Jealousy . . . that’s what I felt when the PS2 released Def Jam Vendetta, EA’s hip-hop-fused-wrestling game that breathed fresh new air in the fighting game genre.  Not surprisingly enough a sequel was announced but the biggest, and best, surprise of all was that this sequel was also heading for the Xbox.  Def Jam Fight for NY once again brings us a slew of real-life recording artists that range from Sean Paul to Ice-T and its hardcore all-out battle to be the best brawler the underground fighting circuit has seen in quite awhile.  How well does it translate on our favorite black box?  Let’s just say that grabbing Busta Rhymes in a headlock and tossing him into an angry mob feels so right. 

The main mode of playing the game is Story mode and it’s quite a story.  Quickly picking up right after the events that lead up to Vendetta’s finale, hated kingpin D-Mobb is taken away in cuffs by New York’s finest.  Yet just a few blocks away, an SUV slams into the squad car and a shaken D-Mobb is taken to safety by none other than you.  The story really begins after the same arresting officers describe your character’s appearance to a sketch artist, which introduces the game’s unique create-a-character design.  Vouching for you, D-Mobb has his main flunkies (real-life hip-hop artists Redman and Method Man) set you up in a pad and introduces you to New York’s underground fighting clubs.  Your mission: fight on D-Mobb’s behalf to once again gain control of New York’s underground.  You’ll be up against a wide variety of characters, many of them recording artists (like Snoop Dogg) and actors (Higher Learning’s Omar Epps and Once Upon A Time in Mexico’s Danny Trejo) playing characters with different names.

So you can see that the game is filled to the brim with originality and while Vendetta’s story wasn’t bad at all, the story found in Fight for NY just adds more soul and depth.  In short, the story is awesome and won’t fail to hook and reel you in for sure.  Story Mode is also a lengthy experience that takes your created character through vicious fights outside the normal wrestling ring setting found in Vendetta.  You’ll not only choose how your character looks like (the character creation options aren’t as plentiful as Fight Night 2004 or even Tiger Woods PGA 2005 but there’s enough here to make a character that resembles you) but also your character’s fighting style.  That’s right, you’re no longer just a mere wrestler fighting in a regulation ring.  Your character can either specialize in martial arts, kickboxing, wrestling, submission and even street fighting.  And the best part is that you’ll be breaking some skulls in Fight Club-like settings (bars, the local foundry, etc.).

Story Mode also introduces a map that allows you to go from matches to clothing stores that offer a wide variety of fashionable attire to impress the blood-thirsty crowds and, of course, the many lovely ladies you’ll be dating (Carmen Electra, Lil’ Kim and Kimora Lee Simmons being the more notable).  The Jacob & Co. and SUS stores are filled with shoes, shirts, jackets, pants and flashy accessories (have to have the bling, you know) from actual brands like Reebok and FILA.  There’s even a gym run by recording artist Henry Rollins you can visit to learn new fighting styles or upgrade your skills by using up the points you earned by defeating opponents.  That’s right you’ll not only earn cash by defeating opponents but you’ll also earn yourself some points to use to upgrade your fighter’s skills.

The actual fighting itself is a work of art.  Whereas Vendetta played like a more arcade-styled version of the PS2’s WWE SmackDown! wrestling games, Fight for NY tosses you in a circle of fight fans and let you brawl in the style you choose just as long as it’s hardcore and that the blood really flies.  New to the series is the environmental attack, meaning you can toss an opponent into the mob and watch as they either hold him so you can give him a quick beating, watch them break a bottle over your opponent’s head or hand you a weapon to smash into your opponent.  Often times you’re on the receiving end of a crowd’s fury but more often you’ll find yourself being pushed back into fighting circle. 

Thankfully the Blaze moves are back.  With the wiggle of right analog stick you go into a madman-like fury known as Blaze.  Once it’s activated, all you have to do is grab your opponent and hit the analog stick again to unleash a powerful set of combo moves that can KO a brawler instantly if his or her health was low.  Control-wise, Fight for NY feels right on the Xbox.  Many of the elaborate moves are actually easy to pull off once you get the hang of it so the more you fight the more you discover how to perform specific moves like piledrivers or even spinning head kicks.  Just about the only problem I’ve encountered is that occasionally you’ll somehow come into possession of a weapon someone in the crowd hands you when you least want it the most.

Fight for NY is also a pretty challenging game.  Early on you’ll go up against some pretty tough hombres like actor Danny Trejo and quickly after that comes Ice-T (who blocks a lot and somehow knows some amazing kung-fu moves).  Yet this is what makes Story Mode such a gem, its challenging fighters and great story.  There are some unlockable extras by beating the game’s main mode such as unlocking new fighters for Battle Mode (which simply allows you to play a one-on-one, tag team or deathmatch-styled battle).  Great stuff, alright.

And for those who thought that the original was one amazing-looking game, Def Jam Fight for NY is a far more exquisite visual treat.  Once again the characters are rendered and detailed so meticulously that the characters look amazingly like their actual counterparts.  Much like EA’s James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, the characters’ facial expressions just mimic those of the real celebrities they were modeled after and that makes knocking them around unusually satisfying.  The backgrounds also receive the same visual treatment and watching spectators get involved is a nice visual treat.  And man does Carmen Electra look good.  I mean, even in video game form she’s able to get a “Oh mama” reaction from me.  Then again I lead a very sad life . . . very sad.

Not only do the game’s many characters look like the real artists, actors and models, but they also sound exactly like them.  How exact are we talking about?  Well each character is voiced by their actual counterpart and each one of them turns out great performances.   With the exception of the game’s main key characters like D-Mobb, Redman and Method Man, you’ll hear mainly just hear trash talk from your favorite artists.  There’s also quite a collection of tunes in this game so not only will you hear tracks from the very same hip hop stars you’ll beat to a pulp but songs from L L Cool J and Big Daddy Kane to name a few.  I love the sound of the fighters slamming fists into each another but I wish there were more sounds coming from the crowd of spectators.  Two or three people cheering when there’s a crowd of fifteen sounds unreal.

Def Jam Fight for NY is more than just an excellent sequel to a brilliant fighting game--it’s an extremely addictive fighting game with its own sense of style.  Okay, so it might have a few little blemishes but its great controls, beautiful graphics and worthwhile story make this a fighting game that comes so close to perfection that it automatically makes this a Must Have for all Xbox gamers and fight fans everywhere.  Even if hip-hop isn’t your thing, this is a game worthy of a purchase. 

Gameplay: 8.7
For a game that began as an exclusive PS2 title, Def Jam Fight for NY seems to feel right at home as a Xbox game.  The controls are a dream and handle like one from the very start so it won’t take you long to discover your fighter’s various moves.  The game also allows you to upgrade skills and learn new styles so your matches will feel different the more you progress in Story Mode.  If only the camera didn’t block your view as it does sometimes.

Graphics: 9.0
The original PS2 game was a stunner but its sequel, especially on the Xbox, is just far too gorgeous.  Not only are the cut scenes just over-the-top but also so is the in-game action that makes every blow so painful to look at.  All the celebrities in the game look like the real thing in every possible way.  Extra kudos for rendering Carmen Electra, Kimora Lee Simmons and Lil’ Kim so, um, nicely.  Yeah, that’s the word . . . nicely.  There’s some clipping problems but it’s not as bad as it could have been.

Sound: 9.0
The massive song list is filled with hip-hop’s finest and the tunes aren’t bad at all actually.  You’ll be putting the hurt on Snoop Dogg while listening to, well, Snoop Dogg and it just doesn’t get any better than that.  As far as the voice acting is concerned, it’s great performances all around (just don’t be surprised by how much profanity you’ll hear).  The ambiance sound, however, could have used more detail.

Difficulty: Medium
You’ll quickly find some fighters that can pummel you pretty damn quickly if you don’t upgrade your brawler’s fighting skills or learn new fighting styles.  There are some fighters out there that take a real beating.  Man, who would have known that Fat Joe and Flava Flav could take a real pounding like that?

Concept: 9.0
There’s plenty to go back to after beating the game’s Story Mode thanks to the dozens of unlockable extras and a wide variety of characters to test out in the game’s Battle mode.  And we’re talking about a very unusual assortment of characters here.  Oh, and thank you EA.  Where else can I live out the fantasy of using Ludacris as a battering ram and trade my sweetheart Lil’ Kim for my new main squeeze Carmen Electra?

Multiplayer: 8.0
A huge part of me is aching to take my created fighter online to talk smack and lay down the smack but alas there’s no Xbox Live support.  Still, up to four players can thrash each another around in a tag-team or an all-out battle and that’s not bad at all considering the long laundry list of fighters with their own unique set of moves.

Overall: 9.0
For those fans of the fisticuffs and adorers of skull-cracking grappling, Def Jam Fight for NY is an extremely addictive and highly original game fighting fans will love.  While there are a couple of little flaws here and there, it doesn’t distract from a fun hip-hop-fused fighter that’s well worth your hard-earned cash.  Buy this one if you like your fighting games with plenty of style and attitude.