Def Jam: Fight for NY

"Truly excellent...a must buy for all fight fans"

Def Jam: Vendetta was one of the surprise hits of its year. It was purely wrestling, but with rappers. It played extremely well, not too far removed from the N64 classic WWF No Mercy. It created a smooth and satisfying fight engine, with a good range of modes and a lot of replay value. Yet as a beat-em-up, this game was fairly average. Sure, it was great at what it did, but with such a fixed style, there were only so many people it would suit. The WWE games obviously succeed because of the license they carry, but Def Jam never had this privilege. So EA has somewhat revamped the sequel and what a good job they have done.

First of all, the graphics are excellent. Very rounded and smooth, both the main character models, motion and background. Probably the best aspect of the visuals is something that very few fighting games have achieved. That is, the ability to make the strikes look like they really connect. The ability to make you feel the impact of every move. This is what really perfects FFNY's graphics.

Next up the gameplay. Once again, nothing short of perfect. EA has moved away from pure wrestling and now uses a range of five fighting styles: kickboxing, wrestling, streetfighting, martial arts and submissions. Each style has it's own specialities, allowing you to KO your opponents in different ways. Characters use a variety of styles, so you'll struggle to find two with similar with moves. Each move serves its purpose and gives a real sense of impact. The controls themselves are very well chosen, enough to make even beginners feel very comfortable. The best part is, that even the big moves are easy to pull off. Plus, the range of moves itself is excellent. There's strikes, there's stronger strikes, grapples, stronger grapples, double teams, grapples which use walls, grapples which use the crowd and of course, over-the-top finishing moves. The game uses a risk/reward system, where by performing stronger moves, you run the risk of being damaged. The addition of weapons also adds to the game, without making things too easy. They do considerable damage, but disappear after usage. All of this together, makes FFNY a dream to play, because every aspect of the fight is considered, to make sure nobody ever has a huge advantage and nobody can win using cheap tactics.

The sound. Well what can you say? The soundtrack is excellent if you're into the rap game. If you're not, it doesn't matter, because it still fits perfectly with the theme. The sound effects are just as respectable, with fight sounds being exaggerated a little, without ever sounding too unrealistic. Plus, the voice acting is very good, in both the serious and jokier areas. From the rappers to the commentary, the acting really adds to the game.

What about match types? Whilst there isn't a huge range, there is enough to keep anyone satisfied for a long time. There are the simple one-on-one, tag battles and three or four way free-for-alls. Each takes an elimination format and works great in both single and multiplayer. On top of this, there is a number of speciality matches. These are great fun, since they add a different tactic to the fight, whilst not drastically forcing a break in gameplay. Subway matches are the most popular; in these, the fight takes place at a subway. A train passes along the track every minute or so and the fighters must try to put each other onto the track to be run over. Simple yet great fun, without becoming too violent.

There is also a greater range of rappers this time. All the old favourites from Vendetta return, yet this time there are nearly double the number. Each has a varied set of styles and moves, so no two guys will ever feel too similar.

Finally, how is story mode? In Vendetta, it was linear, yet it told a good story and provided a fair challenge. In FFNY, it is still linear, but this time it is over twice as long. It consists of almost 100 fights, with an even more in-depth story mode. Yet the best aspect of the new story mode is undoubtedly the new character development; done much better than most games. First you create your fighter, giving him a basic look. As you win fights, you get paid. You take this down to the shopping district where you buy clothes, tattoos, jewellery and haircuts. There is such a great range of each, that you can customise your fighter to about any level you see fit. You also gain development points, so you can go down the gym and increase your stars, or learn new moves/styles. The whole thing works very well, so you'll definitely play through it a fair few times.

Overall, this is a stunning fight game. It's so varied that you'll be playing it solidly for months, plus it never gets boring in multiplayer. Get three mates around and this is the most fun you can have with a multitap. Even if you're not into rap/hip hop, it doesn't matter. Because that's not all what this game is about. This game is about the fighting, which it does very well, sporting one of the best combat engines on PS2. A must buy.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/18/05