Def Jam: Fight for NY PSP [PSP]

Released for the PlayStation 2, the Xbox, and the GameCube in September 2004, Def Jam: Fight for NY is a story-driven wrestling game that stars hip-hop personalities such as Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Redman, David Banner, and Ice-T. Now, more than a year later, a reworked version of the game is headed to the PlayStation Portable under the slightly lengthier title Def Jam: Fight for NY: The Takeover. We got our first look at the PSP game earlier today and are pleased to report that it looks to have plenty to offer for newcomers and veterans of the series alike.

The game's stars are as recognizable on the PSP as they were on home consoles.

If you've played Def Jam: Fight for NY previously, you'll almost certainly remember the game's story-driven single-player mode, in which you created a character for yourself and fought against the evil forces of Crow--as played by Snoop Dogg. Def Jam: Fight for NY: The Takeover will feature a new storyline that we know very little about at this point, save that it'll be a prequel of some description. Given that the Fight for NY storyline picked up right where 2003's Def Jam Vendetta left off, it seems reasonable to assume that the new storyline will predate that of the first game.

Def Jam: Fight for NY: The Takeover's story mode will essentially comprise a string of increasingly difficult fights that are punctuated by cutscenes. Fights will take place in bars, nightclubs, parking lots, and such, and you'll find that each of the different locations boasts interactive elements, such as pillars that you can force your opponents against or spectators who will assist you after you throw your opponent toward them. Combat in Def Jam: Fight for NY: The Takeover is a fast-paced mix of punches, kicks, and grapples and can feel quite different depending on which of the game's five distinct fighting styles--kickboxing, wrestling, street fighting, martial arts, or submissions--your chosen character is proficient in. Weapons handed to you by members of the crowd will also come into play at many of the fight locations, though arming yourself with a baseball bat or a broom, for example, makes it impossible to perform grabs and throws.

The gameplay and controls will feel very familiar if you played Def Jam: Fight for NY, but you'll also find that the development team has made some quite noticeable changes for the PSP game. For example, the lack of a second analog stick on Sony's handheld means that you'll be using the D pad to activate your powerful "blazin' moves" instead. The right shoulder button is used to perform blocks and reversals, while the four face buttons are used to punch, kick, grab, dash, and use weapons.

Soon, you'll be able to kick your friends in the face wirelessly.

Changes that we noted during our time with the game included plenty of new fight animations and an all-new "mount" move, which lets you climb on top of your floored opponents and beat them senseless until they manage to push you off by hammering buttons repeatedly. The mount move is a significant addition not only because it's a very satisfying way to hurt an opponent, but also because it's one of only a handful of ways that you can actually knock an opponent out to end a fight--others include blazin' moves and attacks that put weapons or the environment to good use. It's also worth pointing out that the camera stays a lot closer to the action in the PSP game than it does in the home console versions, which is made possible by the absence of third and fourth fighters in what are now one-on-one contests. You will, of course, be able to fight against a friend using the PSP's wireless ad hoc capabilities if you wish.

We got to check out a couple of arenas that we recognized from Def Jam: Fight for NY during our time with Def Jam: Fight for NY: The Takeover and can report that they retained all of the interactive functionality that made them such a great feature on home consoles. We didn't get to see any of the new arenas that are promised for the game, but we were able to confirm that they'll appear alongside all 20 of those featured in Def Jam: Fight for NY. We were also told that the character roster and soundtrack will be unchanged.

Def Jam: Fight for NY: The Takeover for the PSP is currently scheduled for release in March. We'll bring you more information on the game as soon as it becomes available.