Welcome to Def Jam

This is the first edition to what is now a series which has gone on to see 3 sequals, the latest to be released next year. As Def Jam Vendetta (DJV) was a new series it, had to come into the gaming world with a bang; and it did. This game gave you the answer to "Who would win a fight out of Method Man and Redman?" or "Could anyone beat DMX in a fight?". In DJV some of the most well known artists on the Def Jam record label featured, including: Ludacris, Joe Budden and Ghostface Killah, as well as a selection of made-up characters with unique personalities and fighting styles. This is a wrestling game but some styles can effect how if you rely on grapples mainly, or strikes.

The story mode has an underground boss, D-Mob, who "runs" the streets, in which people compete for "Money, Power and Respect." He is a very convincing leader with a laid-back attitude to life, which when ultimately you fight him you find to be a serious challenge. Your main objective is to get up in the underground.

It is dissappointing as for the story mode you must choose one of a very limited, 4 characters. They should have included a create-a-fighter mode, however this wasn't brought in until the next title. The plot is very straightforward as you fight to gain respect then get girlfriends. You gradually meet more as you beat people like N.O.R.E. in his specially-themed "Grimeyville" and Ludacris in "Club Luda", from these examples you can see that all the real rappers have individual places where you fight them to suit their characters. Also the MCs themselves choses these locations and their special moves, this gives an extra level of authentitcity to the Def Jam title.

The gameplay is very simple for the game, far less complex than WWE SmackDown! games, however, if you are used to wrestling games then you will have only played that series and therefore it does take some time to get used to. I felt it took me a while to complete when a first got it. Once I did finish the story mode, I gave it to my sister and she managed to complete it over a weekend. This shows you that it is simple to pick up and play but I don't know how she beat D-Mob because he is like bosses from retro games in that he is stronger, and recovers faster than you or any other fighter.

You cannot complain about the roster because eventhough it doesn't compare to the newer games, however now it's not just Def Jam members. Also the people used were the biggest stars of Def Jam in 2003. The fights are all fought within a ring (and outside of it) which is fully interactive, being able to use the ropes as weapons by rubbing the head of the opponent along it. The turnbuckle is also an option to perform an aerial attack on the opposing fighter.

After the story is done there isn't much else to do, apart from fight in 1-on-1 or tag team exhibition bouts. So I just started again, it isn't really if you do this either because you can choose to go through it with a different character to fight a new story.

I posted this first on Ciao as me - XICripZ