Product Description

In collaboration with urban lifestyle powerhouse Def Jam Interactive, EA Chicago - the team behind the critically acclaimed EA SPORTS Fight Night series - is integrating hip hop culture and gaming like never before. With the hottest music seamlessly infused into the world around you, the game`s environments pulsate, crumble, and explode to life with every bone-jarring beat. Time your attacks to the driving bass and use falling debris and exposed environmental hazards to pound your rivals.

Featuring an all-new single-player story, the game takes you deep into the life of a high-rolling hip hop mogul to build a record label, discover new superstars, and become a hip hop icon.

Infusing hip-hop music, culture and lifestyle into the gameplay, EA Chicago and Def Jam Interactive continue to push the boundaries of game development bringing unique and innovative content to the next generation of gaming, changing the way fighting games are played.

• Music is Your Weapon - Beats trigger interactive hazards around you as your environment comes alive and reacts to the music. From exploding gas pumps to spinning helicopter propellers, taking advantage of your surroundings is just as important as your toe-to-toe fighting skills. Become one with the beats to rule the streets.
• DJ Controls - Use the analogue sticks like turntables to add beats, switch songs, and make music your weapon. Take control of the music to control the outcome of the fight!
• Become a Hip Hop Icon - The story mode will allow you to build an empire and live the life of a music mogul by signing artists, managing their careers, and releasing their hit songs. Do whatever it takes to become an icon in the world of hip hop. But beware - you never know who is watching you.
• Hip Hop`s Hottest Stars - Fight with or against the biggest stars in hip hop. Artists like Big Boi, The Game, Ludacris, Pa

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6247 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Electronic Arts
• Released on: 2007-03-23
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Platform: Xbox 360

Manufacturer's Description
In collaboration with urban lifestyle powerhouse Def Jam Interactive, EA Chicago - the team behind the critically acclaimed EA SPORTS Fight Night series - is integrating hip hop culture and gaming like never before. With the hottest music seamlessly infused into the world around you, the game's environments pulsate, crumble, and explode to life with every bone-jarring beat. Time your attacks to the driving bass and use falling debris and exposed environmental hazards to pound your rivals.

Featuring an all-new single-player story, the game takes you deep into the life of a high-rolling hip hop mogul to build a record label, discover new superstars, and become a hip hop icon.

Infusing hip-hop music, culture and lifestyle into the gameplay, EA Chicago and Def Jam Interactive continue to push the boundaries of game development bringing unique and innovative content to the next generation of gaming, changing the way fighting games are played.

Customer Reviews

A great series ruined
Def Jam: Fight For New York was one of the best fighting games on the PS2, mixing wrestling with street fighting and starring so many of the best rappers of the time. Def Jam Icon on the Xbox 360 however has completely changed this winning formula and comes off as a dull, below average beat 'em up.

The first thing you'll notice when you start playing Icon (regardless of whether you have played Vendetta or FFNY or not) is how unbearably slow and unresponsive the fighting is. The characters crawl along at a snail's pace and also seems to have only about 3 moves each, as opposed to the previous Def Jam games that had dozens of moves per fighter and was also pretty fast. You also have a move where you can scratch the beat of the background music to use the environment to attack your opponent. A bit of a daft and novel idea, which makes this otherwise realisitic game seem a little ridiculous.

Next is the appalling roster. In the first 2 Def Jam games there were over 40 top-name hip hop artists like Snoop Dogg, DMX, Xzibit, Flava Flav, Erick Sermon, Warren G, NORE, Busta Rhymes and Keith Murray as playable fighters. The only decent ones that have made it into Icon's pathetic 20+ roster are Ludacris, Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Redman, who are amongst some newer and not so good stars like T.I., The Game, Lil John and E-40.

Then there's the story mode, one of the best features of Vendetta and FFNY. In Icon the D-Mob storyline has been replaced with a "Build a Label" mode where you create a fighter, like in the previous games, and then have to take over your boss's record label, which involves signing artists, funding their songs and promotions and fighting with rival labels' artists, crazed fans and police. A good idea but takes much of the fun away from the story as there isn't a lot of choice in fights as you only get a selection of about 2 at a time. Then once you have beaten your opponent you come back to have to read through about 20 emails and voice messages from your friends in the game, which is terribly boring and you must read them all or else fights will be missed.

The graphics are one of the only decent things about this whole game, offering some of the best textures and character models ever seen on the Xbox 360. Some of the fighters look so realistic, it's scary.

The soundtrack is ok, but not brilliant. Featuring a few new(ish) tracks (not exclusives) from Redman, E-40, Outkast, The Game and Ludacris. Then there's some classics like "Ante Up" by M.O.P and "Hate Me Now" by Nas & Puff Daddy.

Overall, Def Jam Icon is a huge disappointment and a massive let down after the first two brilliant games in the Def Jam series. The game is slow, boring and not very much fun. If you're after a decent fighting game, I'd perhaps dig out the old PS2 and play one of the first two or stick to something like Mortal Kombat Armageddon, which is by far the best fighting game out at the minute. As for a decent fighter on the 360, I'm still waiting.

Fight Night Rnd3 on steroids!!!!
This game is excellent. The graphics are truely next gen, the game itself is massive, its not just a mundane fighting game that suits button bashers - skill is needed, its customisable so your character, his look, haircut, clothes, song etc are all down to you. You start off like in the old def jam fight for NY as a no one - you need to build up your reputation (by knocking ppl out!!!! great role model hey!!)and as such unlock more goodies - chains, watches, rings etc!! As you go through fighting its not just one on ones but tag team and royal rumble style too!! Your moves are also upgradeable and if you played the old ones you will love choosing your move when your in control that inflicts pain on your rival. In addition you can punch/kick/throw to the beat (can change the music to your preference via iPod or laptop) of the music to give extra control and trigger more damage to your opponent. This is a great game that on HDTV and Surround Sound looks and sounds gorgeous. if you like Fight Night just buy this - you wont be disappointed and you dont need to even like Rap as you can change your character and music to your own taste!!!

Decent Game
Okay, i aint gonna make this review long and complicated but straight to the point. Its been a few hours since i bought this bad boy, and i aint gonna lie, i was sceptical in whether i should get this game bcos of all the negative feedback from various sites. After playing both Fight for NY and Vendetta i was expecting a sick third installment.

With Defjam icon, it does provide SICK graphics, quality tracks, however the fighting is VERY slow, and to execute moves you have to be patient. I have jus started my "Create Label" story mode thing and my gosh the detail they go in is crazy. U can 4 example give ur character a sick low fade with 360 waves spinning. Looks kool. Story mode so far is sick (looks like a movie). Back 2 the fighting, u have to know how to use the DJ scratch technique which is pretty kool. Being the game, and hearing ONE BLOOOOOOOD while beating Kano (yes kano from the UK) is sooo ill.

Overall
Graphics - 10/10
Gameplay - 7.5/10
Sound - 9/10
Lastibility - so far for me 9.2/10...

I truly bleev this game is ok..Fight for NY was better no doubt bcos it had more modes, more chacracters and alot of female artist...however Defjam Icon does live up 2 the graphical hype. Fighting shoulda been left like the others and more stages should have been created, but its a quality game.