A great wrestling game with a broad appeal.

AKI, the masters of grapple-based wrestling, return to the fold with a game that has a decidedly different vibe than their N64 smash No Mercy. This time they trade beefcakes for bling as Ludacris, DMX, and the rest of the Def Jam family take over the world's greatest wrestling engine. Vendetta plays exactly like the WWE games of the N64 days, with players utilizing grapples to set up other moves and working to fill up their special meter to activate a finishing move. The exception here is an infusion of hip-hop flavor and a bit of a lean toward arcadey combat. Some of the special moves are more NFL Blitz than Madden, but it sets Vendetta apart from other wrestling games, which is a shot in the arm for a somewhat tired genre.

Unlike No Mercy and Wrestlemania 2000, Vendetta sports no glitches, slowdown, or collision problems, which makes it the most perfect version of the AKI engine to date. Visuals are crisp and smooth, with well-modeled characters that truly resemble their real-life counterparts. In addition, Vendetta may go down in history as the first wrestling game to actually have a crowd that isn't noticeably terrible. Audio-wise, the sound effects are solid, but the background songs, which are all done by Def Jam artists, get a bit boring after a while.

The biggest beef I have with this title is the lack of match types and the absence of weaponry. This seemed like a perfect game for bustin’ over some weak fool with a lead pipe, but, alas, weapons are nowhere to be found. As for the matches, besides the various combinations of participants (1 on 1, tag team, or handicap) there are no special contests. While this isn't a wrestling game, but rather an underground fight club sort of deal, I guess a ladder match would have been a bit out of place, but they still could have got a bit of creativity flowing and offered up something different as a change of pace.

No Mercy for N64 is my favorite video game of all time. What made it so great for me was being able to do the taunts and signature moves of real WWE (WWF back then) superstars. I, of course, was a hardcore wrestling fan and, to me, doing Method Man’s finisher just doesn’t have the same magic as the Stone Cold Stunner, because the real Method Man only finishes off bags of Cheetos and 40s, not in-ring opponents. However, as an objective reviewer I also have to take into consideration that this is the same feeling that non-wrestling fans have been experiencing for years and that Vendetta is their long-awaited chance to sink their teeth into AKI’s brand of combat without feeling alienated by all of the nuances of a WWE universe that they could care less about.

The single player experience is driven by story mode and survival mode, both of which provide quality entertainment while you unlock fighters and arenas. The story follows a fighter (you) through the underground fight club circuit and, while far from riveting, does its job of setting up the matches. After unlocking everything you are still left with considerable replay value in the form of multi-player combat, which is a ton of fun and will have you screaming your lungs out with your friends.

Def Jam Vendetta is a great wrestling game that puts a new spin on the genre. Wrestling fans may be dismayed by the absence of the WWE license, but they cannot deny that the magic of the AKI engine is at its finest hour and that this is the best wrestling game on the current generation of consoles. Vendetta’s style and grapple-based perfection form a one-two punch that appeals not only to those who remember Repo Man, but to the “How can you like it when it’s fake?” haters as well.