Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic

"Rag Doll Kung Fu Review"

Introduction

Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists Of Plastic is an odd game… Imagine having a kung fu fight with string puppets, but there are no strings… Oh, and very little Kung Fu for that matter either!

Gameplay

Fists of Plastic is easy to play, with its easy to learn controls just about any body can pick it up and play it. The face buttons, circle, square, triangle and X, are used to punch and kick the opponents, R1 to pick up objects, left analog stick to move, the controls are pretty much that simple.

Well… Not quite. You see, many games like to make use of the SixAxis, even if it is a small usage. This games usage of the SixAxis however, should really not have been used. It basically comes down to you shaking the controller about recklessly trying to perform a special move.

The challenges in game are simple and fun, and range from survival, to catch the fish, to target smashing with a shuriken. Each challenge rewards you with medals dependant on how well you do points wise and this medal then unlocks a new item, and eventually, trophies.

What is disappointing however, is the multiplayer aspect of Fists of Plastic. There are roughly 8 or 9 maps, and 4 game modes. Now you may be thinking, “Hmm… What is wrong with that?”… I will tell you.

There is no online.

Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic feels somewhat incomplete without this feature, as many would like to take the fight online to be able to show off their fighting skills, and cool customisations. There are AI bots that you can face off against, but you will soon become bored of them and their near repeated tactics after a while.

Game mode wise, there is Deathmatch, which you all should be accustomed to by now, as does King of the Hill (holding L2 and R2 and swinging your character's arms with the thumb sticks while standing on the hill increases your score multiplier). Capture the Fish sees you grabbing a fish and chucking it into a basket, and Dodgeball sees you grabbing a blue ball and taking rival players out with it. While yes, they are fun… They can only be so fun against bots for a while, until you will eventually get bored.

Graphics

The graphics are good, and you can see in detail how “toy-ish” the models look, as they do suit the game very well. It is good to see PSN developers putting more effort into this department more recently.

Overall

Overall, I would give Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic a 6/10.

It is fun, especially with friends or family, but it is lacking and feels incomplete. The lack of online really hurts the replayabillity, as does the lack of modes and levels. To put it simply... I would not recommend buying this game due to the lack of game modes included etc, but if you do get the chance to play it, by all means do!

Final Impressions

+ Good Graphics
+ Fun to play with friends
+ Trophies
+ Direct YouTube Uploads
- Lack of online play
- Stupid SixAxis controls
- Only 4 game modes
- Just feels incomplete.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 05/21/09, Updated 11/09/09

Game Release: Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic (EU, 04/09/09)