DJ:FFNY is not the deepest fighting game but who cares when you're having so much fun opening a can of whoop ass
Def Jam: Fight For New York (DJ: FFNY) is a direct sequel to Def Jam Vendetta. It follows D-Mob's arrest to his eventual escape thanks to the player-created protagonist. With the help of D-Mob's crew, they try to win New York City from Crow (Snoop Dogg) and his gang via beating the fighters out of each club. The game has drastically changed from Vendetta. For the most part, the game is bigger and better. This is how some free fighting game sequels need to aspire to be. Instead of just putting in one or two new features or characters, it needs to go all out and re-invent itself for the better.
The fighters have more than doubled and includes fresh new welcome faces like Flava Flav Fat Joe and Busta Rhymes while bringing back most of the original cast. Some non-rappers have also joined the fray, most notably fan favourite Carmen Electra and cult movie frequent, Danny Trejo.
The fighting engine is different and may take a few minutes to re-master but it's more suited for the game's grittier style of play. No longer can players win by just emptying their opponent's life bar. A KO or submission must be performed and there's a multitude of methods to do so from bashing their heads in with weapons or performing a fighting style-specific move. The fighting styles in question are streetfighting, kickboxing, martial arts, wrestling and submissions. Each style has its own unique set of skills, strengths and weaknesses although if you play this game long enough, you'll know that the styles are unbalanced. Streetfighters in particular, though basic and limited in moves are purely powerful and versatile and an experienced streetfighter can easily put away even some of the best grapplers or martial artists. The basic and easy nature off the block and counter system helps this so.
Like the fighters, the fighting avenues have doubled and now take place in the grimmest places like abandoned junkyards, warehouses and shady nightclubs. The increase in avenues also brought forth a handful of new fighting modes such as Inferno and Window matches. All avenues have their own unique features and are very interactive to boot. Feel free to bust your opponents' faces in any way you like. Fighting is only one side of the game. Several critics will have you believe that the game focuses more on the Create-a-Fighter customization department. During story mode, players have a wealth of ways in which to outfit their man. There's clothing, jewelry, tattoos and haircuts. Henry Rollins provides the gym workout, which determine, how strong and quick the fighter becomes as well as the fighting styles and finishers he adapts.
The main gripe I have about the create-a-fighter system is it is only possible via story mode. To create a new fighter, you'll have to begin a new story and kick ass all the way through. Once you have also boosted your character's stats, you cannot undo them and same is true with fighting styles and finishers learned. The only things you can change about your character are his looks and accessories. Lastly, the graphics are much improved but cause the significantly longer load times. The beats are livelier and more frantic though I'm disappointed with the lack of Bonecrusher's epic "Never Scared" track.
I'll conclude this before it gets even longer but I have even more to say. It just goes to show how much I love this game and ranks among my top fighting games just for its sheer fun. People always take potshots at EA for wrecking creativity and producing yawn-fest games with high production values.
To heck with all that! This game satisfies the hunger to wreck and destroy and kicks major ass in both senses.