Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance

"Excellent! It might not be perfect but it surely is excellent! Remember those old school classic with a twist."

Some would wonder why on earth am I giving such a high score (a 9/10) for a game that many people have put down as 'garbage' or 'not as good' and many of the sorts. To be truthful I'm an easy going guy when it comes to scores. I don't aim high towards the public's interest generated by companies or the media itself. A person would say Final Fantasy series is DA BEST. Well I say it is good, but nothing so spectacular that I would do anything just to play the game unlike other games such as say maybe Suikoden 1 or 2? To get to the point i'm basically a guy that goes with personal flavor. I still I wouldn't be bias to that extend though but there are just certain things (or games in this case) in life that we have to play to be able to judge it.

That being said Beatdown: Fists of Vengence is one of those games that I couldn't stand seeing it being underrated for what it is worth. What made Beatdown gained so much criticism that so far I haven't seen a score above 6 or 7 for this game? The reason to this was that many expected beatdown to be something rather different, in this case putting in high expectations for it when all it delivered was exactly what it should be. Undenialbly the game could have been better, but it doesn't deserve the severe pounding from those who thought of the game differently.

Beatdown: Fists of Vengence has a very old school beat'em up feel to it, yet it includes a newer more internationally loved element in today's gaming age which is the RPG. Combining the two makes Beatdown an Action Beat'em Up RPG which many of us don't see nowadays in today's gaming age.

STORY

Beatdown: FoV takes us back to those days where beating up street punks and thugs and showing the face of downtown dirty justice was the trend in video games, and where fist and weapon fights and on-going power politics was what all crime was.

You play as one of the five Cartel members (Raven, Jason G, Aaron, Lola and Gina) and soon you are throne into the streets when your own Cartel sets a trap for you and your other four allies. Backstabbed and framed for a crime you have never committed you hit the streets, but all is not well when news of you now being the city's criminal reaches your ear. With both the police and the cartel members after you, you basically have no choice but to make a stand. Revenge is all that fills your mind, but you're up against the police and your previous 'family' of cartel members. In order to create your own empire and over-throw your once beloved cartel you would need to play it smart on the streets, and show them who is boss.

A simple story easily found during the early 90's or late 80's which is near extinct nowadays unless you count Tekken and The King of Fighters. As you progress further into the game there would always be something that makes the game's story less predictable. I won't go spoiling that for you now would I? :)

IN THE GAME

Many have stated that the game has its nostalgic feel of River City Ransom (an old beat'em up/RPG) which sadly I do not know off seeing as I started with Streets of Rage 1 and Final Fight. In any case regardless if I have or have not played River City Ransom it has got to be one hell of a game I should have missed!

Don't be fooled by the term 'beat'em up'. Though this game, being fully 3D and taking up the title as a beat'em up game is unlike many of the beat'em ups of yesteryears. To cut it short, you walk around, collecting cash, recruiting gang-members, buying clothes and weapons and you could basically change how you facially look during game time and of course, getting into brawls. Now many who have played it know this game isn't that much of a long, in-depth game but there isn't really much mindless beat'em up going on around. Most of the times you get into fights for a reason (might be story based or randomly a car stops infront of you and ye'ole cartel members bounce on you). Also looking different helps you evade random mobs and policemen on the streets. So dressing yourself up is made to have a reason in the game!

The fighting mechanic in the game is divided into two. One being the mass-brawl where we get beat'em up the old fashion way with multiple enemies at a time in 3D. The other is the one-on-one near similiar to that of Tekken and Virtua Fighter (near and not exactly). The difference is that the depth isn't like that of Tekken or Virtua Fighter. Simply put it a more simple movelist yet it is not a button mashing fest (there are still after all command movelist). You'll more or less balance out between both of the fighting mechanics so you won't end up playing getting into massive brawls or one-on-one all the time (a little of both throughout the game).

The music is rather fitting for the mood (nothing techno or some heavy metal rock) giving the gamer a street feel type of tune. You'll have to play it to hear for yourself to believe it :)

As far as re-playability goes theres actually tons of it though this part here is really all up to personal taste. There are lots of thugs to recruit and there is also almost 3-4 endings per character (5 characters at that) depending on your rank and theres also unlocking characters for VS mode.

THE LOW DOWN

The game is not without its faults. One thing mainly noticeable is the ridicules amount of loading we have to endure whenever we want to go into a new area. The gameplay to some isn't too solid as well and in the long run missions and other stuffs in the game are more or less the same in each gameplay.

Don't let these faults stop you from playing the game though. The load times aren't that bad (at least it doesn't interferes with your fighting and such) and it isn't some kind of button mashing game you were thought to expect. Fighting might not seem that detailed as Tekken or Virtua Fighter but its sufficient enough to force you into planning your attacks. I've found it really impossible to merely mash the buttons in hoping you would win a one-on-one match in the later parts of the game (even by the 2nd Chapter) and though it isn't GTA but more or less doing things and getting into fights are up to your decision if you want to or not when it is not storyline related.

All in all it ain't a perfect game (unless you want to consider it which I almost did) but it sure is a nice package overall especially for those who have longed for the day when beat'em up goes 3D with RPG elements to it (oh yea and you level up as well as time progresses!). A must have for me, so at least give this one a rent and play for an hour or so. Old school gamers 'might' want to have this as a collection seeing as we don't get much of this sort of game.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/01/05