We take a look at Kung Fu Factory’s digital only release in our Girl Fight video review which determines whether the all girl fighting game is worth your £6.75.
http://youtu.be/MyVeBMop1O8
Girl Fight Video Review text version:
Today we’re taking a look at Kung Fu Factory’s long in development all girl fighting game, Girl Fight which was originally planned for a release early last year. The extra development time has no doubt meant some improvements along the way, but how well does the game stack up.
To begin, players are presented with four modes of play which include the obligatory arcade mode, a versus, online and practice modes which covers the basics of a fighting game. There are no extra modes such as team battle or survival, so it’s a little lacking in this area for solo players. The arcade mode tells part of a story, although is entirely vague and will make little sense until some of the extras are unlocked. It seems like an odd way to present the characters because what you’re left with are simply a number of varied ladies with little back story and little to no motivation to pick one over the other. What the game offers is a journey through the 8 rounds of the arcade mode to unlock more of the characters, and then the option to spend the gained credits of which you’re awarded for most fighting actions, on the extras.
The fighting itself is fairly swift and offers some simple attacking moves with singular kick and punch buttons, a grab and block button, as well as two extra buttons to unleash special moves. The special moves can range from more attack power, better defence or moves which suck power from the opponent. More can be purchased with credits and upgraded versions are available. It’s an easy to pick up and play set up with each character offering their own fighting style, and a number of input moves which can be viewed in the command list. Whilst fairly basic compared to other fighting games, there’s a bit of diversity here and an entertaining fight engine. Although it’s not all plain sailing as there are issues with the frames and moves being cancelled or countered in odd moments. Players can adopt counter attacks, but the move window is pretty narrow making for a less intuitive system to be used freely in combat.
In terms of looks, the characters are well presented with a comic book style and fresh designs that seem to cover all bases, whether that be the military chick to blindfolded ninja warrior. The fight arenas are a little uninspiring and few in numbers, but do their job of enclosing fighters into a small arena. There’s no interactions and little in the way of background animations to detract from the ladies. There are some odd animations from the fighters on occasion such as when rebounding off the forcefield walls, but these can largely be forgiven due to the speedy pace of the game. That said, there are some drawn out loading sequences which interrupt the flow from time to time which is a shame for a digital release.
The audio is a bit lacking, with a large focus on the music, and little in the way of characterization of the fighters. In fact, throughout the entire game the only voice heard is the computerized voice of the ladies captor who offer snippets of info about the fighters and little else. The music is pretty good and well fitting, offering a variety of electronic sounds that work well with the futuristic visual aspects on offer. It’s a shame the main characters weren’t given voices as their mute grunts and groans strip them of any personality.
In terms of play time, Girl Fight will take quite a number of hours to earn enough credits to unlock everything the game has to offer, and then there’s the option of playing versus or jumping online and hoping someone else is playing at the same time. Credits seems to be the main motivation behind the game, and earning them can be done by completing challenges in fights – there’s a list which can be viewed to show their point values and any that players have already completed. It adds another layer to the game, but it’s a shame it wasn’t placed as a more prominent feature and is buried within a menu.
Girl Fight is obviously a game on budget which sets out what it wants to do with little opposition. Whilst there are a few niggles and a lack of modes, as a basic fighter, the game delivers a fun ride that’s perhaps lacking in direction and personality. That said, the asking price is pretty cheap and taken into consideration especially if you’re looking for a new fighting game distraction. If you’re not bothered, or taken in by the skimpy outfits of the fighters, then perhaps this isn’t for you but for under £7 you can’t complain!
Score 6.5/10 – Review by Robert Cram
