You better be in shape!
The move controls are responsive and replicate a fighting experience. It's a true and very precise 1 to 1 interface where moves executed offscreen are perfectly executed onscreen, right down to the crap you'll be delivering when your tank runs out of gas (and it will). Throw a perfect right hook and leave an egg-size welt on your opponent or simply club him with a forearm on the top of the head. Either way, there is a definite sense of satisfaction that no other fighting simulator comes close to delivering. It takes a bit to get use to the controls and interface, but once you've picked up the moves and timing you'll be dropping elbows by the dozens, smashing your buddy's face in while holding him in a headlock, and handing out a first class ass whoopin'!
The pros;
- True 1 to 1 interface does what you do when you do it, and as fast as you do it.
- Gritty environment suits the game and combat style.
- Dirty moves are a hoot. Pummeling an opponent in the face over and over with elbows never gets old.
- Lots of moves.
The cons;
- Training. If you're out of shape you'll either quit or drop 20 lbs in the first month of playing this game.
- The lack of a transparent fighter can make it difficult to execute a blow depending on the view.
- One-dimensional fight tree structure would have benefited more with a storyline or something along those lines.
I put in a good hour of laying down beatings on fellow AI competitors, who were more than happy to return the favor. Considering I'm in pretty good shape, hitting the gym 5 days a week, I woke up this morning with sore shoulders and back muscles, feeling as though my wife had been doing Kung Fu on me while I was sleeping. Point being, if you're not in decent shape you better call that 1-800 number on the TV and order your Tae Bo video to prep before you get into this. Alternatively, you could just head down to your local kickboxing gym and get in the ring with one of the fighters and have him kick your ***.
I was on the fence on this one after reading the reviews and comments, but I can safely say it's exactly what I expected. The 5.0 out of 10 misrepresents what this game intended to and did deliver. It's a good, gritty, unique fighting sim that doesn't disappoint when it comes to delivering a beating or taking one.