I agree with Chi here, in fact there isn't much I can find to disagree with. The legendary boxers are represented here much more faithfully than in the N64 version and the extras on the disc (boxer bios and 'classic fights') are pretty slick and are welcome additions. As Chi mentioned, this version is much more of a simulation and those of you who read my N64 review will know that the lack of this feature was mostly responsible for my low overall rating. My Frazier-Ali fight played and looked much more like the real thing thanks to the toned-down off-the-wall gameplay mechanics. And as far as the controls go, I found them to be pretty good. Sure a novice may have some problems at first, but it's pretty easy to get into it after a few bouts. What got me was the training mode. Whereas the N64 version had a cheesy mock-bout to learn offense and defense, the PSX version comes with the option to use the heavy bag and a weight bench among other things. They aren't as interactive as the training modes in Ready 2 Rumble, but they are here and this certainly adds to the game.
However, the problem with this game isn't the direction the developers took with the genre, but the overall package. As Chi mentioned, the graphics are not stellar. Character models are nice but they look better and much cleaner in the N64 version and animations are way too repetitive to truly distinguish boxers from each other. A more minor issue for me was the ring babes (sorry ladies, I don't know what else to call them), who are rendered in real-time but wind up with an angular and somewhat freakish look about them. I would much rather have had the developer film REAL models (I probably wouldn't complain about load times or anything if I got to see that!). Overall, KK2000 (PSX) is a pretty good game. It's the best option on the market for simulation fans that want more than an arcade slugfest.
- Extra Credits: Differences in Scale vs Differences in Kind - May 15, 2013
- Extra Credits: Why Console Specs Don’t Matter - May 3, 2013
- Extra Credits:Intrinsic vs Extrinsic - April 27, 2013
