Tao Feng

As far as the graphics go, the game looks absolutely beautiful. Character models are each constructed of generous volumes of polygons, along with plenty of lighting and bump mapping effects. This gives each character a very lifelike look. The animation is very fluid from move to move. The environments boast amazing visuals complete with fully interactive objects. The objects can actually decide how a match turns out if they are used to your advantage. Each arena seems to have a gritty feel which fits perfectly with the story and characters - but there are also some fun ones thrown in, such as an arcade!

Refreshingly, one of the most impressive aspects of the game is the gameplay. The control scheme basically revolves around your limbs. Each arm and leg is assigned to its own button, à la Tekken, but Tao Feng offers an interesting twist. If a body part is beaten hard and long enough it will become injured and will eventually break, rendering its assigned button useless. This will be great for stopping those annoying players that sit there blocking, and going on their button-mashing rampage. There is much more strategy involved and the game really pushes for you to stay on the offensive.

Every now and then however, we all end up getting stuck in a corner or against an obstacle. Luckily those interactive environments I mentioned before help you to escape such predicaments. With just a pull of the trigger you can do a flip, or attack off of the obstacle you're pinned up against. This really adds to the gameplay and strategy of the game.

One of the biggest features included in gameplay is the Chi meter. Throughout the fight, which has no time limit, characters get battered and bruised unmercifully. It shows, too! Characters end up being a bloody mess covered in cuts and bruises along with torn and stained clothes. This is where the Chi meter comes in. If your character's body is about to give out and you have a full Chi meter you can refill you life and fix any of your broken bones that came about from the beating you endured. Your Chi can also be used to attack and give your opponent that final devastating blow. The Chi meter is a very unique and cool element in the game.

Once this game is a bit more polished, it should prove to be one of the best fighters out there. With all the cool features in this game, we can't help getting excited. It would be great if this game makes a big impact on the fighting genre. We'll be reviewing Tao Feng later this month, so stay tuned for the final word.