Def Jam Icon

Review:  Def Jam Icon

Summary of the game:

The game Def Jam has always revolved around surreal situations, in which brawling in the underground arenas by unleashing a barrage of death defying "blazing" moves incapacitated opponents along the way in your created characters rise to fame. However the game Def Jam Icon puts a whole new spin on the games original franchise. In this version of Def Jam, the player is now using more than just brawn to fight his way to the top. This entitles that instead of taking over New York with your fists; you're capturing the airwaves with your personal record label with the assistance of Mr. Carver a producer that introduces you to the game of stardom and becoming a celebrity socialite. This game has some of the same functions that the old ones have, in which there are still player vs. player battles to test who is the king of underground fighting. There is also the unique character customization perk in which your character may sport attire from various big names in the fashion industry such as Jordan, Phat Farm, Rocawear and etcetera.

Storyline:

This game takes place 1 year in the future when Mr. Carver is shot dead on the block where he was last seen talking to your created character. The events are noted as being unclear due to the lack of followup scenes. Thus the game rewinds 1 year back in time with your created character getting into an altercation with a man by the name of “Big Herc”. This transpires because his female is caught creeping with one of Mr. Carver (legendary producer in the game) associates. Between the couples heated discussion about her priorities, Big Herc bumps into your character causing his beverage to spill on his clothes. With no apology from Big Herc for his mistake but rather an assault on your boy, the player is forced to take action against him. When the dust clears and your character is all that remains standing, the player is invited to meet Mr. Carver. With the offer on the table of joining Mr. Carver’s label the story of the rise to fame begins, and all that happens along the way leading up to Mr. Carver’s death is left entirely up to your decisions throughout the game.

Gameplay:

The gameplay is unlike the previous installments to Def Jam. In this version the player must fight not according to his strength but to the rhythm of music playing during the fight scene. This takes away from the traditional feel of what Def Jam is known for because it requires that you know how to play your desired track to the fight in order to gain the upper hand to complete the battle. The obstacles throughout each arena is unique in its own right, in which obstacles may either fall, explode, or even break apart according to the section in the songs beat. This can prove to be stressful but when the controls are mastered your character is virtually unstoppable. The player can still counter the attacks dished out to him or even taunt the opponent but the overall gameplay takes some getting used to.

Version: Xbox 360

Feature: Multiplayer

Genre: Fighting