Reviews// Fighters Uncaged

Then there's the problem of lag. Maybe it's not AMA Studios' fault, maybe it's Kinect, but it doesn't matter. Your actions are just not picked up fast enough. Sometimes your moves come off too late, sometimes a dodge or a block doesn't come off despite you having done it as soon as the on-screen prompt appeared, sometimes moves just don't register at all.

The upshot is that Fighters Uncaged just feels really bloody frustrating.

Never mind the grinding that comes with having to fight the same guys in the same environments over and over again to get enough points to progress.

There's an attempt at depth in the fighting mechanics, with lots of advice given about striking distances and weaknesses and adapting to your opponents' style and combos and the like. But, with the controls being so hit and miss, realising that depth is going to take someone with serious patience who's prepared to put in a very great deal of time to get to grips with exactly what movements the game will register properly.

There is also no multiplayer. REALLY? In a beat 'em up. Yes, I know.

The presentation's a bit lacklustre, too. AMA has gone for a low-key, gritty streetfighting sort of look to the characters and settings. It's a shame, then, that the studio hasn't managed to get any sort of atmosphere out of Fighters Uncaged.

I've only played The Fight for PS3 briefly, but it has a similar premise and does a far better job of evoking a Fight Club sort of feel.

It doesn't help that the characters in Fighters Uncaged have the sort of shit catchphrases that come with crazy, over-the-top fighters like those you'd fine in Tekken. In Tekken it's sort of cute in a kitsch sort of way, and you get the fun feel that goes with it. In Fighters Uncaged my character came off as a slightly camp life coach in a leather jacket.

Conclusion
If you've got some overly-macho, non-gamer, non-critical mates who you need to impress with the over-priced piece of fitness hardware you bought to get the missus finally interested in the Xbox, Fighters Uncaged might work.

If you don't let them play it for too long. Otherwise, it's very vaguely entertaining for short stretches, but it really won't justify the money you spent on Kinect. Poor controls just hobble the whole experience.

SPOnG Score: 38%