Def Jam Vendetta

Def Jam Vendetta
Developer(s) AKI Corporation
EA Canada
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Series Def Jam
Platform(s) PlayStation 2, GameCube
Release date(s)

PlayStation 2

  • NA March 31, 2003
  • PAL May 23, 2003
  • JP August 21, 2003

GameCube

  • NA March 31, 2003
  • PAL May 23, 2003
Genre(s) Sports, Fighting
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Def Jam Vendetta is a 2003 professional wrestling video game that combined hip hop with pro wrestling. It was released for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. It was Electronic Arts' first attempt at a wrestling game since the widely panned WCW Backstage Assault. The game's engine was originally designed for use in a sequel to EA's WCW Mayhem, but EA lost the WCW license when the wrestling company was purchased by the World Wrestling Federation in 2001. Several hip hop artists were featured in the game, including DMX, Method Man, Redman, Ludacris, N.O.R.E., Capone, Scarface, Joe Budden, Ghostface Killah, Keith Murray, WC and Funkmaster Flex; all of which at the time were artists of Def Jam Records. Singer Christina Milian was also featured in the game as the character known as Angel. A sequel, Def Jam: Fight for NY, was released in 2004.

Gameplay

The game features a largely unmodified AKI engine, used in the company's Virtual Pro Wrestling games and its spinoffs with some minor "button mashing" elements added and more of an arcade than a simulation. The game plays very similarly to WWF No Mercy, and features a lengthy story mode that allows you to level up and enhance one of four player characters in your quest to become the most well known star in the urban fighting league and fight the undefeated underground boss, D-Mob (voiced by actor Christopher Judge).

Players can win in one of three ways; pin, submission or KO. Pins are done by pinning the opponent for 3 seconds before he can kick out. The player can trap opponents in holds that gradually weaken one of their body parts (head, body, legs and arms). This hold can be broken by touching the ropes. If one of those gauges reaches empty, the bones get broken and that player submits and automatically loses. Players can attack their opponent to build up a power gauge, letting them activate 'Blazin' mode. If the player successfully grabs an opponent in this state, he can perform a special move. If the opponent's health is low enough, they will be KO'd.

Plot

The player has a choice between 4 street fighters: Briggs, a dishonorably discharged soldier; Proof, an ex-superbike racer; Tank, a massive Japanese fighter and the Disc Jockey Spider, although the story is the same for each of them.

When the player chose their character they are called to help out your friend Manny by taking his place as a street fighter. Once they've won some fights, they'll go against Scarface. Once they beat him they'll get their first girlfriend, Deja. Other girls will come up to their character every few fights and they have to choose which one you prefer as your girlfriend and they'll fight each other.

Eventually, N.O.R.E. will challenge them to a fight at Grimeyville. Before the fight, they arrive with a new set of clothes and almost get in a fight with D-Mob (Chris Judge). Not long after the fight, Manny signs them and him up for a tag team tournament. After a while, the player will be challenged by Ludacris to a fight in Club Luda. When you get to Club Luda, the character's girlfriend leaves with a girl named Carla to find someone better. After the fight, D-Mob claims that the character and Manny are nothing. He says that if anyone in the club wants the power and respect, they have to beat him at the Def Jam tournament. Manny tells the character to stop fighting, but he ignores him.

DMX challenges you but first the character has to overcome what the Dragon House has to offer. Once they have done that, they take on Method Man and Redman in the finale of the tag team tournament. After that, they fight DMX with the protective gear sent to them by Angel (Christina Milian, your girlfriend who was taken by D-Mob). Once they have defeated DMX, they receive an e-mail from Angel saying that they need to talk. When they arrive at The Face Club, it is revealed that D-Mob has sent House, Pockets and Snowman to stop them from coming to the Def Jam tournament. The character defeats them, but just as they are sighing in relief, Manny knocks the character out with a baseball bat and joins D-Mob's side against his will. Soon the character wake up and enter the tournament and defeat their best fighters. D-Mob then attempts to kill the character by shooting at the player but Manny takes the bullet and survives. Your character triumphs over D-Mob and gets back Angel, leading up to the events of Def Jam: Fight for NY.

Soundtrack

No. TitleArtist Length
1. "Intro"  DMX 4:09
2. "It's My Turn (Fight!)"  Dabo 3:45
3. "Party Up (Up In Here)"  DMX 4:32
4. "Yeah Yeah U Know It" (featuring Def Squad)Keith Murray 4:10
5. "Stompdashitoutu" (featuring M.O.P.)C-N-N 3:01
6. "Nothin'" (featuring Pharrell)N.O.R.E. 4:24
7. "The Streets" (featuring Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg)WC 3:47
8. "Do Sumptin"  Comp 4:08
9. "Saturday (Oooh! Ooooh!)" (featuring Sleepy Brown)Ludacris 3:52
10. "In Cold Blood"  Scarface 3:21
11. "Get Away" (featuring Ja Rule)Christina Milian 4:13
12. "Uh Huh!"  Method Man 4:25
13. "Oh My Goodness"  Keith Murray 4:26
14. "Smash Sumthin'" (featuring Adam F.)Redman 3:35
15. "Stick Em"  Comp 3:23
16. "Focus"  Joe Budden 4:33
17. "Bring the Pain"  Method Man 3:10
18. "Throw Ya Gunz"  Onyx 3:16
19. "Fight the Power"  Public Enemy 4:42
20. "X Gon' Give It to Ya"  DMX 3:40
21. "Outro"  Def Jam 0:04

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GCPS2
AllGameN/A[1]
EGMN/A7.67/10[2]
EurogamerN/A3/10[3]
Game Informer8.75/10[4]8.5/10[5]
GamePro[6][7]
Game RevolutionB−[8]B−[8]
GameSpot8.4/10[9]8.4/10[9]
GameSpy[10][11]
GameZone8.7/10[12]9.2/10[13]
IGN8.9/10[14]8.9/10[14]
Nintendo Power3.7/5[15]N/A
OPM (US)N/A[16]
The Cincinnati Enquirer[17][17]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[18]C+[18]
Aggregate score
Metacritic81/100[19]80/100[20]

The response to the game was mainly positive, with fans citing the basic game play and presentation as superb, but many lamented the loss of key AKI features such as "gimmick matches" like the ladder match and the cage match, plus the lack of any true create-a-wrestler mode.

The Cincinnati Enquirer gave it a score of all four stars and stated: "Electronic Arts deserves kudos for breathing new life into the aging fighting genre with this title's fresh approach."[17] However, The Village Voice gave it a score of six out of ten and said, "If only DMX could sic his pit bulls on you, Funkmaster Flex burst your eardrums ID'ing himself, or Redman burn you with a blunt."[21] Entertainment Weekly gave it a C+ and called it "an uninspired wrestling title that lacks Def Jam's trademark sheen."[18]

References

  1. ↑ Scott Alan Marriott. "Def Jam Vendetta (PS2) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 18, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  2. ↑ EGM Staff (April 2003). "Def Jam: Vendetta (PS2)". Electronic Gaming Monthly (165): 114. Archived from the original on April 6, 2004. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  3. ↑ Ronan Jennings (June 9, 2003). "Def Jam Vendetta Review (PS2)". Eurogamer. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Def Jam Vendetta (GC)". Game Informer (120): 88. April 2003.
  5. ↑ Justin Leeper (April 2003). "Def Jam Vendetta (PS2)". Game Informer (120): 81. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  6. ↑ The D-Pad Destroyer (April 1, 2003). "Def Jam Vendetta Review for GameCube on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on March 9, 2005. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  7. ↑ The D-Pad Destroyer (April 1, 2003). "Def Jam Vendetta Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 12, 2005. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  8. 1 2 Ben Silverman (March 4, 2003). "Def Jam Vendetta Review". Game Revolution. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  9. 1 2 Alex Navarro (April 1, 2003). "Def Jam Vendetta Review". GameSpot. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  10. ↑ Matt Freeman (April 12, 2003). "GameSpy: Def Jam Vendetta (GCN)". GameSpy.
  11. ↑ Matt Freeman (April 12, 2003). "GameSpy: Def Jam Vendetta (PS2)". GameSpy.
  12. ↑ Carlos McElfish (April 15, 2003). "Def Jam VENDETTA - GC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on April 12, 2009. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  13. ↑ Natalie Romano (April 10, 2003). "Def Jam VENDETTA - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  14. 1 2 Jon Robinson (March 31, 2003). "Def Jam Vendetta". IGN. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Def Jam Vendetta". Nintendo Power 169: 137. June 2003.
  16. ↑ "Def Jam: Vendetta". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine: 86. April 2003. Archived from the original on April 6, 2004. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  17. 1 2 3 Marc Saltzman (April 15, 2003). "Virtual getaways await in 'Primal', 'Vendetta'". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on January 22, 2008. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  18. 1 2 3 Noah Robischon (March 21, 2003). "Rhythm & Bruise (Def Jam Vendetta Review)". Entertainment Weekly (701): 120. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Def Jam Vendetta Critic Reviews for GameCube". Metacritic. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Def Jam Vendetta Critic Reviews for PlayStation 2". Metacritic. Retrieved February 22, 2014.
  21. ↑ Nick Catucci (March 25, 2003). "In Da Fight Club". The Village Voice. Retrieved February 23, 2014.

External links

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