, as well as an enemy from the original game which, appropriately enough, is fought in dragon form. The penultimate boss is a Rhino man, not dissimilar to the FinalBoss from the original game. [[spoiler: Anastasia's first form greatly resembles the first boss of the original game, including tossing faces/skulls from her abdomen and being a humanoid body on top of a slug-like abomination.]]
* CannibalismSuperpower: [[spoiler: Anastasia eats Dr. Jobs and a few other scientists during her transforming process. She also intends to do the same to Luke to acquire his special DNA.]]
* CarFu: Wendigo can lift up cars and throw them into enemies. The boss fight with Aeshma is just one big example of this.
* TheCatfish: The Callichthys boss, a gigantic catfish [[PsychoElectricEel that shoots electricity at you.]]
* CastFromHP: If your Spirit Gauge is depleted when you're in a beast form (or you transform with no Spirit Gauge), your HP will drain down.
* ChargedAttack: The Learning Genomes for each beast forms require you to hold the button to perform.
** Werewolf has Hyper Jump, a [[SpringJump Jump Attack that goes higher]], allowing you to leap onto tall places.
** Merman has Depth Charge, a more powerful variant of its Bubble Bombs that releases a SphereOfDestruction powerful enough to blast the giant underwater membranes and [[SuspiciouslyCrackedWall cracked walls]] blocking your way.
** Wendigo has Ice Block where it creates, well, an ice block in its hands that it can then throw for a ranged attack. Some enemies, obstacles and bosses need to be hit like this.
** Garuda has Dive Attack, where you [[DashAttack dive in a certain direction in midair]], allowing you to pass through some obstacles and to go from point A to B much faster.
** Minotaur has Bull Rush, where you start slowly running forward while covered in flames, then picking up speed before you become a human train capable of breaking {{Suspiciously Cracked Wall}}s.
** Dragon has Thunder Cannon, a WaveMotionGun that serves as an alternative to its LimitBreak. Dragon's own normal attacks are also charged attacks, where holding the Square button will cause it to create more and more electric balls in its hands (depending on how far you upgraded its combo) to be thrown towards enemies.
** Grizzly has Nerve Gas, where you emit gas powerful enough to stun enemies around you... [[{{Fartillery}} from your butt.]]
** Weretiger has Genocide Rage, a rushing-forward attack similar to Werewolf's Berserker Charge but covers a much longer distance and cannot be steered. Its own jump technique can also be charged like Werewolf's to make you jump higher.
* ChekhovsGunman: The gryphon-like creature that destroys the helicopter in the opening returns as a boss. It's also revealed to be Brad's pet.
* ChromeChampion: Minotaur is mentioned to be able to turn its skin into steel, and as you play the form, it has a DefendCommand where it simply turns steel-y, which helps for some puzzles and bosses. A few of its attacks also has it briefly turning to steel for a stronger hit.
* ContinuityReboot: The game completely discards the previous two games' stories in favor of {{Biopunk}} settings not unlike ''VideoGame/HouseOfTheDead''.
* CreepyCentipedes: Encountered in the mine level, they’re as big as Luke and attack by either spitting blue poison or by using their legs as spikes.
* CurbStompBattle: How any boss fight will go. Equip the right beast and you will curbstomp the boss, any of the wrong beasts and the reverse happens. Although the Weretiger, Werebear, and U.W.H. can wipe the floor with virtually anybody.
* CycleOfHurting: You can repeatedly slam an enemy with Wendigo with its regular GrappleMove. While this serves little use on normal combat with Mooks, this is very helpful for defeating (terrestrial) Unique Enemies, as otherwise they will try to run away from you.
* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to previous ''Altered Beast'' games, this reboot is a {{Deconstruction}} on those games putting into a FilmNoir CrapsackWorld setting where BodyHorror are much more visible. The main characters are much more immoral and borders into SociopathicHero territory, among others.
* DoingInTheWizard: Cybernetics and genetics instead of godly magic.
* DuelBoss: 3 boss fights occur without any mook harassing you: Weretiger, Rhinorian (it even will sit still and recover its health slowly if you turn into human form), and [[spoiler:Anastasia]]. Instead of taking Spirit Gauge from enemies, you can find them being dropped around in Weretiger's room; you can use your human form's Deathblow attack on Rhinorian (although it'll only make the boss drop Spirit Gauge droplets instead of you absorbing it directly); and [[spoiler:attacking Anastasia enough times will make her drop the droplets]].
* ElementalPowers: All the beast forms are related to an element: [[LightEmUp Light]] for the Werewolf, [[MakingASplash Water]] for the Merman, [[AnIcePerson Ice]] for Wendigo, [[BlowYouAway Wind]] for Garuda, [[PlayingWithFire Fire]] for Minotaur and [[ShockAndAwe Lightning]] for Dragon. Among the extra beasts, [[DishingOutDirt Earth]] for Werebear, [[GravityMaster Gravity]] for the U.W.H. and [[CastingAShadow Darkness]] for the Weretiger.
* ElementalPunch: Some of Wendigo's moves cover its fists in ice; one of Minotaur's moves is a fiery lunging straight punch. Both can also have their normal attacks laced with ice and fire respectively for more damage with the Type-N Genomes; Grizzly can also have its limbs covered in stone during its attacks with the same genome.
* ElementalRivalry: Luke's basic form is the Werewolf, a canine beastman with a light blueish aura. His main opponent and rival, Brad, possess the power of the Weretiger, a feline beastman with a dark reddish aura. According to Website/TheOtherWiki, the Werewolf is light-elemental, while the Weretiger is dark-elemental.
* EmergencyTransformation: In the backstory, Luke was heavily wounded from his last mission before Dr. Eric Jobs saved him; he also turned Luke into the third, and his most advanced yet, Genome Cyborg.
* EssenceDrop: Enemies drop Spirit Gauge droplets and occasionally health ones when they die, allowing Luke to stay in beast forms longer. In [[UnderTheSea underwater levels]] and [[LevelsTakeFlight sky levels]], the droplets become "fumes" that will slowly float towards Luke.
* EvilCounterpart: Brad to Luke. He appears to have some kind of grudge against Luke, and mocks him whenever he has the chance. [[spoiler: Actually subverted: despite that, Brad isn't actually evil and is driven to stop Anastasia.]]
* FaunsAndSatyrs: There are the Pan and Satyros mooks, humanoid rams and goats respectively; both of them can breathe fire. They're mentioned to be part of the project to create the Minotaur genome chip.
* FeatheredFiend: In the 5th stage you can run into mutated ''rooster'', now standing as tall as Luke, but obviously a laughable threat. After you unlock the Garuda chip you'll end up meeting more mutated fowl, including the disgustingly bloated Raptors and the bird-men mutants Raum.
* FeedItABomb: Not compulsory, but you can damage Sarcosuchus even more by shooting water bullets into his open mouth when he charges.
* FightingClown: The Grizzly form, somewhat. It can apparently fight with kung-fu moves, roll around into small spaces and its unlockable move is [[{{Fartillery}} farting]] (useful for stunning nearby enemies and killing one Unique Enemy).
* FinalExamBoss: [[spoiler:The final boss fight against Anastasia will rely on you exploiting a certain beast form (well, except for Merman) for each of her phases so that you can avoid/withstand her attacks.]]
* FireIceLightning: The Minotaur, Wendigo and Dragon forms respectively wield these elements. So do Balrog, Sasquatch and Callichthys bosses. [[spoiler:So does Anastasia.]]
* FlunkyBoss: Most of the bosses, bar some late in the game, come with an unlimited army of smaller enemies for you to regain Spirit Gauge or HP by killing them.
* FoeTossingCharge:
** Werewolf's LimitBreak, Berserker Rage, is him lunging straight towards the enemies, sending them flying. One of his combos also ends with a weaker version of it.
** Minotaur's Learning Genome move Bull Rush is also this, with him rushing forward invincibly and knocking over enemies; it's also controllable and long-ranged unlike Berserker Rage. Minotaur also has one unlockable combo move where it briefly turns into iron as it charges forward.
** Rhinorian, the penultimate boss, has 2 attacks like this, both of them while being WreathedInFlames.
* FullBoarAction: There are big boar enemies in Area 4 and later Area 9. Later stages also have [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orcs]], as in humanoid boars who walks both on four or two legs.
* GenreShift: The classic game was a clear cut fantasy that took place in ancient Greece, but this remake is a {{Biopunk}} thriller taking place in the modern era.
* GiantSpaceFleaFromNoWhere: Most of the mid-level bosses come out of nowhere and mostly serve to teach you how to use your previously-obtained beast form and to give you a new power up.
* GiantSpider: Xenesthis, who spams harmful spider-webs and throws poisoned body-parts around.
* GrappleMove: Wendigo form can grab enemies and obstacles and throw them around. A few of its unlockable moves also make it grab enemies for a powerful slamming attack, [[WrestlerInAllOfUs including a German Suplex]]. Minotaur also has one where it lifts the enemy up to the air with its horns, spinning it a bit and then slamming it down. In most cases, you can [[GrievousHarmWithABody hit another enemies with your grabbed enemy]].
* HomingProjectile: Garuda can shoot homing FeatherFlechettes while being stationary (if you're moving around, you'll fire auto-aimed feathers instead). Dragon can fire homing electric balls.
* HornAttack: The Minotaur form does this with its main attack. Balrog and Rhinorian bosses also like charging around with their horns.
* HubLevel: Area 7 is "Above the Genome Mist", i.e in the skies, where you can go into other areas in the game quickly.
** The crash site you start the game in provides passage to pretty much all of the first half of the game. Provided you have the beast forms and learning genomes to traverse them, at least.
* InNameOnly: The only relation with the original is the fact that the protagonist becomes beasts, one of which is a werewolf [[MythologyGag (with the weretiger and werebear as unlockables).]] It’s also set in the modern era (though technically so was the first), with the transformations being caused by genetic experiments.
* KillEnemiesToOpen: Some parts of the levels are locked unless you beat the specific enemies called aptly "[[GateGuardian Gate Keepers]]". They're just variants of the common mooks, but with a BattleAura and more resilience; they also don't respawn unlike regular mooks.
* KingMook: Most bosses are this for a particular group of enemies, like Leviathan for the Rats, Aeshma for the Bloated Corpses, Sasquatch for the Amphibians and so on.
* LimitBreak: Your beast forms all have a special attack that requires you to fill a special gauge before they can be used; the gauge regenerates slowly, and attacking and being attacked can also regenerate it.
** Werewolf's Berserker Charge has you doing a full-body rush to a direction, knocking foes up if they get hit. If upgraded with Type-S Genome, its rush distance is increased and you can do turns during the rush.
** Merman's Decoy has you sending out a glowing "decoy" that doesn't do damage but attracts enemies towards it, allowing you to pelt at them safely.
** Wendigo's Blizzard is a freezing BreathWeapon that you can aim left and right to freeze enemies around you.
** Garuda's Tornado is a TornadoMove that damages all around you. If upgraded, you can move around while the Tornado is active, making it able to hurt more.
** Minotaur's Fire Breath is a BreathWeapon of flame that burns close enemies and certain obstacles, and can be aimed left and right.
** Dragon's Arc Lightning is a burst of electricity all around you, capable of killing all but the strongest Mooks in one hit. If upgraded, its range is increased.
** Grizzly's Petrification Breath is another aimable BreathWeapon that encases enemies in stone.
** U.W.H's Gravity Reversal is, well, you reversing gravity (and [[TimeStandsStill time]]) for a moment; attacking enemies will cause them to fall "up", and when the effect expires, they'll all fall back down for massive damage.
** Weretiger's Fatal Wave is a multiple homing RazorWind attack with massive reach, similar to the attack that Brad uses in the second phase of his battle.
* LongRangeFighter: Merman, Garuda and Dragon forms are primarily suited for long range attacks. For the former two especially, the game [[UnexpectedGameplayChange turns into a SHMUP.]]
* MadeOfIron: Luke himself, but also some enemies, who sometimes will still try to move and attack even when you have [[WhoNeedsTheirWholeBody destroyed their heads, torsoes or even upper half]].
* MakeMeWannaShout: One of Werewolf's unlockable combo moves is it doing a mighty howl that stuns nearby enemies.
* ManaDrain: In your human form, your "Deathblow" move can siphon Spirit Gauge from enemies. If the enemy is red colored (which will drop life essences if killed normally), using Deathblow on them results in LifeDrain instead.
* MarketBasedTitle: ''Project Altered Beast'' was released simply as ''Altered Beast'' in Europe.
* MetalSlime:
** The "Gate Keepers" are stronger-than-normal Mooks with a BattleAura that will drop Genome Points that can be used to upgrade your beast forms' combo attacks. They also do not respawn unlike normal enemies. Certain areas in the levels are blocked unless you beat them.
** More fitting are the "Unique Enemies" that usually require you to open secret areas and then kill them in under a minute, lest they run away; if you fail, to encounter them again, you have to go out of the area and enter it again. If you succeed, they drop special genomes that can upgrade your beast forms' normal and special attacks.
* MinimalistCast: The game doesn't have that many characters; only Luke, Brad, Anastasia & Dr. Eric Jobs. (Unless you count the beast bosses, that is.)
* MixAndMatchCritters: 5 of the bosses swallowed Genome Chips and got mutated into gargantuan mix of animals.
** Leviathan = a rat + the Merman chip, making it look like a sauropterygia (i.e ancient aquatic lizard) with a rat's features.
** Sasquatch = a frog + the Wendigo chip, i.e a frog with thick, hairy arms and legs that uses ice attacks.
** Sytry = a quadrupedal furry animal (presumably feline) + the Garuda chip, making it [[OurGryphonsAreDifferent a gryphon]].
** Balrog = a bat + the Minotaur chip, making for a truly demonic bat, what with its horns, spiky wings and body WreathedInFlames.
** Belphegor = a flea + the Grizzly chip, turning it into a gigantic flea with a small black bear head sticking out of its front.
** Aside from the above, there's also the Cockatrice and its KingMook Basilisk, a secret project of Dr. Jobs where he aimed to recreate an ancient animal; it has features of both bird and reptile. The Unique Enemies are variants of these with different properties.
** [[spoiler:Anastasia's Chimera form has the features of many animals at once. At first she only has [[ScaryScorpions scorpion legs and tail]] for her lower body; then she grows 2 snakes out of her arms, then they change into 2 fire-breathing rams, then they change again into large bat/dragon wings, ''then'' they change yet again into large pincers (making her a full scorpion) and '''finally''', they change into shield-like large webbed hands.]]
* MonsterCompendium: Aside from the FlavorText, it also includes a small detail of the elemental tolerances and the option of looking at the monster's 3D model and animations from different angles.
* MookChivalry: In a rare case of Boss Chivalry, Rhinorian won't attack Luke in his human form (unless you attack him too many times) and will sit to recover his health, waiting for you to transform back.
* MultiformBalance: Your multiple beast forms have different strengths and can handle different things.
** Normal human form: JokeCharacter and equivalent of EmergencyWeapon, only capable of doing a short combo and absorbing Spirit Gauge from enemies (it's the quicker way of filling the gauge), and does not have any upgrades. Use this form to conserve your Spirit Gauge as being in another form will cost it.
** [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolf]]: JackOfAllStats, as the first beast form you get, it has simple attacks and controls. Its specialty is doing high-jumping attack that lets you reach high places (before you get Garuda form anyway).
** [[FishPeople Merman]]: a gimmicky form that's more useful in navigating in water, capable of [[MakingASplash attacking with powerful water bubbles]].
** {{Wendigo}}: MightyGlacier, slow but powerful, capable of lifting enemies and giant obstacles as well as [[AnIcePerson ice attacks]].
** [[NobleBirdOfPrey Garuda]]: FragileSpeedster, capable of {{Flight}}, attacks with weak but long-ranged FeatherFlechettes and {{Tornado Move}}s. The FlavorText said that the form was developed by thinking "mobility first, self-defense second".
** [[OurMinotaursAreDifferent Minotaur]]: LightningBruiser, has lots of charging attacks as well as [[PlayingWithFire fire breath]] that can burn obstacles, and capable of defending against attacks.
** [[WereDragon Dragon]]: GlassCannon, capable of wide area [[ShockAndAwe lightning shocks]] and hovering, but depletes the Spirit Gauge quickly, lacks a melee attack, moves really slowly, and its only defensive move is also its LimitBreak. In story, it's mentioned to be the strongest Genome Chip made yet, which can potentially start the whole chain of "mythical beast chips".
** [[BearsAreBadNews Grizzly]]: Another GlassCannon, but limited to close-range; capable of [[DishingOutDirt earth-based attacks]], doing very long simple combos, [[BreathWeapon gas breath attacks]] and a quick RollingAttack that goes into small spaces, but also depletes the Spirit Gauge quickly.
** [[HumanoidAlien U.W.H]]: LethalJokeCharacter, who [[GravityMaster can manipulate gravity]], has a hard-to-perform lengthy combo but are limited to attacking one enemy at a time but can kill anyone except bosses completely, has a [[{{Teleportation}} teleport move]], and drains the Spirit Gauge quickly.
** [[PantheraAwesome Weretiger]]: Another JackOfAllStats as it's similar to Werewolf in almost every way, albeit faster and has a DivingKick attack and a different LimitBreak.
* MysteriousWaif: Anastasia first show up in the third cutscene, saying cryptic things to your AmnesiacHero. Then as you go through the levels, she reveals more and more info.
* MythologyGag: The first boss of the original game is reimagined in the first stage of the final boss, both being a grotesque creature with a slug-like body who tosses human faces.
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: The second boss Sarcosuchus, a gigantic mutated crocodile. It can do a wide range TailSlap as well as the crocodile death roll.
* NewGamePlus: The game throws out a very subtle one. If you manage to acquire Weretiger - meaning that you have completed the game 100% - you can start a new game with all of your beast forms unlocked from the start. If you're confused to only see 6 beast forms, try scrolling left beyond Werewolf and an "invisible" option will be highlighted, out of two: Grizzly and Weretiger, and to the far right, U.W.H.
* NoSell: Minotaur, Wendigo and Dragon can withstand fire, ice and electricity respectively, which helps in a few puzzles and against certain enemies, [[spoiler: as well as in the fight against Anastasia. Subverted by her "lightning phase", in which not even the Dragon can withstand the electricity and the Garuda is better suited - to avoid her attacks, not withstand them.]]
* NewSkillAsReward: Some of the bosses fought will yield "Learning Genome" after you beat them, which will give one of your beast forms a new skill; these skills are commonly useful for puzzle solving.
* OurZombiesAreDifferent: The Living Corpse enemies are, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin living corpses]] reanimated and mutated by the Genome Mist. The Ogre enemies are the TechnicallyLivingZombie variant, i.e still living people that got mutated by the Genome Mist. Most other humanoid mooks (i.e those that aren't experimental) are implied to be the same.
** DeadWeight: The Bloated Corpse enemies are variant of the Living Corpses that got mutated and had their bodies, well, bloated.
* PantheraAwesome: The boss Ose is a gigantic black panther that breathes fire and charges around in the room around you. There's also Brad with his Weretiger form, which you can later unlock.
* ParentalFavoritism: [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Dr. Eric Jobs]] quickly forgets about his previous subjects once he starts working on a new one; he especially likes Luke for being a more advanced Genome Cyborg. This gets to the point that it turns Brad into TheResenter who's cold towards Luke, and becomes the cause of [[spoiler:[[BigBad Anastasia's]] StartOfDarkness.]]
* PowerCopying: Four of your beast forms (Merman, Wendigo, Garuda, Minotaur) are acquired by defeating the boss that have the respective Genome Chip inside them.
* [[OperationBlank Project Blank]]: the "[[TitleDrop Project Altered Beast]]", a scientific project headed by Dr. Eric Jobs that aims for creating soldiers with capabilities of different kinds of beasts. The results are called "Genome Cyborgs".
* PunchedAcrossTheRoom: Many of Wendigo's attacks cause this on enemies, making the form hard to perform combos (on top of the attacks themselves being slow), but they also do high damage.
* PuzzleBoss:
** Aeshma can't be damaged directly (and he'll pound you if you're close); you have to throw cars at him with Wendigo.
** Ose never touches the ground (it normally perches itself on high platforms or jump at the walls) unless you do a certain trick. Garuda form can still damage it from above, however.
** Rhinorian is unique among other bosses in that it will actually defend against your attacks unless he's attacking.
** Belphegor, the BonusBoss of the Elevator of Doom minigame. There's only one way of defeating it: [[spoiler:1) attack it enough that it becomes angry and try to roll at you. 2) Block its rolling with Minotaur, causing it to get knocked down. 3) Use Wendigo to lift it and then throw it into the water. 4) Have Merman pelt Bubble Bombs at it. Rinse, repeat.]]
* RecollectionSidequest: The hero Luke gets amnesia at the start of the story after the helicopter crash. As he collects more Genome Chips from certain bosses, assimilating them into his body makes him remember parts of his memories.
* RhinoRampage: Rhinorian, the penultimate boss. It can block your attacks, as well as having both fire and ice attacks. Predictably, it also has [[RammingAlwaysWorks rhino-charging moves.]]
* RodentsOfUnusualSize: The first boss Leviathan, a mutated rat who has the Merman Genome Chip inside of it. There are also big rat enemies fought on the way leading to the boss, and big mole enemies in the later levels.
* ScarsAreForever: It's mentioned that Weretiger's claws are laced with a certain virus that makes wounds hard to heal; it's aptly named "Necrosis Claw". Luke always retains the scar he got from Brad, even in his beast forms. [[spoiler:Later on, Brad also does the same to Anastasia's Chimera form, causing a huge gash that serves as her [[AttackItsWeakPoint weak point]]]].
* ScorpionPeople: The FinalBoss [[spoiler:Anastasia]]'s second form has a giant scorpion-like body, complete with the long tail, and a human torso on top. The arms on the torso changes as its health bar is depleted; the fifth form has them change into scorpion pincers, making it a full scorpion-human.
* ShapeshifterBaggage: Luke can easily turn into monsters with elongated/enlarged limbs and bodies and in case of Dragon, growing wings and a tail. [[spoiler:Anastasia also turns gargantuan after activating her Chimera form]].
* ShapeshifterShowdown: There are three of these: First is a flashback sequence showing a fight between [[spoiler: Luke and Brad]] shown upon getting the Minotaur form, the second is an actual playable fight against [[spoiler: Brad,]] and the third is against [[spoiler: Anastasia.]]
* ShapeshiftingHealsWounds: Lorewise, at least, Luke can technically regenerate from injuries as he transforms into one of his beast forms. In a subversion, he has a WoundThatWillNotHeal on his chest, courtesy of his rival, Brad, whose Weretiger claws are laced with a certain virus that causes cellular necrosis; Luke retains the scar even in his beast forms. In gameplay, he retains his current HP whenever he transforms.
* ShoutOut: The Merman's design and ability to shoot bullets of water recalls to mind the ones from Franchise/{{Castlevania}}.
** A fiery, demonic monster with bat-wings encountered in a mine and named "Balrog"? [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings That sounds familiar...]]
* SequentialBoss: Many bosses change their strategy upon losing one of their health bars. [[spoiler:Anastasia takes it to an absurd degree where she has no less than 6 forms, changing to a new one each time her health bar is depleted.]]
* SpidersAreScary: Xenesthis is one of the biggest bosses, overall realistic-looking and one of his attacks consist of puking out his previous meals at you. The fact that you have to get as close as possible to it to make it pounce at you (so that he becomes open to attack after that) doesn't help, nor the mention that its spiked forelimbs are used to hold the prey still as it eats them...
* SpinAttack: Werewolf and Wendigo forms can acquire a spinning claw attack and spinning fist attack respectively.
* StationaryBoss:
** One of the bosses, Aeshma, is a gigantic baby... thing who just sits in the corner throwing cars at you. You as Wendigo has to throw cars back at him.
** [[spoiler:2 of Anastasia's phases (the first and the last) have her being stationary and just do long-ranged attacks. Both forms would require you to turn into Dragon and pelt it from far away. ]]
* StoneWall: The Minotaur is slow but has the greatest defense of all the transformations. When other beastmen are knocked back by an attack they fall on their back, even the larger Wendigo, but the Minotaur instead is merely knocked back on his knee, even from such powerful attacks. His Iron Guard even allows him to stop giant bosses and advancing wall/rolling rocks traps dead in their tracks.
* SuperSoldier: The "Genome Cyborgs."
* SwissArmyHero: Luke, thanks to his multiple beast transformations. Brad simply wasn't designed for multiple transformations, while [[spoiler:Anastasia is a more "imperfect" version of this]].
* TacticalSuicideBoss: If you run out of cars to throw at Aeshma he'll pull several out of the lot behind him and send them sliding towards you. Xenesthis will try to pounce you if you get too close to the web, allowing you to whale on it when it climbs back on the arena. In a way, Leviathan will try to fight Werewolf!Luke on land despite being clearly at a disadvantage.
* ThemeNaming: Some of the mutants are named after [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Greek Mythology]], while others, like Sytry and Ose, take their names from the demons of Ars Goetia.
* TheToothHurts: Best seen in the Werewolf transformation sequence, where the teeth are knocked out of their place and replaced by fangs.
* TreacherousAdvisor: [[spoiler:Anastasia was Dr. Jobs' assistant and a fellow subject of the Project Altered Beast, but due to her resentment she then released the Genome Mist to the whole city.]]
* TurnsRed: Most bosses, when injured, change their attack patterns or become faster and stronger. Examples include Leviathan actually moving on land and counterattacking, or Xenesthis climbing back faster on his web as his health decreases.
* UnderwaterBossBattle: Sarcosuchus and Callichthys bosses are fought underwater, with Merman. Sasquatch's first phase is also done underwater before going out of it for the second phase.
* TheVirus: The "Genome Mist" mutates humans and animals alike. Genome Cyborgs are immune against it, which explains why our hero is doing his adventures alone and the lack of characters apart from fellow Genome Cyborgs Brad and [[spoiler:Anastasia]]; they're all mutated by the mist.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: Luke appears shirtless throughout the entire game. Justified since it tore off after transforming the first time. The developers conveniently [[MagicPants left his pants unscathed, even though it should have been ripped apart as well.]] Also Brad, after the flashback fight with Luke and when he encounters Luke again in the present.
* WellDoneSonGuy: [[spoiler:Anastasia just wanted Dr. Jobs to recognize her as his prized test subject. Unfortunately, she went too far on doing this and went mad with getting stronger]].
* WolverineClaws: The Werewolf form naturally has this and the Weretiger form has even longer claws.
----

Interestingly enough, the first game of this series is considered by many as a cult classic game and [[SoOkayItsAverage an average game]] at the same time. The reason is because the Sega Genesis port was extremely similar to the arcade version in gameplay, sounds, and even graphics. [[labelnote:*]] although hardware limitations prevented the inclusion of the rather impressive (for the time) scaling effects sequences seen on the arcade original [[/labelnote]] [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny This doesn't sound awesome nowadays]] (we even have a trope called PolishedPort), but don't forget we are talking about the late '80s, ports were either [[PortingDisaster terrible,]] [[ReformulatedGame different,]] or simpler games.

!! Altered Beast uses the following tropes:

* ParentalFavoritism: [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate Dr. Eric Jobs]] quickly forgets about his previous subjects once he starts working on a new one; he especially likes Luke for being a more advanced Genome Cyborg. This gets to the point it turns Brad into TheResenter who's cold towards Luke, and becomes the cause of [[spoiler:[[BigBad Anastasia's]] StartOfDarkness.]]

** Rhinorian is unique among other bosses in that it will actually defend against your attacks unless when he's attacking.

* RodentsOfUnusualSize: The first boss Leviathan, a mutated rat who has the Merman Genome Chip inside it. There are also big rat enemies fought on the way leading to the boss, and big mole enemies in the later levels.

* ShapeshifterBaggage: Luke can easily turn into monsters with elongated/enlarged limbs and bodies and, in case of Dragon, growing wings and a tail. [[spoiler:Anastasia also turns gargantuan after activating her Chimera form]].

* SpidersAreScary: Xenesthis is one of the biggest bosses, overall realistic-looking and one of his attacks consist in puking out his previous meals at you. The fact that you have to get as close as possible to it to make it pounce at you (so that he becomes open after that) doesn't help, nor the mention that its spiked forelimbs are used to hold the prey still as it eats them...

* TacticalSuicideBoss: If you run out of cars to throw at Aeshma he'll pull several out of the lot behind him and sending them sliding towards you. Xenesthis will try to pounce you if you get too close to the web, allowing you to whale on it when it climbs back on the arena. In a way, Leviathan will try to fight Werewolf!Luke on land despite being clearly at a disadvantage.

* WalkingShirtlessScene: Luke appears shirtless throughout the entire game. Justified since it tore after transforming the first time. The developers conveniently [[MagicPants left his pants unscathed, even though it should have ripped as well.]] Also Brad, after the flashback fight with Luke and when he encounters Luke again in the present.

* WolverineClaws: The Werewolf form naturally has this. Weretiger also has longer claws.

** [[spoiler:Anastasia's Chimera form has the features of many animals at once. At first she only has [[ScaryScorpions scorpion legs and tail]] for her lower body; then she grows 2 snakes out of her arms, then they change into 2 fire-breathing rams, then they change again into large bat/dragon wings, ''then'' they change yet again into large pincers (making her a full scorpion) and ''''finally'''', they change into shield-like large webbed hands.]]

** [[spoiler:Anastasia's Chimera form has the features of many animals at once. At first she only has [[ScaryScorpions scorpion legs and tail]] for her lower body; then she grows 2 snakes out of her arms, then they change into 2 fire-breathing rams, then they change again into large bat/dragon wings, "then" they change yet again into large pincers (making her a full scorpion) and ""finally"", they change into shield-like large webbed hands.]]

* AbilityRequiredToProceed: The level progression will guarantee you to get a new beast form or a new Learning Genome for said beasts, then use their abilities to move on to the next part of the level or the new area. Many of the secret areas also require you to, again, get the required form and/or Learning Genome to access.

* AwesomeButImpractical: The [[HumanoidAlien U.W.H. (Unidentified Weightless Human)]] twenty hit combo. On the plus side, it can [[OneHitKill kill any enemy]] except bosses. On the negative side, it requires [[SomeDexterityRequired memorizing a twenty button sequence, good timing]] and it only targets one enemy at time; in a game where monsters love to swarm you. Nonetheless, it's still necessary to defeat one of the [[MetalSlime rare enemies.]]

* BeastMan: Outside from the hero's transformations, most of the later enemies in this game are beastmen of sorts, often with unusual looks, including boar-men, ram-men, goat-men, vulture-men, toad-men and horse-men (as in, humanoid horses, not people riding horses).

* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler:After the first phase of Anastasia boss fight, Brad comes in and saves you, as well as slashing a huge gash on her body, but then he got violently thrown to the wall for his problems and died. This allows you to attack her further.]]

* BodyHorror: The {{transformation sequence}}s. They're all quite detailed and [[PainfulTransformation painful looking.]] [[spoiler:The scientists you see in the cutscene before Anastasia's boss fights are also in stages of slow mutation and all of them are looking pained and helpless. Then there's her own first "beast" form, i.e a giant louse with many faces of people she absorbed in front of it, her own torso sticking out of its top, and 2 extra large arms. She also throws those faces at you, by the way.]]

* CarFu: Wendigo can lift up cars and throw them to enemies. The boss fight with Aeshma is just one big example of this.

** Merman has Depth Charge, a more powerful variant of its Bubble Bombs that releases a SphereOfDestruction powerful enough to blast the giant underwater membranes and cracked walls blocking your way.

** Weretiger has Genocide Rage, a rushing-forward attack similar to Werewolf's Berserker Charge but covers much longer distance and cannot be steered. Its own jump technique can also be charged like Werewolf's to make you jump higher.
* ChekhovsGunman: The gryphon like creature that destroys the helicopter in the opening returns as a boss. It's also revealed to be Brad's pet.

* CreepyCentipedes: Encountered in the mine level, the're as big as Luke and attack by either spitting blue poison or by using their legs as spikes.

* EvilCounterpart: Brad to Luke. He appears to have some kind of grudge against Luke, and mocks him whenever he has the chance. [[spoiler: Actually subverted: despite that, Brad isn't actually evil, and is driven to stop Anastasia.]]

* FightingClown: The Grizzly form, somewhat. It can apparently fight with kung-fu moves, roll around into small spaces, and its unlockable move is [[{{Fartillery}} farting]] (useful for stunning nearby enemies and killing one Unique Enemy).

* InNameOnly: The only relation with the original is the fact that the protagonist becomes beasts, one of which is a werewolf [[MythologyGag (with the weretiger and werebear as unlockables).]] It is in a modern setting (though technically so was the first), with the transformations being caused by genetic experiments.

** More fitting are the "Unique Enemies" that usually require you to open secret areas and then kill them under a minute, lest they run away; if you fail, to encounter them again, you have to go out of the area and enter it again. If you succeed, they drop special genomes that can upgrade your beast forms' normal and special attacks.

** Leviathan = a rat + the Merman chip, making it look like a sauropterygia (i.e ancient aquatic lizard) with rat's features.

** [[spoiler:Anastasia's Chimera form has features of many animals at once. At first she only has [[ScaryScorpions scorpion legs and tail]] for her lower body; then she grows 2 snakes out of her arms, then they change to 2 fire-breathing rams, then they change to large bat/dragon wings, then they change to large pincers (making her a full scorpion), and lastly, they change to shield-like large webbed hands.]]

** [[BearsAreBadNews Grizzly]]: Another GlassCannon, but limited to close-range; capable of [[DishingOutDirt earth-based attacks]], doing very long simple combos, [[BreathWeapon gas breath attacks]] and a quick RollingAttack that goes into small spaces, but also depletes Spirit Gauge quickly.
** [[HumanoidAlien U.W.H]]: LethalJokeCharacter, who [[GravityMaster can manipulate gravity]], has a hard-to-perform lengthy combo but are limited on attacking one enemy at a time but can kill anyone completely, has a [[{{Teleportation}} teleport move]], and drains Spirit Gauge quickly.

* NoSell: Minotaur, Wendigo and Dragon can withstand fire, ice and electricity respectively, which helps in a few puzzles and against certain enemies, [[spoiler: as well as in the fight against Anastasia. Subeverted by her "lightning phase", in which not even the Dragon can withstand the electricity and the Garuda is better suited - to avoid her attacks, not withstand them.]]

* StupidStatementDanceMix: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhpGZw4bwQk WELCOME TO YOUR DOOM, WELCOME TO YOUR-WELCOME TO YOUR DOOM!]]"

* ArcadePerfectPort: [[BlatantLies A claimed example,]] and it was one of the biggest selling points for the Genesis / Mega Drive port. In truth, it's not even close, neither in terms of technical fidelity or content wise. From a technical perspective, the arcade version has higher quality sprites, larger color palette, much better audio quality, and scaling effects the Genesis version lacked (the Genesis version did however have parallax scrolling which the arcade version lacked). Neither is it very faithful in terms of content: The level layouts are different, the beasts perform differently than they did in the arcade, and trying what works easily on most of the bosses on the Genesis version will get you killed in five seconds in the arcade. Yeah, it SEEMS close, at least until you actually go back and play the arcade version.

* ElementalRivalry: Luke's basic form is the Werewolf, a canine beastman with a light blueish aura. His main opponent and rival, Brad, possess the power of the Weretiger, a feline beastman with a dark reddish aura. According to Wiki/TheOtherWiki, the Werewolf is light-elemental, while the Weretiger is dark-elemental.

* BalefulPolymorph: The cutscenes show Neff turning Athena into a bird. Once he's dead, she's returned to normal.

* BearsAreBadNews: The Werebear, the beast of Level 3.

* FacelessEye: Octeyes, the boss of Level 2. Taken UpToEleven in how its main attack is firing off hundreds of poisonous spores shaped like eyeballs.

* SequentialBoss: Many bosses change their strategy upon losing one of their health bars. [[spoiler:Anastasia takes it UpToEleven where she has no less than 6 forms, changing to a new one each time her health bar is depleted.]]

A BeatEmUp by Creator/{{Sega}}, appearing at the arcades in the late 1980s, and later ported to home consoles like the UsefulNotes/SegaMasterSystem and UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis. Two pseudo sequels were made, one for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance titled ''Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms,'' and a UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 sequel titled ''Project Altered Beast'' (which was released in Japan and Europe, [[NoExportForYou but not in America]]). The main gimmick is that your character can turn into various humanoid monsters, like werewolves and dragons.

-->--Sound compression making the game's opening memorable for [[{{Narm}} the wrong reasons]]. [[labelnote:*]] [[TechnologyMarchesOn Have in mind this sounded AWESOME when it was released!]] [[/labelnote]]

* AbnormalAmmo: Aggar, the first boss, ''[[LosingYourHead decapitates]]'' himself and throw his head at you. His head regrows quickly to replace the lost one however.

* AbnormalAmmo: Aggar, the first boss, ''[[LosingYourHead decapitates]]'' himself and throw his head at you. They regrow quickly to replace the lost head.

** [[ALoadOfBull Minotaur]]: LightningBruiser, has lots of charging attacks as well as [[PlayingWithFire fire breath]] that can burn obstacles, and capable of defending against attacks.

* BaldWomen: [[spoiler: Anastasia lose her hair upon transforming, and gradually turns into a medusa-like being. Upon dying, she gets haired again.]]

* AmphibianAtLarge: In ''Project: Altered Beast'', [[TheVirus Genome Mist]] has caused many toads and frogs to mutate and grow to the size of humans. One of the bosses, Sasquatch, is a much larger frog crossed with a gorilla with ice powers.

* MarketBasedTitle: ''Project Altered Beast'' was released as ''Altered Beast'' in Europe.

* ScorpionPeople: In ''Project: Altered Beast'', the FinalBoss [[spoiler:Anastasia]]'s second form has a giant scorpion-like body, complete with the long tail, and a human torso on top. The arms on the torso changes as its health bar is depleted; the fifth form has them change into scorpion pincers, making it a full scorpion-human.

* MoodWhiplash: This otherwise dark game ends with a jarringly peppy [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW19g4Zq6is ending theme,]] which wouldn't be out of place in ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo.'' The arcade version even ends with the game being [[AllJustADream revealed to be one big movie production.]]

* PreAssKickingOneLiner:

* CallBack: Cockatrices resembles the "Chicken Legs" from VideoGame/GoldenAxe, as well as an enemy from the original game which, appropriately enough, is fought in dragon form. The penultimate boss is a Rhino man, not dissimilar to the FinalBoss from the original game. [[spoiler: Anastasia's firt form greatly resembles the first boss of the original game, including tossing faces/skulls from her abdomen and being a humanoid body on top of a slug-like abomination.]]

** [[spoiler:Anastasia's Chimera form has features of many animals at once. At first she only has [[ScaryScorpions scorpion legs and tail]] for her lower body; then he grows 2 snakes out of her arms, then they change to 2 fire-breathing rams, then they change to large bat/dragon wings, then they change to large pincers (making her a full scorpion), and lastly, they change to shield-like large webbed hands.]]

* FairPlayVillain: Neff will refuse to fight the player if they reach the end of the level while still in human form and will flee up to two times to allow the player to achieve transformation. It is implied that he does this because [[NoChallengeEqualsNoSatisfaction he doesn't want an easy victory.]] However, if the player still haven't transformed after running into Neff for the third and last time in a level, he will decide to stop running and fight you right then and there, leaving the player to fight with a more limited means of offense than he would've had in a beast form.