Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style

"A Great Game With a lot of Strategy"

I've seen reviews vary from being a "Hip-Hop/Rap Fighting Game" to a "A Violent, Kung Fu, and Rap Game." Now, I don't mind about what they think of the game, but I do think they should reconsider. This game seems simple at first, but that's because not much is known about the game and you're just starting out. Once you start getting in the hardcore strategy, things won't seem so easy anymore. People haven't really mentioned the core of the game in their reviews. They just really talk about Story Mode. I beg to differ. Read the review and you'll see.

Alright, now for my ratings:

Graphics: 9
Great graphics. Others have said they aren't so good. Well, that's them. I actually think the graphics are great and without it, the game would probably run slower and take longer to load, so it just wouldn't be as fun. But one problem is the fact that the characters have no pupils, I don't mind, since I do know that it's difficult to draw in a few pixels to match what these characters do.

Audio/Video stuff: 10
The sound and music is great. And there are even some songs by the Wu-Tang Clan themselves. The sound matches perfectly, and the FMVs are wonderful, all of them.

Gameplay: 10+
This game is no Ehrgeiz, but it does have a lot of strategy, and the Story Mode is pretty fun. But what I'm talking about is Versus Mode. You can play with diversity. You can play on a Team or freely, and the winner(s) can be determined in two different ways: how many Kills you get or by being the last one standing (or in this case, alive).

Although I really want to get to the case that if you have friends in the area, then play with/against them. And if you and your friends become really good, then there will be strategy needed to beat your opponents. Playing on Very Hard is very hard, it could be a good place to practice. There's a Practice Mode for you to become familiar with your moves.

Most of the attacks are easily inputted, but you can't really delay between attacks, except for ones that force you to push a direction, then a button, not both simultaneously.

Controls: 9
The controls are really easy to get used to. There are only six buttons to use: Punch 1, Punch 2, Kick 1, Kick 2, Crouch, and Block. But some moves are difficult to do, putting you in awkward hand positions, unless you know how to push three buttons simultaneously with just your thumb. It gets pretty easy after you get used to it though.

Fun: 9
This game is really fun, especially if go against some "true" competition in your area. I can play for hours and not get tired.

Story: 8
I haven't seen a storyline like this. In short, the story is the Wu-Tang Master, Xin, has been kidnapped by the evil Shaolin master, Mong Zhu, so he can merge both arts into one making them the most invinvible force ever and conquer the world. You get to choose one of nine characters (the Wu-Tang Clan) and go on a quest to save Masta Xin.

Overall: 9
I never give a game higher than a 9, since there is no such thing as a perfect game. This game is great, but it needs some getting used to, as well as dedication.

I think you should buy this game, not rent it.

If you don't get this game, then you're missing out on a great game that needs a lot of strategy. Also, check out my FAQs for this game.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/02/99, Updated 12/02/99