WelcometoExtremeGamer

Reviewed by Downtown Jimmy | 11.09.05

Introduction:This is Sony's first attempt at a fighting game on its PSP system. They step aside from the 2D realm of the street fighter style of gaming to present a gritty 3D Def Jam inspired game with style, combos and customization.

The Game:At first glance The Con could really be any type of fighter. My first thought was that this would be a boxing title, but now I see it's the "Con"-tender and the "Con"-vict. The Con really seems like Sony was attempting to recreate a similar feeling to the movie "Fight Club" with the grittiness of EA's "Def Jam" fighting franchise. Both are two great sources of influence and it ends up the The Con stands on it's own as a hybrid brawler/fighter with a twist of illegal gambling.

Modes
The Con has three gameplay modes, Quick Play, Multiplayer, and the main gravy Story Mode. Quick Play is like a fast arcade mode which you'll want to play if you're running short on time. There is a Survival mode and a Time Attack mode which are both self explanatory, like the vs. Multiplayer modes. Quick Play might be good place to start if you want to learn some moves, or try out all the fighting styles before you create your character. One good addition to the multiplayer mode is that it supports Game Sharing, so your friend doesn't need a copy enjoy the fun.

Create A Thug
Story Mode starts you off with the ability to pick from a ten created characters, or develop your own. Creating your own character is the more rewarding then picking one out a line because you can detail the characters looks from their facial features to their clothing. The character creation is pretty deep which is surprising to see on a handheld. It has everything you need to make the character as visual appealing as you want, and for the female fans you can create woman as well as men. If want a self representation you can get pretty close by using the memory stick to import a picture of your face to place over the model and then it's as easy as picking some similar threads. For in game moves you also get to pick your fighting style from 5 different forms which includes Street Boxing, Jeet Kune Do, Kickboxing, Wrestling, or Tae Kwon Do. Each style will dynamical change the way the character fights so be cautions before you pick.

Mortal Con-Bat
Once you have your character set up you will get into the story which jumps for fight to story and so on. The premise of the game is that you're a convict who gets sprung from a Police transport by a girl named Reina. Reina is a booker to the an underground street fighting league and you have just been picked as a new recruit. You now owe Reina one and so you fight to repay your jailbreak debut, and the price of freedom isn't cheap. Like Mortal Kombat is The Con works in tournament style so you start off at the lower levels and work you way up. By winning fights you gain a better reputation and some loot. I know. I know. This all sounds pretty cheesy and that because it is. I mean it's a fighter and all you really need is an opponent. I don't think anyone is in it for the drama and oscar performances, but at least you have something to work for.

The Con Vegas
The twist in The Con is you can place bets either on yourself or the opponent. It's not as simple as you think, of course everyone's first instinct is pull a Buffalo 66' and bet against yourself to loose. Like the description says "making money, is just as important as winning the fight". Well to prevent this you have fight like you want to win, then loose. You get some help from the Con Meter so you can watch your progress in fight. It's a pretty interesting concept and The Con does a good job of implementing it. Like Capcoms Beat Down you can also recruit members to join your team, visit a hospital to heal your wounds and upgrade your characters fighting skills. It's really cool that they through in all these options making it more then just a standard fighting game.

The bad
So everything is good, why isn't the game getting a perfect review. Well the major problem in The Con is the fighting, and that's not good in a fighting game. First of course is a camera issue. The camera can zoom around awkwardly which disturbs the flow of the fight and confuses the player at times to the distance between the two fighters. This is not good when in a heated brawl. The fighting itself is pretty dumbed down and the special combos that do the damage are too easy to unleash. By simply pressing a few buttons you can wipe out the opponent and most of the time they wont dodge out of the way. The mechanics for dogging are interesting by using the D-Pad, but it really doesn't feel too natural in game.

Graphics & Sound:The Graphics and audio looks and sounds better then any PSX fighter by far. This one surprised me and really comes together for a crisp and clean experience. The game art style is right on for the subject matter, and the graphics back it up with smooth textures and good character models. The sound is your stand affair and the soundtrack also carries a nice urban feel to it. They even piled in some voice overs into the game, although cliched the add to the story presentation. The only negative things I can say about the games graphics and sound is that it could used a little more flash, and a more fighting arenas, and the load times are crazy long. Overall you should forget about anything negative when the fight gets rolling.

Lowdown:The Con for the most part works and fighting fans will find some enjoyable aspects in this little UMD. Although not perfect The Con has it's share of problems that can be overlooked if you're not a hardcore fighting fanatic. Remember the story is cheese, but the graphics and unique gambling and character creation gives this game the boost it's needs for our recommendation.

The Good:Looks Good, Custom Characters,
Betting against Yourself

The Bad:Long load times, Sketchy Camera,
Fighting is too Simple, Cheesy Storyline

Gameplay: 7, Graphics/Sound: 8, Innovation: 7, Mojo: 8. Final: 7.5 / 10

FEATURES:

  • Five different styles of fighting - Street boxing, Kickboxing, Tae Kwon Do, Jeet Kune Do and Wrestling.
  • Players can create and customize their own fighter with build, facial and clothing options.
  • Image import - players can insert their face onto their in-game character via the Memory Stick.
  • Players can gain experience and decide how fast their character's fighting abilities enhance.
  • Intuitive controls allow for easy entry for gamers of all ages.
  • Story, arcade and Wireless modes satisfy the hunger a variety of gameplay cravings.
  • Manage a stable of fighters to help you reach the "Big Time"
  • Game sharing ability allows non-owners to participate in a head-to-head wireless match.
  • Unique gambling/betting elements turns each fight into more than just a fight, but a gamble itself.
  • Pull off a con by timing the placing of your bets, taking dives or exaggerated punches (mid-fight) to tilt the odds and turn the tables of the fight for a major payoff.
  • Use your hard-earned cash to pay off your debt, buy hundreds of items, recover faster after injury, or train for new combo techniques.
  • Special 3-on-3 match format puts pressure that you have three solid fighters, not just one.
  • Work towards paying your debt, establishing a crew and earning enough money to "buy in" to the ultimate underground fighting tournament.



The Con

 
Publisher
Sony
 
Developer
Sony
 
Genre
Fighting
 
Released
Oct 2005
 
ESRB
Teen



Links

Enlarge

Enlarge

Enlarge

Enlarge