PixlBit

Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage is obviously a game adaptation of the popular manga and anime from the 80s, but it's also the latest work of Omega Force, the team behind the Warriors series. After a few minutes with the game it's quite obvious that said team was behind the title, as the gameplay closely resembles the style of play found in their main series, requiring players to take on hordes of enemies at a time. I also couldn't help but draw another comparison as I played through the title; whether it be the setting, feel of the game, or the epic boss fights that conclude each level, Fist of the North Star undoubtedly reminded me of God Hand.

Both titles feature over-the-top action and gore, and both place heavy focus on combo-based melee. While similar, Fist of the North Star isn't nearly as deep, and players merely have a small set of moves that can be tied together into combos. As players battle, they are constantly filling up two meters, each of which are used for different things. The charge meter will allow players to execute stronger attacks when full to a certain point and then activated, whereas the other allows players to execute their special move, which will inflict massive damage on the enemy.

For the most part, players will walk through desert towns in a post-apocalyptic future beating the crap out of everything that moves. The Mad Max-inspired world features a ton of different goons terrorizing the local folks, and players must protect these innocents by using Kenshiro's unnatural strength that seems to cause enemies to explode into a bloody mess.

As players progress through each level, a number of different objectives will pop up, though most don't require the player's attention. Only those along the intended level path will force action, but players can seek out others that amount to nothing more than beating the crap out of more guys. Whether it's saving villagers or escorting them, all it really takes is fighting and defeating the enemies. Completing these various objectives will net Spirit Points which can be used between levels in order to unlock new moves or increase stats.

Like the Warriors series, players typically need to fight a large number of enemies all at once, most of which are intensely stupid. Occasionally a stronger enemy is mixed into the bunch, which requires special focus, slightly altering the way players dispense of enemies in the room. Unlike most games of today, health does not refill automatically, leaving players at the mercy of when the game decides to provide a chest containing life.

Fist of the North Star actually has a story that's worth paying attention to, unlike the Warriors series. The game's Legend Mode is based on the popular manga and anime, and the full motion videos between each mission do a great job of progressing the material the game is based on. An option for Japanese voice-overs ensures a tolerable listening experience as well, which will likely be appreciated by series purists. Graphically, the game is also fairly competent, which undoubtedly improves the game's presentation.

Given that combat is the entire gaming experience, thankfully, it's well-done and feels consistently great, especially when executing big combos, which allow you to easily defeat everyone within an area. Occasionally, weapons are available to help players through a tough section. These are great at defeating large numbers of enemies simultaneously, though the weapons can easily be knocked from your hands, and they break shortly after being swung a few times, so they don't quite equate to free kills.

The experience truly finds its peak in the boss fights. These are much tougher than the combat found in any other sections of the game and actually require some thought and strategy, mostly because the bosses are completely unique from the general level enemies.

As players progress through the game and meet new characters, they will unlock a variety of different tales to enjoy in the game's Dream Mode. These tie into the core story of Kenshiro, but often tell it from a completely different perspective.

Given the lack of depth, Fist of the North Star does tend to wear thin, especially after hours of tearing through mindless enemies that don't truly offer a challenge. Co-op play does alleviate this issue to some extent, but even then the game starts to lose its charm. Though the game does eventually grow tedious, there's some weird addictive quality to it that drew me in and kept my attention regardless. It's almost beyond logic or reason, but still worth mentioning.

Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage is only a worthwhile investment of time and/or money if you haven't experienced the Warriors series before, or if you are a mega fan of either that series or Fist of the North Star. After so recently reviewing Samurai Warriors 3, it's apparent just how limited the appeal of these games are, especially in quick succession. That's not to say that it isn't a fun experience; however, everything starts to wear thin after killing a few hundred enemies in only a couple of levels.