This latest Xbox beat-em-up comes from one of the guys behind the original Mortal Kombat, so you know that violence and brutality are going to play key roles from the outset. What the game focuses on in particular, however, is a blend of fighting realism and some rather impressive special effects.

The premise is fundamentally simple; it's just one-on-one combat backed by an old yarn of good versus evil. To be more precise, two ancient Chinese clans of super fighters are battling for dom ... more >>

This latest Xbox beat-em-up comes from one of the guys behind the original Mortal Kombat, so you know that violence and brutality are going to play key roles from the outset. What the game focuses on in particular, however, is a blend of fighting realism and some rather impressive special effects.

The premise is fundamentally simple; it's just one-on-one combat backed by an old yarn of good versus evil. To be more precise, two ancient Chinese clans of super fighters are battling for dominance, each seeking to discover the secrets to immortality, in an alternate present day that has witnessed Chinese occupation of certain areas of the US. The story merely serves to provide a setting and a cast of characters though - pure and simple explosive combat is what Tao Feng's all about.

The main emphasis of the gameplay is on bone-crunching realism. Presenting what is possibly the most authentic recreation of the art of fighting to date, Tao Feng intricately renders such details as blood spilling, clothing tearing, bruises swelling and bones breaking. Not just for the purpose of eye candy either, this lifelike physical damage means that fighters' abilities are directly affected by the damage they take - hit an opponent's limb enough times, and it will break, weakening his ability to fight back.

Adding to this involving fighting experience is the game's assortment of environments, which are completely interactive. Various aspects of each of the arenas can be used to your advantage (or disadvantage) throughout the battles, allowing you to perform such stunts as throw an opponent through a glass case, break the floor with their face, flip off a wall or swing around a pole to pull off some high-flying manoeuvres.

At the core of the combat is what's known as your Chi meter. This builds up throughout each bout as you successfully unleash a barrage of violence upon your adversary. When it reaches full capacity you're given the chance to either pull off a devastating special move or heal yourself, should you be feeling a bit under the weather.

Visually speaking, Tao Feng is pretty impressive, featuring highly detailed characters and environments, believable lighting effects and some really convincing, fluid animation. Coupled with the game's unique gameplay features, it makes this quite a desirable addition to your Xbox collection.
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