Celebrity Deathmatch

I’ll admit it…I loved watching Celebrity Deathmatch.  The claymation carnage tied to those celebrities we have all loved to hate made for an experience that can only be replaced by smacking around your siblings.  When I first heard of Celebrity Deathmatch the videogame, it was like hearing the winning lotto numbers, but then realizing you didn’t buy a ticket.  How would it hold up considering that the show was cancelled a while ago?  Unfortunately, beyond my naïve wishes that this game could spark up a future remake of the series, the overall game just didn’t cut it.

Celebrity Deathmatch stars many celebrities including the *NSYNC boys, Ms. Cleo, Carrot Top, and Anna Nicole Smith.  The original show hosts, Nick Diamond and Johnny Gomez, are back at the desk for commentary.  Some of their before-fight conversation is humorous, but during the match, I found myself wanting to bash my own head in with the cut-phrases.  Ref Mills Lane is back as well, who’s rules set each celebrity straight.

Each celebrity has their own unique moves.  Instead of a quick punch, Carrot Top grabs his would-be assassin and devilishly attempts to bust CALL-ATT jabs.  Unfortunately, the number of unique moves each celebrity has is unimpressive.  Constant button-smashing mixed with limited attack capabilities just doesn’t give any user a reason to choose one celebrity over another.

There are two modes available in game:  Episode and Deathmatch.  Episode gives you a set match-up of 6 celebrities, one in which you must control.  Episode mode, despite the lack of changing your character, really felt as if you were playing Celebrity Deathmatch.  Deathmatch mode allows users to play against the computer or a friend (though who has the time for those?).  Though it gives you the opportunity to pick your map and celeb, its obvious that Nick Diamond and Johnny Gomez are as useless as a broken record.

Create-A-Celebrity allows you to build your own celebrity to play in game.  Though almost all wrestling games have this function, few do it as poorly as Celebrity Deathmatch.  Again, the different set of options is limited and all characters will offer the same moves.  On the positive side, there is nothing more comforting than creating a character similar to you and beating on *NSYNC.

There is a good handful of arenas available on the CD that may offer tricks for your advantage or disadvantage, depending on how many gashes, slashes, and thrashes you have on your body.

Graphically, the XBOX version is naturally more appealing than the rest, but that’s not saying much.  I found the clay-polygon hybrid to be subpar.  The saving factor, which should never be a games saving factor, is the sound.  The voice-overs of the celebrities and that familiar music from the show gave me the strength to continue on.

Generally, Celebrity Deathmatch was a good premise in show and in-game, but in the end its just clay.  Pick it up if you were a fan of the show.  If you are looking for the next step in wrestling entertainment, change the channel.  If you have a new $20 bill and the appreciation for Gotham Games to develop a title based on a controversial TV show, Celebrity Deathmatch is waiting to lay the smack-down on your system.

Gameplay: 5.8
Add some simple moves, a little combo, and repeat…constantly.  The special death move was also a failed attempt in my book.

Graphics: 6.4
Clay + polygons = Celebrity Deathmatch

Sound: 8
It's the one available lifeboat on the sinking Titanic.  If you purchase the CD, you'll know what I mean.

Difficulty: Varies

Concept: 8
Ok…think of your favorite celebrities…or not...make them out of clay…not really…and set them loose on each other!

Multiplayer: 5.7

Celebrity Deathmatch allows you to use the same move over and over again.  This does not make for a fun experience, especially when its you who’s losing.

Overall: 5. 7
When there is a sequel (if that ever happens), I’d like to see more substance and less hopeful wishing on Big Ape Producutions’ part that gamers will buy Celebrity Deathmatch simply because of its MTV brand.