Rocky
Score: 80% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Ubisoft Entertainment Developer: Rage Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 Genre: Sports
Graphics & Sound: In an effort to re-create the nostalgia that is Rocky, Ubi Soft has done a fairly remarkable job of computerizing real-life figures like Sylvester Stallone and Mr. T. Player models have a very real feeling to them, straight out of the movies and onto your console. To show the detail and time taken to create this experience, you will even notice that Rocky's mediocre body becomes absolutely ripped as you progress through the game, just like in the cinema. Everything in the game displays a visual experience like few before it, including the ring arenas and the real-time body damage that occurs on the fighters. I don't know about you, but every time I hear the 'Rocky theme song,' I get shivers down my spine and feel like working out in a meat locker. There is no shortage of hearing this music in the game. In fact, by the time you work your way through the ranks, you may actually get sick of the music because it gets played during every entrance, as well as every time you win. It would have been really nice to have a variety of music, like in the films, including Eye of the Tiger from Rocky III. That aside, the rest of the game's audio just isn't all that impressive. The voice acting is fair, but the in-game sound fx are horrible, adding no extra excitement to the ring.
Gameplay: If Rocky Balboa were a real fighter, he would actually get his ass whooped by almost anybody when he laced up the gloves and stepped into the squared circle. The reason, you may ask? Because Rocky is simply a brawler, and doesn't really have the technical skills to truly become champ. Whether this is good or bad, it has clearly been implemented into the video game. Rocky is a total arcade experience with button-mashing galore. You will have to eventually learn some strategic movement in the ring, but for the most part, you will definitely notice that the game replicates the movie in uncanny ways. You can be getting pummeled in one moment, but with one perfectly placed uppercut to the body, you'll have your opponent backing into the corner ready for some combos (just like in the films). And although Rocky the video game does a pretty good job at following the storyline of the movies, it does stray a bit. Just don't expect to fully re-live the saga as you saw it unfold 25 years before. Included in the game are all of the fighters from the films, including the lesser-known 'bums' that we never got to see. Kudos goes out to the development team for striving to accomplish this feat. And when you make it to each of the championship fights (from each of the movies), you'll be treated to fighting the likes of Apollo Creed (twice), Clubber Lang, Ivan Drago, and finally Rocky's own prodigy, Tommy Gunn. Unfortunately, what Rocky lacks is consistency between the difficulties of each fighter you face.
Difficulty: In any normal game where you have to climb the ladder of success, you'll find that the difficulty increases as you go. Well, for the most part, Rocky does just that. But you will often come across a 'bum' that beats the living tar out of you, while defeating opponents like the hard-hitting Ivan Drago may not be as tough as it should be. There are three difficulty levels to choose from, so the game's replay value does increase in that way, but it's just too inconsistent to get the true feeling of climbing the ranks. In fact, much of the game's difficulty actually relies on your performance out of the ring. The training sessions help you build your strength in five areas. Do well in each area, and you'll have few problems. But if you struggle at any or all of these training sessions, Rocky's career will be short-lived, as you just won't have what it takes in the later rounds of the game to keep up with the competition.
Game Mechanics: Rocky is a button-masher, folks, and with any button-masher, you get a total arcade feel. You will have to learn to read your opponent in order to fully grasp the concept of boxing, but for the most part, timed attacks and combos are exactly what you need. The training stations may, in fact, force you to use a bit more skill than the actual boxing, but that's what makes it fun. In the movies, Rocky was a brawler, and in his self-titled game, Rocky is no different. This is a game that every fan should rent. But definitely rent before you buy, because the game's nostalgic value may soon rub off, and may not appeal to everyone.
-Woody, GameVortex Communications AKA Shane Wodele
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