Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus

"Tao Feng = Simply Awesome"

Hello gamers, this is my first review ever so please bear with me.

Tao Feng has been one of the most hyped up fighting games coming to the Xbox this year, and I must admit that this game has delivered. While not completely flawless, it is a superb 3D fighting game which in my opinion deserves a proper place right next to other famous 3D fighting game franchises (Tekken, Dead or Alive, Soul Calibur). This is a fighting game with true merit. Now onto the review.

Graphics/Visuals
10/10
Tao Feng has some of the most outstanding and beautiful graphics ever to grace a fighting game. The character models are of the highest quality. The only other game I can think of that even comes close to matching the visuals of Tao Feng is Microsofts other 3D fighter Dead or Alive 3. Each character is extremely detailed from mouth movement all the way down to the smallest tattoo. The models are made up of a very high polygon count, with excellent texturing and great attention to detail. The environments are also of the highest quality. From a detailed video game arcade all the way to a museum of natual history, Tao Feng has some of the most beautiful and detailed arenas ever to have video game blood spilled upon them (and theres lots of blood to spill). Also, the damage models that have been designed for each fighter are so realistic looking you will see ripped clothing, torn flesh, smeared blood, bruises, etc. I will cover more of this in the innovation section.

Sound
9/10
I have no complaints whatsoever with the sound. When I turned on my stereo and fired up the game I was rewarded with excellent quality sound. Every grunt, groan, smash and slam came through with great clarity. The voice actors used for the fighters are great. There isn't any of this B-movieish sounding dialogue. However, the music is not very memorable seeing as how I can't even recall one tune that was played. The fighting sounds are what matter the most anyway and in my opinion they are excellent.

Gameplay
9/10
I am the type of gamer who is not really a fan of 3D fighting games because the mechanics usually end up resulting in a button mashing fiesta. No offense to those out there who love Tekken, Soul Calibur and Dead or Alive, but I could simply mash my way to first place no problem. I know a thing or two about Soul Calibur have had my rear handed to me by a first time player who simply mashed one button the entire fight (no lie). Something just isn't right with that picture. Tao Feng however is a different story. If you try to button mash your way to the end you will soon realize that it ain't happenen. The computer simply laughs at button mashers and then beats you into a submissive pulp. The only way to be good at this game is to learn the combos which for the most part are not to hard to figure out, yet deep enough not to get boring. Plus the combos are really impressive with some jumping right up to spectacular. The throws in the game are easily executed with a simple directional movement and a press of B+Y together (check out Exiles back breaker..just awesome).
The control setup for the game works exceptionally well and with a few plays will be stored in your human harddrive (brain :P). One flaw however is the fact that you cannot configure the controller to your specifications which is a major no no in fighting games. This may turn a few gamers away, but like I said earlier the default control is more than adequate. Fighting in Tao Feng is a little bit slower than the sporadic fighting of games like Dead or Alive. This is a welcome change in my opinion. Also, rounds have been done away with (actually there is an option for them) and put in there place is a 3 power bar system. Each fighter has 3 power bars and when all 3 power bars are gone for a fighter they lose and the match is over. Pretty cool because when each power bar is taken away you are treated to a really cool close up of the battered and bleeding fighter. Other cool gameplay features are the ''Damage Zones'' which are destructable parts of the environment that cause extra damage as well as limb damage. I will elaborate further on these in the innovation section. Another gameplay element that is really cool is the Chi meter. As you fight your opponent your Chi meter will begin to fill. When it is full you can unlease 3 different Chi attacks (Super moves) which are pretty powerful or you can use it to heal your limbs (mentioned later). Now for the bad or should I say just slightly irritating. The camera can pose a problem sometimes in the rather large arenas. At certain areas in the arena the camera will do a flip flop and you will be on the other side. Doesn't sound like much of a problem and it isn't if your not blocking. If your blocking (pressing away) and the camera flips, you will now be pressing forward instead of away. I have taken more than a few unnecessary kicks to the teeth because of this. However this only happens on occasion and when it does you can usually compensate for it rather quickly and avoid getting hit. Still the unnecessary hits could cause an unjustified loss. Only a minor problem in my opinion, but still one that needs to be fixed for the sequel. The last problem I have found and it is only minor is the fact that there is no designated free move button. You can free move but it requires you to press backwards and up/away or down/away, it sounds easy but it can hinder blocks and cause you to get punched in the eye if your not careful. You can have the left analog stick turned on for free movement but it can be cumbersome... well to me it is, but to others it might work great. Maybe with a little more usage of it I will get the hang of it. All in all the gameplay is excellent.

Innovation
9/10
With the great fighting that Tao Feng brings to the table it also brings some really innovative fighting elements. First off is the character damage. How many times have you played a fighting game where you have punched, kicked and slammed your opponent into the ground 372 times only to see them get back up looking like they had just taken a shower and put on a fresh change of clothes...show of hands please. I for one have. Not anymore, Tao Feng brings with it visible character damage. You will see bruises, cuts, gashes, smeared blood, running blood, and torn clothes. It is great, and a very welcomed addition. Another new addition is that of attacks off of walls and poles. By pressing toward the wall or pole and pressing the R trigger you can initiate an aerial attack which does a considerable amount of damage not to mention throwing your opponent a good distance across the ring giving you a little breathing room. The ''Damage Zones'' that I mentioned earlier are also a new feature. These are objects in the environment that when smashed into cause extra damage as well as limb damage. They range from arcade machines to a sports car and really add even more ummph to an already awesome fighting experience. The limb damage I have been mentioning is the last innovation. How many of you are sick of playing against people that block 99 percent of the fight only to turn and mule kick you upside of the head when your not looking. Well not anymore, no longer can you block your little heart out. Gigante has implemented a new block system into Tao Feng. The more you block the more damage that incurs on your limbs. As the limb damage builds up eventually you will see a red Damage emblem under your power bar. At this point, the next successful hit will break the limb that the hit contacts with. Example: your limb damage meter is red and your opponent lands a successful punch to your top half, this will cause one of your arms to break. If your opponent kicks you in the lower half you will suffer a broken leg. Not only are these cosmetic (arm hangs, limp on leg), but they also affect your fighting ability by reducing your punches or kicks power by 50%. Granted, you can only suffer one of these at a time. If you have a broken arm, you cannot have a broken leg and vice versa. There is a way to heal your broken limbs though and this is with the Chi you have stored up. Instead of using the Chi for an attack you can hit the L trigger and it will heal your broken limb. This really adds to the strategy of the game. ''Should I use the Chi to cause him damage or should I heal myself and hope to defeat him/her with my physical attacks.'' Great addition

Tao Feng is a very high quality fighter. It is really fun and enjoyable to play. It is not utterly impossible to learn and provides some really good depth to keep it from getting boring. If you are interested in fighting games at all, I highly recommend you give it a try. While not for everyone, I believe if you run Tao Feng through the works more than likely you will see just how awesome a fighter it is.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/22/03, Updated 03/22/03