Pride FC

"A solid fighter with great attention to detail."

Pride Fighting Championships for PlayStation 2 has to be one of those games which shines as a pure fighter. Like it's close cousin, WWE SmackDown:Shut Your Mouth, it brings the emotion of its respective sport alive, from the stands to the stage. Yet, while SmackDown is loaded with over-the-top theatrics and entertainment, Pride FC is all about one thing:The Fighting.

GRAPHICS:

One look at the graphics and you will be amazed. Every possible thing in a Pride FC event is there. Numerous photographers at ringside, the stage (complete with a platform which takes the fighters down to floor level for their walk to the ring), the ring advertisements, and even the Japanese and English Pride FC commentators at ringside. You can also see ads for Japanese companies if you look close when a fighter is making his entrance. The guys at Anchor wanted to make a game that is worthy of the Pride FC name, and they did it. The character models are mostly dead-on, but for the in-game models of Tom Erickson and Ken Shamrock hardly resemble their real selves. There's also alternate costumes after a couple of fights. You'll notice Sakuraba go from black to red hair, although my beef is Saku doesn't have his mask on in the entrances and he doesn't throw it into the crowd, but that should be fixed in Pride 2. It's a great job, but again, the lack of character resemblance in Shamrock and Erickson cuts this down to a 9/10.

GRAPHICS - 9/10

SOUND:

Wow. They did a good job with the sound in Pride FC. All the atmosphere of a Pride event is there, along with real theme music which the wrestlers come out to. You'll probably notice ''Ninja'' Rua's and Vanderlei Silva's theme, ''Sandstorm'' by Darude, as it was one of the biggest techno hits of 2001. This is one of the only games, that, unlike it's WWE cousins, has every theme of every fighter licensed. Also, the original themes in the Create-A-Fighter mode are great also, and they include licensed songs as well, as well as the Pride Theme (which is in the main intro to the game). As for the actual match sounds, the crack of bones and the crashing of bodies on the mat are needed to make this game authentic, and Anchor nailed it head on. A perfect score.

SOUND - 10/10

GAMEPLAY:

The gameplay might be the thing that Anchor should focus on in Pride 2. Sure, quick matches are great, sometimes, but the Pride FC matches aren't that quick. This is my biggest beef with the UFC and the Pride FC games. The match length is too short. Sure, the option for 150% health handicap works, but it only makes the matches go for about two and a half rounds. Like I said before, Anchor should take some time and work out the kinks. Otherwise, the gameplay is excellent. The high-intensity moves make Pride at least one to rent. Do you want to make your friend stop taunting you? Easy. Stomp on his head with ''Ninja'' Rua. Do you want this match to be over before it starts? Easy. Use Igor Voychanchyn's one-hit K.O. blow right when the match starts. The moves are lethal, and sometimes you can actually FEEL the pain of them. Now, if only they put some pro-wrestling style grappling moves like piledrivers and crossfaces so the opponent can really feel the pain of them. Anyway, the framerate jets along at a quick pace, there is hardly any slowdown, and the little effects like blood splattering onto the camera make the fighting engine unrivaled in the Mixed Martial Arts gaming world. Compared to UFC Throwdown, Pride's moves are much more unique. To sum this whole section up in four words, I'd say: TOO SHORT, TOO INTENSE.

GAMEPLAY - 8.5/10

MODES OF PLAY:

There are four basic fighting modes. ''One Match'', which is basically an exhibition match against an opponent of your choice, Grand Prix mode, which is a tournament in which the winner becomes the Pride FC champion, Survival Mode, where you try to beat as many fighters as you can without losing all your health, and Training Mode, in which you...umm...train. It's basically just like all fighting games' modes now a days. But, the strongest feature of Pride FC has to be its Create-A-Fighter mode. A huge improvement over the UFC Tapout/Throwdown CAF mode, Pride's CAF mode can be defined as one thing: SOLID. Although not as huge as WWE SmackDown's Create-A-Wrestler mode, it still provides enough value and replay value. Also, almost every move can be chained into a combo. Ever wanted to feint and when your opponent is waiting for your next move, nail him with a well-placed kick to the head? Well, you can, in Pride. To tie up all ends, the meager selection of modes might leave some gamers bored, but fans of fighters should not be bored easily with the solid Create A Fighter mode. The only thing that I'd like to have had was a career or a season mode with a belt that changes hands and is worn to the ring, etc.

MODES - 6.5/10

OVERALL SCORE (Not an average): 8/10

BUY RENT, OR LEAVE IT ALONE?

It all depends. If you are a SmackDown:SYM fan who demands a season mode, then you'll probably be bored stiff if you aren't addicted to the gameplay. If that's you, rent Pride FC. But, if you are a fighting game fan who loves addictive gameplay and great graphics, then buy it. The only people who'd leave it alone are the people who hate blood, who hate fighting, and who hate grown men in tights beating each other up.

All in all, Pride is a solid fighter whose sound, graphics, and gameplay can classify it as a fighter that should be in any fighting game fan's library. Even if you don't like wrestling, there's tons of jiu-jitsu and karate to serve your need.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/21/03, Updated 02/21/03