Final Fight is a franchise which has languished for many years. Capcom seem keen on re-releasing the original across a multitude of formats – including being offered within Street Fighter 6 – and many of the original characters regularly appear in numerous other Capcom titles. However, the sequels are rarely given any love. Final Fight: Streetwise was an attempt to modernise the series, but a poor reception left it too in the dust.
The game had a grittier feel than the Saturday morning cartoon-esque original. A rather Fight Club-esque cut scene precedes your first bout, in which the graphics are nothing less than stunning for the PlayStation 2. The idea of the game is rather simple: beat your way through a level until everyone cowers at the sight of your trembling fists. Brutality is a base; not an option. The two attack buttons, Cross and Square, feature instinctive combos that can be varied with combinations of the two. An inventive Instinct Mode (which is limited by a meter below your health bar) is accessed by pressing L2. This creates a slow-down effect highlighted by a blue glow around your character.
Street Fights are Final
Of the missions available, none felt like Final Fight more than a street-brawling escapade against hordes of zombie-type beasts titled ‘Warehouse Ambush’. A gun can be purchased from a bystander, as well as all manner of close-combat weapons obtainable from grounded enemies and general scenery, as you battle through the seemingly never-ending swarm and tried to help to trapped civilians. It’s a thrilling escapade into nonsensical violence. The kind that the original Final Fight always aspired to through limited technical capability. Unfortunately, this level also succumbed to a much discussed issue in the modern industry. Too many enemies on screen resulted in the dreaded slow-down.
Final Fight: Streetwise was hammered by critics upon release. And while Final Fight: Streetwise is often dictated to by the common flaws of a sloppy development, it’s by no means a though-through bad game. The genre may have moved on thanks to the likes of Devil May Cry, but there’s always room for nostalgia. Final Fight: Streetwise is one of few true follow-ups to the original 2D side-scrolling beat-‘em-ups of yesteryear. It works hard to rectify the mistakes evident in titles such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Underworld by staying true to the genre’s original basic formula. It may not have reinvented the wheel, but Final Fight: Streetwise deserved better.
You must be logged in to post a comment.