Def Jam Vendetta II Q&A

Def Jam Vendetta II is the second installment in Electronic Arts' and Japanese developer Aki's unique fighting series that blends the thrill of hand-to-hand combat with the allure of Def Jam rappers. The recently announced game is slated to include a host of improvements over its predecessor as well as a larger roster of fighters. We had the chance to talk to Josh Holmes, the game's producer at EA's Canadian studios, to find out what to expect from the promising new game.

Another solid reason to avoid the subways in New York at night.

GameSpot: How pleased were you with how the first Def Jam Vendetta came out? Were you ever concerned about how it would be received?

Josh Holmes: Anytime you create something that is new and innovative (whether in concept or game mechanics) there is a certain level of uncertainty about how it will be received. The original Vendetta was a big gamble, merging hip-hop and fighting. We felt confident that there was an audience out there for the game, but until it was released we couldn't be sure. Looking back as a team, we are all proud of the end result. However, being so passionate about making great games, we couldn't wait to come out and exceed everyone's expectations with the sequel.

GS: What did you learn from the experience that helped shape DJV II?

JH: As I'm sure you can imagine, we learned a lot about hip-hop and urban culture--even those of us who were fans before the project. We also learned a ton about fighting mechanics and what makes a really compelling fighting experience. On a personal note, I learned how to say, "Let's make the best game ever," in Japanese.

GS: So how did you approach this year's installment of the franchise?

JH: When we started working on the new game we wanted to surprise people by going further than anyone could possibly imagine. We started out by researching what consumers wanted to see improved in the sequel, and from there we developed a vision for the game we all wanted to create. When you are collaborating with three separate and unique organizations located thousands of miles apart (in this case, Def Jam Records, AKI, and Electronic Arts), it's really important to have a strong vision of the end product you are striving for, and to communicate that vision clearly and effectively between all parties. To date, I think we've done a terrific job of managing this challenge.

GS: How is the combat system changing? Why did you implement those changes?

JH: Both AKI and EAC wanted to create a fighting system that was revolutionary rather than evolutionary. We wanted to do a whole bunch of cool stuff that no one had ever pulled off in a convincing way. The first thing we did was to simplify the controls to make them more intuitive. Veteran AKI players picking up DJV found the controls familiar, but new players were often intimidated by the complexity. The revised controls (including dedicated punch and kick buttons) are much more user-friendly to a new player.

We found that straight one-on-one fighting tended to get stale over time, no matter how polished the fighting engine was. So, we implemented a lot of secondary strategic elements, like interactive crowds, environmental hazards, and the ability to use the world as your weapon. Everything in our gamespace serves an interactive purpose--if you see something, then you can use it to fight with.

We also found that individual players preferred to focus on different tactics in the game, and we decided to create distinct classifications of fighters to cater to different strategies. This gives the game amazing replay value, as each fighting class has unique mechanics associated with it and a signature way of earning a KO.

We break the fighting styles down into five basic classes: martial artist, streetfighter, submissions, kickboxer, and wrestler. Within each of these basic classes there are many substyles, so a martial artist may use karate, capoeira, tae kwon do, etc.

The overall focus of the fighting system is fun, over-the-top action rather than a simulation of technical fighting.

Dude got hit so hard, it almost undid his cornrows.

GS: What can you tell us about the lineup? How do you decide who to include? How much input do they have?

JH: I can honestly say that we've managed to assemble the most impressive cast of all-star talent in the history of video games. Seriously. There are over 40 rap artists and celebrities featured in the game this year, including Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, Method Man, Redman, Ludacris, Carmen Electra, Lil' Kim, Sean Paul, Bonecrusher, Flava Flav, Ice-T...the list goes on and on. All of the main characters in the story are played by celebrity talent.

We chose people based on their fit to the product and their desire to take part in what is sure to be a huge event for hip-hop and gaming. They gave us input on costumes, lines, fighting moves--you name it, they were involved. Method Man even worked with me early on to help develop the storyline of the game! One of the coolest things with our cast is that almost every last person involved is a big gamer--it really speaks to the cultural relevance of video games within today's society.