Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style

"Who down wit' O.D.B.? Well, it sure ain't me!"

When I heard about this game, I thought, ''Oh, goody! Maybe Thrill Kill will see the light of day, only in a different way!'' (please don't comment about the bad poetry! :) )
Then I picked it up, and realized that I had just wasted money on a game that wasn't down wit' it!


Graphics: 3/10
Sure they're in 3D, but they don't look all that good. Most of the backgrounds are just static, there's no special effects that come off with them, such as extra rings or explosions. The blood and gore is there, and although there are some death scenes that are rather gruesome, the way they're drawn makes Mortal Kombat seem more violent than this!


Sounds: 4/10
I never did listen to Wu-Tang Clan, but it does set a good mood for the game. Unfortunately, there's no other type of music for the game except for this style. If you're not a rap fan, then you may want to go for that mute button. Also, there's nothing to say for the character voices, except for the fact that they're nonexistent!


Controls: 1/10
Two punches and two kicks. Simple, right? Wrong! The controls are so awful that pulling off moves are next to impossible! You can't even manually jump! And, to top that off, cheap controls mixed with a cheap AI means that by the time you've been able to pull of a maneuver, you've already been thrashed by at least one other computer opponent! With a game that plays this cheap, your controller may actually take a thrashing too!


Story: 2/10
A Shaolin style story about fighters being kidnapped is cool and all, but most of the objectives are cheap, really. Either protect someone who can only take one hit, or beat the daylights out of three, fully-stocked-with-lives, next-to-impossible opponents, with only one life! This is another reason why players will have their controllers down...on the floor in pieces that is!


Replay: 2/10
You have GOT to be kidding me! Aside from the fact the AI is so cheap, and the fact that the moves are little to look at, there's really little else to look forward to, save for the fact you can use Shaolin chambers to unlock secrets (pull off certain things to accomplish these.) You can unlock hidden characters, and there is a free-for-all VS. mode, but few will bother.


Overall: 2/10
Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style truly gives the clan a bad name! If you're a diehard clan member, I suggest renting it before you buy! Otherwise, be glad that there are plenty of other good fighting games out there! I mean, the violence is almost nonexistent, and they still bother to put a lockout code in? This game ain't up with it!

Reviewer's Score: 2/10, Originally Posted: 04/25/00, Updated 07/16/01