The return of wrestling’s best game developer. The emergence of a wrestling game without the burden of WWE. EA’s decision to take a little risk. The convergence of all this is Def Jam Vendetta, a game that is at once the best wrestling game in years, an awesome showcase for some damn good hip-hop, and an example of what can happen when a game company takes a chance. Vendetta casts you as a street fighter in the inner city, where brawlers clash for cash, groupies, and bragging rights. D-Mob, the fictional leader of the underground, has assembled some of Def Jam Records’ most popular artists to rule the ring on his behalf, and you have to beat them down to reach the top. Along the way, you’ll get involved in some tag-team drama and girlfriend trauma, unlocking playable characters, outfits, and galleries as you go. DJV speaks to a problem in the wrestling genre—the whole thing has gotten stale, and it’s time for some new blood. EA snagged AKI, developer of the awesome N64 WCW/WWF titles, to make Def Jam a contender. The result is a wrestling game that’s fun, exciting, and imminently playable—one that makes the most recent WWE games look like patty cake in comparison. Style is a huge part of why Vendetta succeeds. The characters, arenas, moves, and taunts all invoke an urban feel that screams Def Jam while proving that you don’t need Y2J and The Rock to make a compelling brawler. Tracks from Def Jam’s stable of artists pound all over the game, and though they repeat a bit too much, it’s nice to have great music playing during a beat-down. DJV’s other high point is the way it plays. Strikes, grapples, and reversals seem perfectly balanced and easy to do, and every match is exciting and gripping. What’s more, the matches seem to make sense—quick series of moves will wear a guy down, but give him a chance to rest and he’s back, almost as good as new. The game’s A.I. is cheap, to say the least (there’s one throw that’s reversed 100 percent of the time by computer-controlled opponents), but multiplayer is a blast. Finally, a wrestling game that doesn’t require a WWE Fan Club membership to enjoy. If you like hip-hop, brawling, or just good games, go get Vendetta now.
