Rap meets raw combat in Wu-Tang Clan: Shaolin Style, a violent fighting game that plays a lot like a '70s kung-fu flick--with a little Mortal Kombat thrown in. Members of the rap group Wu-Tang Clan are present and ready to mix it up. RZA, GZA, Raekwon, Method Man--they're all here, each with his own special shaolin fighting abilities. The soundtrack, which is sure to score points with fans of the rappers, provides background music for battle arenas set in Staten Island, New York, and ancient China. Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style also features three new exclusive Wu-Tang tracks.
The cantankerous Wu-Tang Clan members meld perfectly into the video game world, and each character has some truly flashy moves. GZA wields a microphone on a chain-blade chord. Raekwon's specialty is cooking up opponents in a large boiling vat. Other members use a more traditional approach with swords and acrobatics.
Although the game is a little slow and repetitive at times, it's dripping with raw street style and attitude--which should be enough to keep Wu-Tang fans happy while appeasing fighting game fans in general. Up to four players can fight at once. (Parents should note that this is one of the more violent fighting games on the market.)
Rating: 18