== DEF JAM VENDETTA ==
If you're looking for something very different then look no further than Def Jam Vendetta because it offers a whole new meaning to different. Def Jam Vendetta is a pro wrestling game combined with hip hop rappers instead of actual wrestlers. I think this works quite well to be fair and the game has a lot of decent features and game modes. Def Jam Vendetta was developed by AKI Corporation and published by EA Sports BIG. The game is also available on the GameCube as well as the PS2 and was released back in 2003. The game does feature a cinematic story mode with an okay storyline. I love the Def Jam Vendetta game and think its one of the best wrestling games that doesn't actually feature real life wrestlers. It based on a massive roster of rappers wrestling against each other and it works which surprised me at first.

=== STORY ===
At the start of story mode you pick from four characters and the story revolves around who you pick. When you have chosen your character you are called upon for help by your friend called Manny. He was meant to compete in a street fight but cant so you must step in for him. Once you win and tackle a few more fights you then go up against Scarface. After beating him you are then given the chance to pick a girlfriend. The girls then fight but you actually control them and the winner becomes your new girlfriend. Now your character must gain respect by competing in more fights and you must get new clothes and so on. Your character will meet many people along the way that will give you a helping hand.

=== GAMEPLAY ===
Def Jam Vendetta has a fair few game modes that you can play. Story mode is the main mode and the aim of this is to basically win every match up you have. Some of the match types available in this are one vs one and two on two. Both are good but I feel the single matches are much better. There are also girl matches which are also fairly good. When wrestling it obviously takes place in a wrestling ring which is surrounded by a decent sized crowd. You have to do wrestling moves, punches, kicks and combos to defeat your opponents. There are also special moves which you can do but you need to fill a meter by doing moves on your opponents. The finishing moves are absolutely fantastic and can sometimes knock your opponent straight out and automatically win you the match. Also when doing moves there are several ways you can do them. You can run and grapple, do normal standing moves or you can simply hold the grapple button and a direction longer to do powerful moves. You can also climb turnbuckles and do devastating moves from there. You can also go out the ring and wrestle near the crowds.

There are over 40 different brawlers and almost all of them are real rappers and some of which include including DMX, Ghostface Killah, Redman, Ludacris, N.O.R.E., Capone, Scarface, Joe Budden, Method Man and many more. Christina Milian is also featured as one of the girls in the game but under a different name. There are several unique venues where you can wrestle as well and most of them are really good. The biggest surprise to the game is the fact there are well over 1500 different wrestling moves and no characters have the same. There are also a wide range of devastating finishes to kill off your opponents. You also earn cash which can be spent to upgrade the story mode characters stats to make them much stronger, more agile and a lot tougher to beat. Earning cash is simple and is done by winning matches, the more matches you win the more money you can earn. Also each of the girls in the game have a gallery which can be viewed from the main menu. The gallery is full with their real life photos.

Game modes are an important part of some games nowadays and Def Jam Vendetta rarely disappoints because there are a total of 3 playable game modes which one is story mode. Battle mode is a great mode to play because it involves different match ups for you to try. You could go one vs one against anyone you like or you can even do tag team matches. Also you can do a free for all match which is four wrestlers against each other. Lastly there is also handicap matches but I don't see why you would want to go up against a maximum of 3 wrestlers at one time. You can also play this mode with up to four friends on the same console. Another game mode you can play is Survival mode. Survival mode is one of my favourites because it never ends. You take on the computer in a one on one match but straight after you will come up against another one but your health is refilled after every fight and you just need to win. Also this mode is the most challenging and can get extremely frustrating. Something else worth mentioning is that you don't need to win by just pinning your opponent on the mat because you can also make them submit or knock them out.

=== GRAPHICS ===
Def Jam Vendetta is quite good for graphics but the game does look slightly dated in some places but that's not forgetting the game was released back in 2003. Most of the wrestlers look great but there are a few that don't look at all like they do in real life. Some of them though do and are detailed really well and most of them have facial expressions when they are hit and so on. I was a little disappointed that a select few of the wrestling venues look a little dated more so than the other graphics on display. The colouring and textures of the game are okay. Overall I think the graphics are fairly good but the game overall is starting to show its age.

=== SOUND EFFECTS ===
The sound effects to Def Jam Vendetta are reasonably good in places. The music in the game gets on my wick a little because I cant stand rap music or most RnB music. There are a couple of songs that surprised me but it was obvious what type of music would be in the game anyway. There are songs from people such as Method Man, Public Enemy, DMX, Redman, Keith Murray, Comp, Onyx, Ghostface Killah, Scarface and many more. The actual in game sound effects and the menu sound effects are actually really good. You can hear the full effects when you slam your opponent to the mat and you can certainly hear the full effect when you're just about to finish your opponent off. So the overall sound effects are quite good and certainly make the game better.

=== DIFFICULTY ===
Def Jam Vendetta can be a little sod of a game. Some of the wrestlers or rappers which ever you want to call them are hard as nails and seem to always do things like block or counter. The game is increasingly annoying when they block or counter and it certainly makes it more challenging. Also the controls are a little difficult because there are so many of them. The game starts off fairly simple but as you start defeating enemies and taking on more it starts getting harder and when you find yourself up in a handicap match then your in big trouble. I finally mastered the game so its quite easy now but after a while you will as well. Other game modes can be difficult it depend if you're up against friends or if you're playing survival mode because that can be a pain in the neck. Overall the game can be difficult until you get the hang of it.

=== LONGEVITY ===
The length of the game is actually not too shabby. I was expecting story mode to be short and to be honest it sort of is but the fact you have to go through with four different characters is great. Each playthrough is about 8-10 hours per character which is respectable and overall quite good. Survival mode will literally last you a lifetime because its incredibly hard and I'm pretty sure it cant be finished and just involves no end of matches. Battle mode is also quite good because you can play this mode alone against the computer or you can play against friends or family members. Overall the length of the game in my opinion is good.

=== PROS ===
*Over 40 rappers to fight with and most of them are unlockables.
*A wrestling game full with both male and female rappers.
*The sound effects are really good to the game.
*The game can be picked up incredibly cheap online.
*Story mode is good and you can play battle mode with or against friends.
*Over 1500 different moves with each wrestler having different moves.

=== CONS ===
*Survival mode is quite tricky and never ends.
*Some of the graphics look a little dated for a 2003 game.
*The story to the game is unnecessary and effects the gameplay a little.
*Not really enough multiplayer options.
*The game will at some point make you frustrated and annoyed.

=== FINAL THOUGHT ===
Def Jam Vendetta is a great game and even wrestling fans will love this even though there are no actual real wrestlers in it. Also are so far two sequels to this game entitled Def Jam Fight For NY and Def Jam Icon and looks like there wont be anymore. I love the fact you can do actual proper wrestling moves on the game and that the finishers are even better than what proper finishing moves are like. Def Jam Vendetta is a superbly designed game that will suit many types of gamers.

If you like wrestling and rap music this game will be perfect for you because both are merged together. If you dislike both with a passion then this is definitely not for you. I would recommend the game to be fair and the main reason for that is because its enjoyable. Even though the game is frustrating most of the time you can unleash your own anger in it. Also if you're a fan of proper wrestling games this isn't far short of what those games offer and the only real difference are the rappers and music. Okay there aren't an awful lot of match types but I feel there's enough to make you enjoy it like I have.

I bought the game a while back from Amazon and it only set me back £2 which included postage. Amazon is the best place to find this game and probably the cheapest. The game is still on there for the same price and I believe its worth every penny. The game manual is good and I can guarantee you will use it for the controls like I did. The game also has an age rating of 15+ because of the strong violence and language used throughout.

Overall Def Jam Vendetta is a fun and failry addictive game that I would give a reasonable 7/10!

Review also posted on Ciao under username: MrBrightside1987!