Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus

"Fighting game revolution!It have to start somewhere, it have to start sometime.What better place than the XBOX?What better time than now?"

Greetings.
It is my first review, so I hope you'll find it informative.

Story
8/10

We all know that story isn't the most important part of a fighters, but this one deliver a rather good story in a fictional land called New-China. 2 sects are at fight against each others, the pale lotus and the black mantis,one good and one evil, to obtain items that would grant them an audience with the Gods for immortality. Ok, not the best scenario ever, but ok for a fighter. What really boost the story, tough, is the enormous background story given to us on every characters in the games, and the interactions between them.The handbook don't provide much, but in the quest mode, you can read a complete overview of each characters's life and role in the story.GREAT roster of fighters

Gameplay
9/10
Refreshing, amazing and wonderful...once you get used to it, tough. No button smashing here. Each characters have many unique moves and combos, and even different moving speed, range, and damage. The game implement a ''Limbs breaking system that is great, making you able to break legs or arms from your opponent. You can either ''push'' them into walls, glasses or whatever of the like, or, if the other character just block too much, limbs damages are coming his way. So no more ''I block and wait for the other to attack me, and then I fight back'' technique that is so frustrating. Attack, and you will be rewarded. Defend with moderation and skill, you'll be even more rewarded. You have a chi meter that fill up as you attack, and once full, allow you to do a ''chi'' attack, or to heal broken limbs. Not abusive, but full often enought so that it is of some use....Some characters chi meter grow faster, others have greater resistance to limbs damages, making you feel the difference between the fighters even more. What can be disturbing is the camera switching side without notice, tough, but you will get used to it very fast, and can even learn to take advantage of it. On the controls, each characters have 2 punch buttons, 2 legs button. Throws are made by pushing Y and B together. You can jump, sidestep,wall jump and attack, pole attack...Never have the environments been so interactive...and deadly. It have a certain learning curve, however...You need to practice with a character before being good...witch is a very good point.The A.I. is very good, and the difficulty is a big +. No more friends who come for the first time to play and beat you by discovering a 3 hits combos...Sidestep is very effective against those kinds of attacks. Taunts are there too, giving you more chi. The whole fighting system really is a breath of fresh air.

Game modes
7/10
A little bit of a deception here.
First of all, there is Versus...Witch you can use to go against the computer, or against a friend. Many standards options, like number of round, time and the like.It is probably the mode you'll end up playing the most.

Quest mode is...well...good and bad. It is the story mode, and you have to choose a sect, and go trough the 6 opposing fighters with EACH of the fighters of your sect...May be a good thing, but you will probably do it only once...Since there always is characters we like, and some we don't... You'll end up doing a lot of Wall attack to complete it with certain characters if you do not learn moves with each of them.Feel left down on this one...

Survival is almost your standard survival mode, were you go against an ennemy after another with the same health bar. Again, MANY options. The only difference with opthers games is that you need to know your opponent into a danger zone (like a glass and the like) to recover health.

Team battle give you the choice between sect against sect, or free. You can choose between 2 to 6 players per teams in free mode.

Tournament let you set up a tournament with others peoples. Can't play alone. Good idea, tough.

Training mode is very well done. You can choose free mode, or to go trough task with the master of your sect.

Graphics/Visuals
9/10
Wonderful...simply wondeful...Just, and barely, below DOA3. A bit less beautiful, but a bit more of a realistic touch in the characters. The environments are breath taking for the most parts, and of a very wide range. From streets, to a dojo, to a ship wrecks or a museum. Blood fly, but not in insane amount...It is still more than normal,but more realistic than what seen in MK. Your characters will be bruised, cut and bleedings from hits, and it will stay on them.Even the clothes get ripped apart from a tough fight.
The only thing is that the animation feel weird sometime, like for instance when a character is beaten, he fall in a weird fashion, or some move could be smoother, but overall, it won't disturb you.

Sounds
8/10
Good voice acting, a lot of moans and grunts. Very good fighters sound. The same goes with impact sound, and ambient sound...Every punch and kicks are heard on contact. The only bad thing is that the music isn't really compelling, and sadly, no way to use your own soundtrack.

Bottom line
9/10
If you are into fighters, jump on this baby...I feel for this one the same feeling I had when I first played Battle Arena Toshinden 2 on my PSX...New, fresh, amazing, challenging...I won't tell you to rent or buy, it is your decision to be a good consumer or not, but for me, it was a must buy after trying it.

Tao-Feng offer SO much in the term of gameplay that I don't think you will put this one away for a time once you will have found your character(s) and trained with them. A true revolution!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/23/03, Updated 03/23/03