The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.
Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.
For our latest entry, we indulge get in a punch up with Core Design’s street brawler, Fighting Force.
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Developer: Core Design
Region(s) available: North America
Players: 1-2
Ever wondered what classic brawler Streets of Rage would look like if it made the transition to 3D? Well, you might want to take a gander at Fighting Force. Originally conceived as Streets of Rage 4, the game was supposed to be released exclusively for Sega’s beleaguered Saturn console back in the mid-90s. However, Sega and Core ultimately didn’t see eye-to-eye on the subject of multi-format development, so the Streets of Rage moniker was ditched, Core renamed the title Fighting Force, and released it on PlayStation, PC and N64. Saturn didn’t even get a look in. Despite the name change, however, the whiff of Sega’s acclaimed 2D Genesis beat ’em up remains ever lingering throughout, with Fighting Force adopting much of the series’ trademark components.
The basis gist is simple: pick one of a handful of characters, plough through a varied bunch of city-based environments and duff up legions of evil-doers in the process. The Big Bad in this case is an unscrupulous chap named Dr. Zeng, a criminal mastermind who boasts an entire army to his name. The game’s cast includes a typically diverse, rowdy bunch, including your token pretty boy, a huge hulk of a bloke with arms the size of tree trunks, plus the obligatory feisty female. Each brawler has his or her own unique repertoire as far as moves go, with varying punches, kicks and throws available to suit your playing style. As with Streets of Rage, all characters are able to unleash a special attack that eats up a smidgen of their health bar.
In addition to being handy with their fists and feet, our blocky-looking brawlers can also snag various weapons to smack foes about the head with, including ubiquitous knives, bottles, chairs and other assorted bits and bobs. Basically, anything not nailed to the floor you can lob at or batter your foes with. However, unlike SoR, fire arms also come into play too, packing in everything from pistols to rocket launchers. In terms locations, Fighting Force has you cruising to deliver a bruising through areas such as shopping malls, subways, shady street corners, and finally, Zeng’s sprawling Island HQ. You’ll also have the option of plumping for alternate pathways through some of the levels, affording a healthy chunk of replay value later on. The areas are also pretty expansive, so you’ll indulge in a fair amount of good old fashioned foot work.
Expectedly, you can also bring along a mate to help you out in the game’s two-player mode, evoking a fine scent of nostalgia and gratification as you strategically batter opponents from all sides and bundle bosses in the corner. The poor sods don’t stand a chance, not least because of the decidedly walk-in-the-park difficultly setting. While a bit rough around the edges, Fighting Force recalls fond memories of a time where all we wanted to do after school was bring a mate over, gobble up some junk food and waste the hours away in front of our pint-sized telly for a spot of two-player action.
Join us again Monday for another week’s worth of poking around Inside PlayStation Network.