Arcade style boxing hits the
GameCube with Black & Bruised, a cel-shaded slugfest in the vain of Mike Tyson’s
Punch Out and Ready 2 Rumble Boxing. However, while the game boasts some
aesthetically pleasing graphics and plenty of interesting characters, the
gameplay just doesn’t cut the mustard and probably won’t hold any gamer’s
attention for too long. Although very pretty, Black & Bruised won’t appeal to
serious boxing fans looking for anything more than a quick and simple boxing
game.
In Black & Bruised, you
choose one of nineteen boxers (four of which are hidden) and take them through
one of the game’s six modes. The eclectic bunch features such varied characters
as a drill sergeant, a buxom female auto mechanic, and a Mexican wrestler. All
of the characters have very unique personalities and boxing styles that are
nicely portrayed throughout the game.
The five of the six gameplay
modes are pretty straight forward, but the “Boxer’s Life” mode is quite
interesting. “Boxer’s Life” serves as a story mode that is unique for each
character. These stories are panned out in FMV’s explaining the events leading
up to and following each match. These events not only serve for storytelling,
they also affect the conditions of the match. For example, on one occasion,
your boxer gets in a car crash and bruises his ribs. Therefore, you must fight
the next match taking very good care not to get hit in the ribs. The variables
change with each match, sometimes you have to KO an opponent in a certain round
or never let your life bar go below theirs and so on. The “Boxer’s Life” is a
little short, but adds a very interesting element to the game.
The actual boxing itself
leaves a lot to be desired. The game doesn’t feature a stamina bar like Ready 2
Rumble, so you and your opponent can throw all the punches they want and not get
tired, leading to a lot of empty button-mashing. Black & Bruised’s main
gameplay addition is the use of power-ups. As you pummel your opponent, your
star gauge fills up. By filling up your star gauge, you can collect various
power-ups to use against your opponent. The game relies too heavily on the use
of power-ups, taking away almost any sign of strategy in the game.
The game uses cel-shaded
technology, and implements it very well. The characters each have their own
attitudes and styles in the ring, which are represented nicely through the
game’s graphics. As they get the crap knocked out of them, the characters will
bruise, get swollen cheeks, and otherwise show the damages of boxing. The
animations are fairly good, although some of the boxer’s punches look a little
awkward. The environments look great. They feature a blend of 2D pre-drawn
backgrounds and 3D moving elements like spectators, both of which are seamlessly
intermixed.
The sound is a bit of a
mixed bag. The voice effects are well acted and add to each character’s
personality, although they do get old pretty quick. The other sounds are a bit
inaccurate, as the punching sounds more like a file cabinet slamming than actual
punches. The music also leaves much to be desired, consisting of about 5
seconds of audio looped repeatedly.
Its got flair and
personality, but ultimately Black & Bruised leaves the ring, well, black &
bruised. The stagnant gameplay will most certainly turn off serious boxing fans
and everyone else should be satisfied with a weekend rental.
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Gameplay: 6.5
The game lacks
any real sense of strategy and ends up being little more than straight button
mashing. The use of power-ups is an original idea, but the game relies too
heavily on them and ultimately, the experience is soured.
Graphics: 8.9
Aside from the
occasional awkward animation, the game’s graphics are spectacular. Cel-shading
is implemented very nicely. The characters move and act distinctively, each
with their own attitudes and personalities. The environments also look great.
Sound: 6.9
The voice acting
is pretty good, but the rest of the sound effects are seriously lacking. Plus
the music is extremely repetitive.
Difficulty: Medium
Concept: 7.5
The game has a
plethora of fun, creative characters, each with their own style. Also the
“Boxer’s Life” mode is a very nice touch that adds life to them.
Multiplayer: 7.0
The game features
a two-player mode which is pretty much the most you could ask from a boxing
title.
Overall: 6.9
Black & Bruised
is certainly some nice eye candy, but under the surface is a pretty boring,
simplistic boxer. However, it certainly does have its moments, and the
characters are really fun. Casual boxing fans should be satisfied with a
weekend rental.
