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[Grand Theft Scratchy]

I used to play Def Jam: Fight for NY on the PlayStation 2 and, to me, it was honestly one of the most fun EA games I can remember playing. I would later play Def Jam ICON on the PS3 and while I thought the environmental gimmick was kind of cool, mostly when it came to the visuals, the actual fighting felt sluggish and simplified. But in Fight for NY you could mix together different fighting styles - street fighting, kickboxing, wrestling, submissions, and martial arts. You could also use the environment to damage your opponent, throw a guy on top of a vehicle's windshield or bash their head in with the car door, or repeatedly hit them against the window until it breaks and they fall several stories to their death. I've never played the full Def Jam Vendetta but I really enjoyed the story mode in Def Jam Fight for NY. It's also pretty amazing how it had nearly 70 characters to fight with which really added to the replay value for me being able to create so many different custom matches.

I know you could use the environment to damage your opponent in Sleeping Dogs although they're really just environmental kills and you could somewhat change fighting styles with different costumes. I love that game too. One of the very few games where I completed it to 100% with all of the DLC... but I'm drawing a blank when it comes to actual fighting games where you can mix together different fighting styles and use the environment.

Also, I'm really curious to see how many other people enjoyed Def Jam: Fight for NY (including the PSP port, The Takeover)?

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

It doesn't have the environmental aspect, but the Ultimate Fighting Championship game for Dreamcast (made by Tekken vets) has a really cool blend of striking, grabs, and submissions. Some matches are over in seconds if you're not prepared against a ground-grappler, for instance.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

It doesn't have the environmental aspect, but the Ultimate Fighting Championship game for Dreamcast (made by Tekken vets) has a really cool blend of striking, grabs, and submissions. Some matches are over in seconds if you're not prepared against a ground-grappler, for instance.

I'm guessing this was one of the better UFC games? I tried a demo for one of the newer games on the PS3 and couldn't get into it for some reason.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

Yeah, I can't really vouch for any of the others. The Dreamcast one has an unmistakeable "arcade" feel to it and a high level of polish (for the time). Solid fighting game even if you're not familiar or interested in UFC.

 

[PlayerPurple]

Urban Reign for PS2 might interest you.

• Made by Namco (Tekken guys). Even uses many iconic moves/animations from Tekken.
• Whole thing feels like an expanded version of Tekken Force Mode from Tekken 3 & 4 or Devil Within from Tekken 5.
• Plenty of fighting styles and environment interaction/items.

 

[Hawking Radiation]

With the amount of horsepower we have not on consoles, I can't imagine a fighting game with highly destructible environments where you're able to use absolutely every part of the environment as your weapon.

That would be so much fun smashing guys through doors, windows and using old rusty shopping carts as weapons for example.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

I wish we'd get a remaster. This game was so fun to play. Fuck EA and Copyright shit.

 

[Belmonte]

I don't know how styles work in Def Jam but in God Hand you can customize your combo with a lot of moves.

Each move has different speed, range, start up, recovery and power. Some of them have special properties also like dodging high attacks while doing it. The graphics are modest and the camera, along with the controls are very different from any game I ever played but give it a proper try.

It is brilliant and one of the best games Shinji Mikami made and the dude made a lot of great games.





Also, I second Urban Reign. Finished it months ago for the first time. It has a very cool defense mechanic which you need to pay attention which part of your body the enemy is targeting.

 

[eyesabitdull]

Man, Fight for NY was so much fun!

I loved that game, and the story mode itself was great to play through in terms of role playing as this guy that fights through the ranks of hip hop.

That Redman Ulti is still one of my favourites.

Too bad Icon stripped that game of any real fun it had for that musical vibration thing they had as a gimmick.

Fails in comparison to just a straight up beat em up fighting game.

 

[brap]

With the amount of horsepower we have not on consoles, I can't imagine a fighting game with highly destructible environments where you're able to use absolutely every part of the environment as your weapon.

That would be so much fun smashing guys through doors, windows and using old rusty shopping carts as weapons for example.

That would require creativity though. Maybe there will be a battle royale game like that.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

Both Urban Reign and God Hand look interesting. At the same time I'm usually intimidated by games with higher difficulties, but I know there was a lot of praise for God Hand as a must-play PS2 game.

 

[Belmonte]

Both Urban Reign and God Hand look interesting. At the same time I'm usually intimidated by games with higher difficulties, but I know there was a lot of praise for God Hand as a must-play PS2 game.

I won't lie, it is not an easy game. But it is a fair one when you get used to the gameplay. Top of the line melee combat very easily.

Total Biscuit said in a video discussing God Hand that even thought he wasn't the greatest brawler fan or very good with them, he could not stop playing until he finished the game. It was too fun to not play it.

 

[Ian Henry]

Def Jam need a return for real

 

[FromDuskTillGameOver]

This game was so much fun, still cant handle how they f*cked it up with ICON


Really hope this IP comes back, but its probably too much of a licensing hassle.
RIP, right next to KungFuChaos and PowerStone

 

[Apocryphon]

Fight for NY was great! I would definitely take a new game in the same vein, or remake from the right team.

 

[STARSBarry]

If I remember these guys went on to make Kurohyō: Ryū ga Gotoku Shinshō and its sequel Kurohyō 2: Ryū ga Gotoku Ashura hen for the PSP. Being Yakuza spin offs there more story focused and you can't switch styles mid combat, only in the options menu during exploration... closest titles combat wise for obvious reasons though as there made by the same people.