Gaming Generations :: FaceBreaker

ThingPownin · Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 6:48 pm Post subject: FaceBreaker

Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release Date: September 4th
Genre: Fighting
Number of Players: 1-2 players
ESRB Rating: (T) Teen
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Overview:

Alright, this is the first review that I have done in a while, but here goes nothing. FaceBreaker is a new game by the creators that brought us SSX and Sports street series. FaceBreaker makes me think of a modern day Punch Out, which is amazing and a new one needs to be made. Everything about this game is just all in good fun, and the cell shading just makes it even more.

Story:

There is no story to this game. Not to say there isn't a career mode, which just involves a basic set of fights to a title fight. Before every match, a sequence plays in which the the character you are fighting against speaks about how they are going to beat you up. It does tend to get old about after the first few times. Then basically the same thing happens after the fight ends, where they question what went wrong, and why did they lose.

Gameplay:

The controls are pretty basic after the first practice round. Low attack, high attack, grab, and breaker attack. After using combos with the high and low attacks, you are able to perform a breaker attack in which it has little button press sequences, that is basically you just pressing the Y button, and hopefully getting lucky and pulling off the breaker move. After two combos of Low attacks, then two combos of High attacks (or vise versa), then high or low attacks of two hits, then four more in any fashion (mix it up to confuse the opponent), you can try for a FaceBreaker attack. If successful, you automatically win the fight.

Compared to other boxing games, and or boxing in general, there is no count when you knock an opponent down. Just get three knockdowns and then you win (unless you get a FaceBreaker in). If nobody gets three knockouts after the three rounds of three minutes, you go into Sudden Death in which the first person to score a KO wins the bout.

Graphics:

This game looks amazing, from the cell shading, to the bruising of the faces, and just the movement of the characters. Every character is built different, and each looks better than the other. Another great feature is the face mapping, in which if you have a eye camera for your system, you can load your face into the game on your character. Making the create a character feature even more in-depth like in Tiger Woods.

Sound:

As always in an EA Sports game, this game has a great soundtrack of so much different music. The voice overs could be better, but they don't sound mechanical, they sound authentic, and each character has a voice that fits perfectly with their fighting style.

Lasting Appeal:

I think that this game could be better, and there is much room for improvement, but with what EA Sports Freestyle has done so far, it is quite well done. I would think that when you have parties, it would be a great tournament game like Soul Caliber, because the action is that fast paced.

Overall:

Yes, this game has flaws, but they aren't without reason. Either way, this game gets a 7.75/10 from me.
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