Final Fight: Streetwise

"The Final Fight Series Returns, for better or worse..."

The Gritty/Urban fad in gaming by San Andreas seems to be on thin ice, but its still here whether we like it or not (Im alright with it, as long as the games are good) some come off as cash-ins (187 Ride or Die, 25 to life, Crime Life: gang wars), but there are actually some good games spawning from this trend (True Crime 2, The Warriors) and some good looking ones on the horizon (Saints Row, Yakuza).

The latest child of this trend is a little game called Final Fight: Streetwise. I was pretty skeptical at first, this being a sequel to a long-dead, but enjoyable series that was surpassed in its heyday by Streets Of Rage, but after watching a few trailers, I started thinking it could be fun.

So, long story short, I bought it last week. I was kinda skeptical, since one of the main features on the box was "Earn Respect/Tension on the streets to become the ultimate bad-ass", but when I popped it in, I realized it was a pretty decent game.

Story:

The game takes place about 15 years after Final Fight 1. Kyle Travers, brother of Final Fight mainstay Cody Travers, is a pit fighter trying to pick up the legacy left behind by his retired brother. One night, they get in a bar fight with some mafia guys, and they walk off with Cody. Kyle is left to solve the mystery of who they are, and why they took his brother, and saving him.

All in all, the story was kinda cool. Most of the characters from the original make it into the story. I think it kind of fell apart at the end though. The pacing and tone of the story was pretty good, then they had to throw some unrealistic stuff that seemed like it was picked up from the Resident Evil 4 and Devil May Cry cutting room floors. The ending was kind of disappointing, but overall it was a decent story.

7/10

Gameplay:

This is what made me forgive the story screw-ups. This game is surprisingly fun and addictive. You only have a couple combos at the beginning, but you can learn more as you go. In single player, you have the ability to counter, which leads to some pretty sweet animations. If you're not a fist person, there's a bunch of weapons you can use including: sticks, knives, guns, swords, grenades, etc. busting a cap in someone never really gets old.

The game is free-roaming too, so you can just screw around, and/or do side missions such as helping a ho find her brother, single-handedly stopping an armed robbery, etc. there are minigames, exterminating, pit fighting, vandalism, trashcan smashing, arm wrestling, and chance.

My only problem with gameplay was that the game is way too short. 4-5 hours, but its pretty replayable. There's also an Arcade Mode where you can play as all the characters from the original, and the original Final Fight is unlockable, albeit the emulation being kind of bad.

gameplay: 8/10

Graphics:

Nothing to write home about, but they're better than people give them credit for. It looks better than GTA at least (not really hard to do), and the warriors. The environments are nice and gritty. It kind of reminds me slightly of a caricatured version of a normal ghetto. The character designs fit the mood of the game too, and are pretty believable.

graphics: 7/10

Sound:

Possibly the best part of the game. The soundtrack and voicework are dead-on. The soundtrack is made up of mostly hip hop and metal. The Hip Hop songs fit the mood, and they're pretty catchy, as are some of the metal tunes. I was compelled to look into some of the artists after playing the game. Kyle sounds a lot like Solid Snake, but the rest of the characters don't sound familiar at all, for better or worse. Voice-wise, Blades (the homicidal hitman with a mutilation fetish) was my favorite.

sound: 9/10

If you're looking for a rental this summer, and you're willing to suspend your disbelief for a while, you should check out Final Fight Streetwise.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/15/06