Black & Bruised

"And In This Corner..."

''It isn't the size of the dog in the fight. It's the size of the fight in the dog.''

This game definitely describes Black And Bruised, a new title from Majesco. This game has the heart of Rocky and the power of Thunderlips...read on to see what I mean.

(Graphics) - 9/10

The game has a distinct cel-shaded style to it, but doesn't quite follow other game's styles, using a high polygon count as well. The backgrounds are animated, but only slightly. All the characters are laugh-out-loud material, and the facial expressions of the characters actually contribute a lot to the game.

(Sound) - 7/10

Eh. This is definitely the games soft point. Why? Well, while there are plenty of voice-overs and quite a talented group of voice actors, the sounds of the punches are all pretty alike. Basically, all there are when you punch an opponent are the ''Oomphs!'' or the sounds of what seems like a kitchen cabinet slamming. This category is saved by the occasionally hilarious quotes.

(Gameplay) - 8/10

While many describe this game as a button masher, I cringe at the thought of it. At it's core, Black and Bruised is, like I said, a game with a huge heart. It tries to hold true to the boxing formula, but can't quite do it and slowly fades into what seems like a fighting game. But there's nothing wrong with that. The gameplay consists of two fighters going at it, and the action is usually fast and furious. There are power-ups that can shift the weight of a fight, and I believe that this is a great touch to an already fantastic game. You'll grin as you send down an opponent. The inclusion of a ''Life Story'' mode really helps out the game, as each chapter in a fighter's life is illustrated through an FMV inside the game, often setting you up for the next fight. Extra points for the strategy involved. For instance, in the FMV you just saw, a future opponent might have broken your right arm with a baseball bat, and now you are unable to use it. Or, you have been bitten by a snake and your vision is green and foggy.

(Control) - 6/10

Now this is where the game seems a bit odd. What happens is, the four face buttons are your punches. The shoulder buttons are modifiers. Now while this works quite well, combo's are usually delayed, and if you input the combination TOO fast, you might drop a punch or two off the end of the combination. But it's no biggie, as the rest of the control works quite well. I understand, however, that many will be turned off by this combo aspect.

(Special Category) - HUMOR - 8/10

This game is quite a chuckle-fest. Nothing to make you laugh for an hour, but quite funny nontheless. This is, of course, because of the in-game dialogue. Now, some of the jokes people won't get, (Picture a military officer complaining before a fight ''Damn. I'm all outta bubble gum.'') but others just come right out at you. (Picture a small irishman throwing up his arms and saying ''Leprechauns!'' to psyche out an opponent before the next round.) Unfortunately, most of the game's humor is involuntary, such as this conversation between a patriotic young citizen in the game and a Japanese female

''You are a dim-witted cow!''

''I'm gonna leave you red, white, and bruised!''

''YOU are a lost child!''

''I'm right here!''

As you can see, many of the taunts accidently fit together and make you laugh. Just think of a Canadian lumberjack and an old Chinese martial arts trainer trading insults before the Canadian sings out ''Skin-na-ma-rinky-dinky-dink...''

OVERALL - 9/10

When looking at this game, it is almost impossible not to compare it to the Ready 2 Rumble Boxing franchise, an almost similar game. While Ready 2 Rumble Boxing is favored by many, I would have to go with the ol' Black and Bruised formula. It shows you more about the fighters and their backgrounds, and the interface is simpler and, in my opinion, just all around more fun. The only thing keeping this game from being a boxing classic is the missing training mode, in which you could build up your boxers stats through mini-games, found in Ready 2 Rumble. But, all things aside, this game is one of the best boxing games out there, please go check it out.

Rent or Buy?

I would Rent it first, even considering how great it is. The game is a bit short, and that can be a turn-off for some...but the shortness, of course, depends on how often you play it. There are 19 fighters in all, and all of them have an inclusion of six story mode fights, leaving you with over 100 fights just there. Then, the inclusion of hidden boxers and extra costumes just keep you playing more. Rent first, to see if it's the type of game you'd enjoy. Just remember...this is unlike any other boxing game you've ever experienced.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/05/03, Updated 02/05/03