Okay, I came into some money recently, which means I was able to pick up a game or two for the collection. More importantly, it meant a chance to amaze and astound you all with my erudite analysis of said game. Heh. And Carl thought I was going to open this thing with Ebonics. What now, son? Anyway, I'm browsing the racks at the mall and found Def Jam Vendetta at a good price, so that's what we're talking about today.

The plot runs like this: You are a semi-retired street fighter, veteran of the New York underground fight circuit. At the start of the game, you get a two-way text message from your boy Manny, a fellow fighter who's in trouble. Manny's is out of fighting commission with a broken arm, and he owes quite a bit of money to D-Mob. D-Mob's the head of the Def Jam gang/crew/you-get-the-idea, and a character that bears a striking resemblance to one Suge Knight, infamous head of west coast-based Death Row Records and all-around guy you don't want to meet in a dark alley. I guess they decided Russell Simmons didn't inspire the same "Daaaaaamn…" feeling as this guy did. But I digress. You must then go toe-to-toe with the other fighters in various clubs around New York, and the occasional Def Jam soldier to earn the money Manny needs to save his ass and to increase your stats. As you win, you move up to new clubs, new opponents, new girlfriends, and a chance to take from D-Mob what is rightfully yours.

Yeah. Ludacris standing on the top turnbuckle, mocking a beat-up dude. That's all you need.

Gameplay is, simply put, that of a wrestling game. For those N64 veterans reading this, the engine for Vendetta has some very noticeable roots in that which powered WCW vs. nWo: World Tour, like the concept of momentum. If you're able to continually beat down your opponent with little retaliation, your momentum bar will steadily increase until it reaches its peak level. From there, a nudge of the C-stick will send you into Blazin' mode, where you can perform one of your character's two special moves. Again, similar to World Tour, you can use the C-stick to taunt your opponent and play to the crowd, resulting in cheers and a boost to your momentum level. Controls are also appropriately N64-simplistic: analog stick moves the fighter, A to grapple, B punches, X run, Y takes you in and out of the ring, R blocks and L pins. Z serves only in a tag-team or handicap match to change your fighter's focus from one opponent to another.

But all that is where the similarities end. The mechanics of the game are incredibly tight, since AKI didn't have to worry about the complications in working under a pro wrestling company's license, i.e. fans screaming bloody murder about the Rock's eyebrow not going up to the right height, so on and so forth. Another result of this that some may be distressed at is the lack of trademark features that people have come to expect from licensed wrestling games - weapons littering the outside of the ring area, cage/ladder/table matches, battle royales, create-a-wrestler. Personally, I'm only half disappointed over this. I could definitely see one of the arenas in DJV being a cage fight, as well as a few foreign objects here and there. However, I'm glad to be rid of a lot of the gimmicks. Call me a purist if you will, but it makes for a better game in my opinion.

"You're hitting his upper chest too much. Start working on his abs."

What really sets this game off in my opinion is the number of unlockables featured throughout the game. Characters, character outfits, arenas, all kinds of things become open to you as you progress through the story mode and other parts of the game. Even Maxim-esque photographs of the models used to play your character's girlfriends in story mode are available for viewing, once you get past one level or another. Of course, if you don't have the patience, you can divert some of your hard-won funds from upgrading your fighter's speed, strength, stamina, defense, or other vital stat, and use them to unlock pictures one by one.

Graphically, the game is very pleasing. Character models for both regular fighters and the Def Jam stable are very well done, with every DJ fighter easily recognizable from their faces, and the Phat Farm logo is always displayed if you keep an eye open. Clipping problems are virtually nonexistent, which is all the more impressive given the fast pace and extreme maneuvers inherent in Vendetta. And the fights take place in 10 different "clubs", each tailored to whatever Def Jam star runs the show there. Case in point: Ludacris' ring is in a club with a lot of bright colors, hot music going, and women dancing, while DMX's spot is street to the core - all the way down to the stacks of tires supporting the ring. And of course, how could a game bear the Def Jam name and not be on top of its audio game? Fear not, in Vendetta you'll break heads to eighteen different tracks from Def Jam artists, including the classic "Fight The Power" by Public Enemy.

"Flava Flav should have been in the game! Say it! SAY IT, DAMMIT!!"

I think that anyone who's played, seen, or even heard of Wrestlemania X8 took a severe blow to their confidence in wrestling games on GameCube. Perhaps even to the extent of writing off the whole genre. I beg of you not to, at least until you play Def Jam Vendetta. It's just a fundamentally great wrestling game.

Mike Twomey