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It's been a while since we console gamers have had a real meaty, sweaty beat ‘em up to sink our teeth into. Yer standard one-on-one fighters have all become a bit tedious of late – and even the introduction of 3D has failed to revolutionise in the same way it did for adventure games – meanwhile, most of the first person adventures usually rely on long-range, as opposed to hand-to-hand, combat. So it is with a sense of expectation that we slipped Beat Down into the PS2. Beat Down is set in the fictional mean streets of Las Sombras the gamer takes the role of one of five fugitive gang members, all seeking revenge following a double-crossed drug deal gone bad. The game attempts a heady mix of violence and free-roaming that never quite comes off. In its favour, the ability to play as five very different characters – each with their own fighting style and storyline – is a nice touch, and the actual fist fighting is pretty well handled and varied. But on the downside, Beat Down is nowhere near as open ended as it could be and stumbles with its pacing. Frequently the action appears stilted and things are only made worse by frequent interruptions and long load times. Overall, it's a brave effort, but not the revolution we were hoping for. |
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Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance