‘Girl Fight’ Review (PSN)
Produced by industry veterans Microprose, alongside developers Kung Fu Factory (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run, Spartacus Legends) and published by Majesco Entertainment, Girl Fight is the latest 3D one-on-one fighter to hit current gen consoles – this time via PSN and XBLA – and brings with it an array of sexy, semi-clothed, fighters to gamers’ consoles. Female gamers, prepare to object at the objectification!
Reminiscent of a number of previous-gen titles, Girl Fight is one part The Matrix, one part Rumble Roses and one part All-Star Fighters (remember that old PS2 game?). The “plot” of the game goes something like this:
Players will help the stunning and lethal women battle their way out of The Foundation, a shadowy science organization looking to weaponize the psionic fighting abilities – Psi Powers – of the all-female cast. With no moral or ethical compass and unlimited funding, The Foundation collects its test subjects from all around the world, often abducting and plugging women into their virtual construct known as The Mainframe. To return to reality, the women must utilize their fighting and psionic abilities in an all-out battle for survival.
The premise is at least somewhat interesting. Girl Fight takes players across a virtual globe in many different arenas, filled in by augmented reality constructs. From war-ravaged San Francisco to the rubble of demolished Foundry buildings, the line between reality and fiction become blurred in virtual battle zones, which makes a change from the globe-trotting aspects of the fights usually found in one-on-one beat ’em-ups.
As with most games of this ilk, players can select from a wide range of distinct fighters (well once you’ve unlocked them that is), each with her own fighting style and select their own experience by customizing their fighter’s appearance and abilities. And like many a current-gen title there are plenty of unlockables, including new character skins, more varied abilities and background story entries – although whose playing a game like Girl Fight for the story? If you chose to buy and download this game you only want to see bouncing breasts, the odd flash of knickers and a bunch of characters wearing as little as possible. It’s fan-service-tastic!
If the skimpy clothes et al. weren’t enough to offend all the female gamers out there (and maybe the more “sensitive” male gamers?) having played through the Arcade mode in less than 20 minutes my reward, besides my character escaping The Foundation, was a animated screenshot of my character, Warchild, wearing even less those than in the game! Her modesty only covered by the positioning of her arms as she held a massive machine gun… I had flashback to the “guns and girls” films of Andy Sidaris when that popped up on my TV screen (not that I’m actually complaining mind you). At least the game looks good, which balances out the lack of moves available at your disposal (not really).
Obviously as a red-blooded male gamer I didn’t have an issue playing as an almost-nude fighter, in fact I may have even enjoyed it a little. But what I did object to was the ridiculous difficulty level. There isn’t one! I played through the game with ease, and very fast – even faster with the second unlocked character Chaos – with only ONE fight out of the entire game giving me the slightest issue, the penultimate battle against the final “boss”. But then when the point of the game is to play through over and over, unlocking characters, trophies, stories and the like, making it too difficult could put off a lot of casual gamers.
For that’s what Girl Fight is. A one-on-one brawler for the casual gamer. Hardcore fight-game fans aren’t going to find a challenge here, you’d probably be better off with the likes of Street Fighter IV or Blazblue. Although for those that want their brawler with blood, partial nudity, sexual themes and plenty of violence, this might just fit the bill!
A great example of Western fan service gaming (but not necessarily a great fighting game), Girl Fight is available now on PSN and XBLA.
