The Con
- November 02, 2005 00:00 AM PST
Simplistic fighting with a grifting twist.
Fighting games have followed a pretty standard pattern: pick a fighter, master his combos, and beat your opponent to a quivering pulp. The Con walks another road, emphasizing the behind-the-scenes machinations of a gritty underground fighting league.Ring King
Pick an existing pugilist, or create your own, customizing everything from combat style to haircut and clothing. You can even score new elements as you progress, like shoes that improve speed, or a beard that boosts health, and wager these items on your multiplayer rumbles. Between fights you'll decide how much rest to give your brawlers, treat their inevitable injuries, and little by little train their stats to championship level.
A combination editor lets you invent signature moves for each member of your stable, but the actual fighting is simplistic and repetitive, and takes place in only a handful of non-interactive environments. Worse, truly horrendous load times plague every last element of play, making even something as simple as cruising by the shop a thumb-twiddling chore. Just wait till you hit your first boss battle, and spend twice as much time looking at load screens as actually fighting.
The Fix is In
What keeps The Con in the ring despite these problems is an intriguing gambling element, which allows you to time the placement of your bets. Think you can beat your opponent into next week? Take it on the chin in the early seconds, then open a can of whup-ass once the odds are tweaked. Or, even dirtier, bet on the other guy, and throw the fight entirely. Be careful, though: if the crowd thinks they're being played, your bets will only yield an expensive hospital stay.
The Con's flaws are disappointing, but if you've got patience to spare, the unique showmanship gameplay of the grifting system can keep you going despite them.
