Publisher: Microsoft
Ages: Mature only.
Parental
Advisory:
Bloody violence
As fight games go, Microsoft's Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus offers great graphics and decent hand-to-hand combat, but it's not quite a contender for the fight crown. This title is an exclusive that's available on the Xbox only.
The game presents something of a plot to justify the action. It seems that two ancient Chinese clans of superfighters are seeking to uncover the secrets of immortality found in a series of artifacts. As a result, the clans battle for dominance. The game features furious hand-to-hand combat with realistic movements and impressive special effects, as well as interactive arenas with breakable objects.
Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus offers some innovations. In addition to the usual bloody mess, clothing can tear; characters develop bruises and broken bones that affect their ability to fight and fighters can heal themselves. The action is brutal and the characters get beaten up. Instead of competing in rounds, the game offers three life bars. Fighting continues until a fighter loses his or her three bars.
The game features 12 fighters with different personalities, fighting styles, combos and special attacks. Unlike lots of other fight games, the fighters here rely more on hits and combos than on projectiles. However, the game seems to have made the combo attacks too powerful, which lets players emphasize these too much.
The interactive arenas are impressive. Players can punch holes in walls and throw opponents through glass, or perform acrobatic attacks by swinging around poles and flipping off walls. The arenas vary from remote caves to seaside resorts.
The graphics are excellent with first rate characters and environments. Also, gamers can rip their own music to create a personalized soundtrack for the game. Of course, the game is a violent one that's dressed in blood. It's simply not appropriate for kids.
While crowning the best fight game for the Xbox is like choosing between the best of two violent evils, Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus delivers decent fighting action, but there are better games for the Xbox, in particular, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance.
4/3/03 www.daytrum.com Editorial Staff
