Def Jam: Icon demo ain't what's hot on the streets, playa

by Jared Rea { Feb 8th 2007 at 5:45PM }

If Mace: The Dark Ages was Tekken gone stupid (and not in the hyphy sense of the word), then you can only imagine what Def Jam: Icon is like. A demo for the fighting-game-gone-crunk was released today and being as hungry as we are for any original fighting game this year, we snapped it up.

The original Def Jam title, while short on options, was a fantastic wrestler. The sequel, Fight For New York, had incredible potential but fell apart with little to no defensive options. Like the previous sequel, Icon throws all previous experience out the whip and has devolved into a stand-up fighter with a musical slant.

From a design standpoint, Icon brings a lot of interesting elements to the dance. The interactive environments, correlating to the music put on quite a show and forces players to pay attention beyond swinging like a madman. And that's about where our praise for Icon ends. Beyond the aesthetically pleasing environments is little more than a clunky, stand-up fighter that makes War Gods look like Virtua Fighter. Harking back to the early days of the 3D fighter, Icon is like watching two well-fed hobos fighting over some booze and then something explodes. Even the fighters themselves can't keep pace with the hectic, ever changing world around them. With such a lack of moves to perform, it's not like there's anything to hold them back.

Like the era of fighting games it resonates, Icon is something we'd rather forget. Still, the "Kryptonite" song included is pretty catchy. Feel free to check it out, if not to understand how important it is that Virtua Fighter 5 is coming stateside.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Shenny @ Feb 8th 2007 5:49PM

lawl at the melty blood reference ^^

Mr Khan @ Feb 8th 2007 5:51PM

The concept could be easily made to work, as long as a decent development team worked it into a smooth fighter (say if they partnered with Namco or SEGA)

The rhythm based fights could be awesome, in an Elite Beat Agents meets Virtua Fighter sort of way...

Striderhayasa @ Feb 8th 2007 5:55PM

I don't get it. Why did EA change the game again? Why couldn't they keep it a Hip hop wrestling game but just add more offensive moves and actually include defense and counters that work?

February 20th can't get here fast enough...

bubbacrosbysucks @ Feb 8th 2007 7:38PM

whoa, I like the Mace/WarGods references (not the Melty Blood, though), but def not the "I'm white and have to sound like that I don't really get this hippity hoppity flip pip pop stuff" tone of yours.

King @ Feb 8th 2007 6:07PM

"I don't get it. Why did EA change the game again? Why couldn't they keep it a Hip hop wrestling game but just add more offensive moves and actually include defense and counters that work?"

Because if they did that then everyone on this site would call it an EA rehash.

They changed the game, add innovative features instead of the roster update and minor feature changes and everyone still complains.....damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Hakobus @ Feb 8th 2007 6:18PM

"Fight For New York, had incredible potential but fell apart with little to no defensive options."

Apparently you never played it, because Fight for NY has probably the most functional reversal and blocking system there's ever been in a grapple-oriented fighting game.

Jared @ Feb 8th 2007 6:17PM

#2 - I didn't want to go too into it (Melty Blood is pushing it), but Slap Happy Rhythm Busters for the PSOne already did rhythm based fighting and better at that :\

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prp6i4RHIcs

MosquitoControl @ Feb 8th 2007 6:19PM

There is a middle ground between rehashing and reinventing.

The Def Jam games were just an evolution of the N64 WWF games. Smoother and refined. They were also among the few games that had product placement without beating you over the head with it (aside from the license itself.)

I was interested in Icon until last week, when I saw it was a new developer. Then I saw that it was just 2-player. Then I watched a video of it that had a car bouncing out and hitting a guy every five seconds for no reason at all.

I suppose I will still grab the demo, but I've no interest. I could deal with just about everything if it was still four player, but moving it down to two kills the point of the game for me.

Norm @ Feb 8th 2007 6:20PM

Lol @ melty blood. I'm entering in a tourney this weekend that includes that game. Hearing people play it reminds me of Taiko the way you mash out the combos, though.

Also, the new def jam game is indeed a turd. =D

KineticOnline @ Feb 8th 2007 6:24PM

@ King

The problem with EA is that it their games are never what they should be. If they do the yearly updates they fix some of the problems and replace them with new (arguably worse) problems and very little reason to change to the new title (other than they shut down their multiplayer servers for that game).

When they try to update a series like they've done with def jam, they try to "make it cool" and miss the entire point of the series in the first place.

Bennyishere @ Feb 8th 2007 6:31PM

I was extremely disappointed… They’ve totally ruined the franchise by making a game with a weak character line-up (compared to the predecessors) of almost no long-time artists, repetitive fighting and unresponsive controls.

The fight becomes a mayhem of the same few moves (and the right stick moves with really unpredictable effects) and getting up from random explosions or being kicked across the whole environment.

The demo is also very annoying. The timer goes down way too fast, and when it does, you have to sit through the lengthy loading screens again.

At least the graphics and environments are cool, even though th environments are too small, explodes for no reason and lacks interactive audience.

Striderhayasa @ Feb 8th 2007 6:35PM

@ kinetic

thanks, you read my mind. The only series I truly believe lived up to it's potential is SSX, which is why I'm probably going to buy it. NBA homecourt looks interesting but then again so did NBA Street. While it was fun for about a week, it got old really fast when everyone realized you can dominate with a squad of 7 footers.

EA 's biggest issue is the quality isn't consistent and hasn't been in years.

Hey but like I said, there's always SSX blur

LongshotX @ Feb 8th 2007 6:58PM

So...Easy Achievements. :-)

sheppy @ Feb 8th 2007 7:14PM

Now it's time for me to be hated. SSX lost it's edge after Tricky. For me, SSX was all about attitude. Road Rash on Snowboards, busting down both mountatins and through snowed in city streets. EA effectively took everything that was unique and cool about SSX and traded it in to effectively be Coolboarders 05/06/07

Andrew @ Feb 8th 2007 7:23PM

I have been looking forward to this game sooo much since I love the previous too... regardless of all the negatives that have come out about it recently I jumped on the 360 and grabbed the demo.... man was I dissapointed.

This is not the DefJam any of us remember... the fighters have clunky moves moves and even weaker throws... everything blows up randomly and the "DJ" thing wasnt executed well... arghhh I dont think its even possible to switch your character on the 1st player side in the demo.

Im so dissapointed... and unfortunately, I think you will be too.

Striderhayasa @ Feb 8th 2007 7:22PM

@ sheppy

Cmon man, everybody that frequents joystiq isn't some douche fanboy. If you don't like the series anymore...cool, no hate here. To each his own. I still like the style, track layout, presentation and tricks of SSX. I looked at it as Wipeout on snowboards.

Besides, you want to talk about a game that totally dropped the ball...1080 snowboarding: Avalanche. The 64 version of 1080 was awesome, the cube version is total shite and whoever lead the team that produced that game should be fired post haste. How the fuck do you incorporate passwords to unlock THE featured stages in an age of mem card and HD? You couldn't even PLAY the avalanche stages at will unless you got the retarded password and input it everytime you wanted a run through.

Nintendo needed to be collectively slapped in the face and kicked in the balls for trashing the potential of 1080: Avalanche.

SSX Blur for me.

Erik Novak @ Feb 8th 2007 7:26PM

Played the demo, then it crashed twice...then we got the red ring of death. Play this demo at your own risk, it sucks anyway...and I hope we're not completely FUBAR.

p-diddy @ Feb 8th 2007 9:59PM

I think the acheivments say it all: throw them into a sign. Throw them into a falling lamp. Throw them into... etc. FFNY was awesome. This looks weak.

-p-

dork @ Feb 8th 2007 7:46PM

i thought the demo was fun

its realistic , unlike the others, which is why i think people dont like it

Machiavellian @ Feb 8th 2007 7:48PM

After playing Icon and actually getting to know the game it's a pretty decent fighting game. First and formost there is a learning curve to the game. I do not know why the editor thought the game was not a wrestler because you have a number of grapple moves and reversals. Hell, the game plays a lot like Smackdown vs Raw if you ask me.

Controlling the explosions is actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. You only need to hold down the left trigger and rotate the right stick 360 degrees. You can also make the explosions go off faster if you time the beat and cut in at the right time with the left trigger and a quick motion with the right. I had loads of fun playing with my Son and developing simple combos with the explosions and grapple system. It probably would be good if you could pick up stuff and throw it or use objects. Also having some finishers would have fleshed out the game a little better

zenprism @ Feb 8th 2007 7:48PM

Totally agree. It was the controls that killed it for me. No way am I buying the game, but maybe I'll pick up the soundtrack.

Jonah Falcon @ Feb 8th 2007 7:54PM

I wanted Def Jam: Icon just to see what it would be like to have Barbra Streisand songs playing. :p

dmbrandon @ Feb 8th 2007 8:38PM

You know, I played it today, and I enjoyed the hell out of it.

It's not a serious fighting series. You're not gonna find depth like SSBM, N:GNT4, or SF3... This is a game aimed at a demographic, and for that medium, it did damn well. As an early beta we should be damn excepting.

Fist off, the fighting was hilarious! Everything you could hope rappers could do.

And I swear, I could rant on how goddamn amazing the backgrounds were for days.

So, in closing: Stop bein hatas.

Cletus @ Feb 8th 2007 9:11PM

This demo was terrible. I downloaded it, played one match, and deleted it. Game over.

sheppy @ Feb 8th 2007 9:13PM

Striderhayasa,

Normally, I would love to agree with you. But here's the deal. The first and second SSX game was littered with environments like a huge iceberg with many ice caverns, a huge pinball style level, and the aforementioned snowed in city. SSX environments matched the over the top style SSX and SSX tricky simply oozed.

Then, for the third, they completely removed this over the top style, but kept the big air. Suddenly, the mountain became the only environment and while there was disversity in this environment, it was still a plain old mountain. Big Air stayed in the fourth and added with it, skis. The courses still stayed safely within the realms of "reality" when that wasn't what hooked me in the first place. As for blur? Well, let's just say SSX has to return to their roots rather than trying to be SSX Snowboard Kids Edition.

And is it just me or was Nintendo's presence on the Gamecube compared to N64 as a whole just significantly less impressive? Let's just put it this way.
Super Mario 64 vs. Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario kart 64 vs. Double Dash
1080 Snowboarding vs. 1080: Avanalnche
Starfox 64 vs. Starfox Assault
Mario Golf 64 vs. Toadstool Tour
Waverace 64 vs. Waverace: Blue Storm

sheppy @ Feb 8th 2007 9:17PM

dmbrandon... this isn't a beta. The full thing ships in less than a month. This game has to go gold within the next few days or it misses it's shipping date. AKA, this is what you'll buy come release date. Are you so forgiving of this chunk now?

Striderhayasa @ Feb 8th 2007 9:35PM

This is totally off topic but you bring up some great points.

I see your point...really, but the aspects of SSX that have always gripped me since the first installment are the controls, the huge air, the tricks and the presentation and the characters. I can see why the series fell off for you though. I will admit that I don't like the "kiddie" character designs for Blur. If developers are going to make games for the Wii, they don't have to have some "childlike" or "toned down" spin to them. That's just EA being retarded. Just like too many other developers believe just because a game is on DS, for example, it has to be a card battle game, or some gimmicky derivative instead of a mainstream title. (I'm looking at you King of Fighters and you Capcom...where's my DS VS game that uses the second screen for air combos?)

But as I mentioned, it's the big air, the presentation, the track layout etc that I've always enjoyed. I'm also really curious about the control scheme for Blur. No online play sucks the big on and I let Nintendo know that.

As far as Nintendo development on GC goes...man...you hit the nail on the head. I was flatout disgusted with Mario Sunshine, Mario Kart: Double Dash was a bore and it really became apparent when Mario Kart DS arrived just how lacking Double Dash is, Star Fox Assault is putrid, Miyamoto cause Star Fox Adventures to be total shite. (yes...he did...he was the one that "suggested" Dinosaur Planet be retooled for the Star Fox IP. What was Rare supposed to say to Miyamoto...no? Yeah, right.)
It's pathetic.

I can't disagree and I'm hoping that Nintendo doesn't go the same route with the Wii. It's definately a bad sign when they can't get it together with the Wii online component at this stage in the industry and Nintendo is releasing nothing worth talking about for the Wii until..what...June...July?

sheppy @ Feb 8th 2007 9:58PM

I know Wii games will be good (when they finally arrive in not minigame form) so really it's just a matter of waiting out the gaps. When they come, I hope Wii really brings some innovation back into Nintendo. People can claim SNES all they want but I thought N64 was Nintendo's shining era. Then again, that's just my opinion. Nintendo, during that period, was like a child with a new toy. That toy being 3D of course. Suddenly they were reinventing the wheel. Hell, it's just as fun to run around in Mario 64 as it is to fire weapons in Ratch & Clank. I'm hoping Wii is that brand new toy for the company once again but unfortunately the DS's success has taught them that little work equals big payoff.

ares04 @ Feb 8th 2007 10:02PM

Wow a music label fucked up an already half ass game. it just goes to show that gamers won't just buy anything because if a game is shitty, word spreads fast.

http://www.ares04.com

fawazr @ Feb 8th 2007 10:39PM

bubbacrosbysucks, hahaha. i thought I was alone in noticing the veiled undertones. I doubt Icon is the worst game EA has put out in the last 6 months, but from the reactions it gets, you would think so. Leads me to think that the gameplay and publisher aren't the real targets of all this criticism.

The demo was short, slow, and repetitive, but I kept thinking that I just couldn't get the controls. Everything that seemed unpredictable must, in fact, have some method. I noticed that timing attacks to certain dropbeats gave different results and animations, so I'm curious to see how that plays out. It's hard to judge from such a quick and dirty demo.

sheppy @ Feb 8th 2007 11:59PM

My god, fawazr. You're absolutely right. How could I not see it before.

Hip Hop is the most popular music genre on the planet. This entire culture is seen everywhere from Brazil to Japan and yet, somehow, this all one great big conspiracy. It could never happen to be that, like 50 Cent Bulletproof, this was a game so engrained with the idea of pushing a culture of music in a completely nonstereotyping way that they never stopped to realize that the game was flawed and broken. It couldn't also happen to have anything to do with the fact that EA has built a reputation of "who cares if it sucks, ship it anyway" of recent years with titles the likes of Superman Returns, Marvel Nemesis, and of course, Burnout on Nintendo DS.

Nope, it's all a big conspiracy to discredit the hip hop genre...

Oh how I wish glam rock was never allowed to make a success of Heavy Metal Thunder.... wait... it's wasn't a success.

Leggo @ Feb 9th 2007 12:51AM

I'll pass.

Fight For NY was such a good game, I liked it in spite of the music. Now, they take away that great 4 player fighting system and leave you with JUST the music.

If I wanted sloppy uninteresting gameplay using bad music as a crutch, I'd buy 50 Cent Bulletproof. I'll pass.

benjamin @ Feb 9th 2007 7:17AM

Haha, that's one of the best captions I've ever seen here.

The question is, will he play Final Tuned or Act Cadenza?

JoseMiguel @ Feb 9th 2007 11:35AM

Mace: The dark AGE wasn't as fun as tekken, nor as deep. But it was a fun game on its own rights and was good, better than most fighters on N64. It was also heavily based on weapons, so why would you compare it to tekken?

Jude Brown @ Feb 9th 2007 4:32PM

"Hip Hop is the most popular music genre on the planet."

Not even close. Before you write complete BS check your facts. Too bad too because your point about that 50 Cent game is right on.

http://encarta.msn.com/media_701500349_761551614_-1_1/Music_Sales_in_the_United_States_by_Genre.html

I myself am into hip hop and have been since the Geto Boyz were complaining about getting grounded by their parents. With that said the culture of many of the hip-hop artists, which gets over done and exploited everywhere (including video games apparently), is brutally violent.

Why can't they make some sort of 8 mile type of game where you start off as some guy tryin to make it in this rap game (couldn't resist). There could be a variety of elements to the game outside of the world of violence.

Best rapper of all time?

No contest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKWJ5UOjeUY

Joseph Handibode @ Feb 9th 2007 9:11PM

Well I like to comment on this genre. First of all, hip hop is junk music. People want to listen to it to make like their gangsters, Okay nice. There is no point to the music but violence. So I guess they had one thing right making a game of violence with hip hop.

Bowie @ Feb 10th 2007 11:05PM

Ok, time for my views on the demo. But before you read this, know this: The game was developed by EA Chicago, developers of Fight Night: Round 3 and is the first Def Jam game not to be developed by Aki Corporation.

Hate rap/hip-hop? GTFO then. I don't know why you you would want to play a game that revolves around it. Tell me when Guitar Hero: Fight For SK8T0WN comes out and I'll stay out of that.

Graphics: Amazing. The fighters actually look like their RL counterparts.

Music: Hip-Hop/Rap. Nothing else. Moving on.

Fighting: O LAWD. I tried the demo. It took me a good 10 minutes to actually figure out how to grab due to shitty instructions ingame. Before I jump the gun and say 'zomg suxxorz' due to my expierence, I watched a few fights that werent in the demo on ign, and realized that all I needed was to get accustomed to it.

IMHO, Hip-Hop used to be actually about music, not baby mamas, drugs, thugs, big cars, nice shoes, guns, gangs, cursing and N bomb dropping. I could make a song that are 1/3 cursing and 2/3 beat and it would probably get on the top charts.

As Nas stated it:

'Hip-Hop is dead'