Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance

1UP

A game that is certainly violent, absolutely profane, but also acceptably playable and filled with enough replay value and customization to warrant a purchase as opposed to a rental. But in terms of sheer polish and finesse, "Def Jam Fight for New York" is still the standard bearer against which these sorts of games should be judged.

Total Video Games

Beatdown: Fists of Vengeance is a really strange game; a mixture of ideas that comes across as extremely hit and miss. The amalgamation of traditional beat-em-up gameplay and one-on-one works really well; but on the other hand the disguise system seems flawed, who wants to buy a beat-em-up when the aim is to avoid confrontations?

BonusStage

Sadly, the open world and one-on-one fighting engine lack the proper execution, and the copious loading times just get in the way.

GameShark

Beatdown is a solid fighting themed action role-playing game brought down a notch by too much area transition loading and some limited promised features (like the ability to interrogate every character in the game).

GameBiz

Been there, done that.

Computer and Video Games

It's an engaging scrap that just about manages to keep you hooked. Worth taking a chance on if you like fight-heavy action adventures with a seedy, skuzzy undercurrent and plenty of face-smashing. [PSW]

Times Online

Ultimately, though, it’s all about how well you wield a crowbar.

TotalPlayStation

It's a beat-em-up. You beat people up. If nothing else, it offers the bare minimum of gameplay to meet the name, but all the other claims of deeper gameplay are half-assed.

Cheat Code Central

Capcom did the right thing by allowing 2 player battles and extending the replay value with 5 characters but some gamers will have had enough of the load times and mind-numbing decisions by the end of the first story.

GameSpot

A game that feels half-baked and suffers from terrible pacing.

Game Informer

A dumb, forgettable game and nothing else. [Sept 2005, p.100]

GamePro

Despite offering a laundry list of moves and button combinations, the game's complicated controls feel shallower than the three-buttoned Capcom arcade classics like "The Punisher" or "Alien vs. Predator." Group battles feel too constricted with the auto target locking mechanics, and the simplistic one-on-one fights are somewhere on the level of "Pit Fighter."

PSM Magazine

There's still just not enough incentive to repeatedly play through the game. [Oct 2005, p.90]

Yahoo! Games

An intriguing idea, but it deserves a better game than this.

Gaming Age

Building up a powerful gang from nothing under the watchful eye of the man sounds like fun, but the process in Beat Down is shallow and tiresome.

eToychest

Fans of repetition or the beat-em-up genre may be interested, but the game is likely to disappoint—even as a rental. Avoid, if possible.

Detroit Free Press

Great in concept but ends up being a slow-loading, profanity-laden action game with subpar graphics.

AceGamez

Beatdown is a choppy, shallow and tedious experience, despite a few cool features being thrown into the mix.

IGN

If you absolutely love pointless violence and cheesy, forced atmosphere, then by all means pick this title up. Otherwise, stay extremely far away. In fact, stick to "Streets of Rage 2," that game is way better.

Play Magazine

It just doesn't gel, with misshapen models, repetitive, bland music and a watered-down story that struggles to maintain a "thug-like" quality through forced profanity. [Sept 2005, p.56]

PSX Extreme

Looks like a great idea on paper, but it fails to be even mildly entertaining past the first hour of play. There’s no excuse for the game’s camera, and the long load times and slow pacing are just icing on the cake.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Bland gameplay, however, stifles what inspiration there is. The fighting action is fundamentally underwhelming, and a poor camera and constant loading further handcuff things.

GameZone

I find it very funny that the name of this game is entitled Beat Down, because this is exactly what the game is, it is a beat down to even attempt to play this game. Needless to say avoid this game like the plague.

TotalGames.net

The only redeeming factor to Beat Down is almost everything is underlined with extra options such as negotiating, robbing, recruiting and so on. Normally, this flexibility would be welcomed but in Beat Down's case, having these extra options is akin to a Steven Seagal DVD being packaged with two discs of extras. Who cares?

PALGN

Beat Down makes us feel bad - we wanted it to be good, Cavia put in the ideas that could have made the game good, but failed to deliver on the execution - the despicable quality of voice acting just seals the deal.

Thunderbolt

The story is interesting, but many of the scenes seem forced. Controlling the different characters could have been cool, but their movesets are pathetically underdeveloped.

Edge Magazine

Yes, Beat Down revives the warped charisma of Capcom’s beat’em up heyday, but that’s the only area where it actually triumphs. [Oct 2005, p.90]

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

Old brawler mechanics, GTA elements don't mix in particularly well. [Oct 2005, p.107]

GameSpy

And for the beat-'em-up fans who want something new, just playing Beat Down feels enough like getting kicked down the stairs that you won't return to the genre any time soon.

games(TM)

True, Beat Down isn’t entirely without potential, but the execution is woeful. For your own sake, avoid it at all costs. [Nov 2005, p.104]

RewiredMind

Beat Down fails to inspire, excite and-most importantly of all - it fails to entertain.

Eurogamer

Perhaps it's because death is only a temporary setback that arbitrary cold-blooded massacres of innocents are met with a gaming blind eye.

Game Revolution

I cursed plenty while playing, and it came straight from my own beat down heart. Get your revenge on bad games and leave this stinker in the shadows of the bargain bin.