Setting/Concept:
A strange affliction known as "The Sign" is threatening the beastmen (people with the ability to transform into beasts, obviously). Old favorites and a couple of new additions take up the quest to unravel the mystery of this danger before it is too late. DRAMATIC ORGAN MUSIC.

Graphics:
Decent. Lots of shiny color effects. One of those where you attack the frame of a character, which will sometimes result in grabs where players overlap or don't touch. Could be much better given the power of the platform.

Character design:
Most of the characters are returning, so there really wasn't a whole lot of work to do on this, I guess. Each one starts with three outfits, I'm not sure if you can unlock more or not. Alright stuff, but nothing you haven't seen twice before.

Area design:
Most of the areas are of varied sizes, some with break away walls/floors. Backgrounds look nice.

Controls:
A little different from most fighters. A punch, a kick, a grab, and a transform. A few others, too, but no need for me to ramble about them. Easy to use.

Gameplay:
This game, despite it's mediocre frills (or lack of) is pretty enjoyable. Combinations seem easier to pull off than in most games, and the beast feature is unique. You've got super moves, of course, and a couple of story scenes (only the beginning and end though, and they're just a series of still shots with text), though no one really plays the game for those.

Sound:
Voice sound good, but the lines are usually super cheese. Music is nice, though it skips a lot on my rented copy. I noticed the game does have a few little scratches, but it seems a bit excessive for it to skip as much as it does, given the small amount of actual disc damage.

Overall
Setting/Concept: 8
Graphics: 6
Character Design: 8
Area Design: 7
Controls: 8
Gamplay: 7
Sound: 7

Summary
Don't let the low-ish scores fool you. While this game isn't a technical masterpiece, it's pretty fun. Worth a rent if you're a fan of the genre, worth a purchase if you're a fan of the series.
-Fuma