Giant Bomb Review

29 Comments

Final Fight: Double Impact Review

4
  • XBLM
  • PS3N

by on

This is absolutely the right way to repackage and sell old arcade games.


 Yes. YES.
Note to any developers resurrecting an arcade classic or two on modern download services: Final Fight: Double Impact is the right way to do it. What it lacks in sheer bulk (it's only got Final Fight and, randomly, Magic Sword), it more than makes up for with a deeply infectious reverence for all the minutiae of the arcade experience.

Everything is spot-on. Both games are here in their entirety, hookers and all. One of the graphics filters reproduces the soft edges, phosphor glow, and slight curvature of the old CRT monitors they used in '80s machines. You can play either game framed by a perfect reproduction of its cabinet art, controls and everything. Double Impact was obviously made by some people who really love old arcade games. It's glorious.

Of course, as much as you want to wax nostalgic about Final Fight and its musclebound mayor Mike Haggar, it's still just an old-school beat-'em-up. That means a lot of walking from left to right, hammering on the attack button, and occasionally busting open a barrel or crate to devour the health-restoring roast chicken concealed within. Magic Sword's fantasy hack-and-slash is similarly one-trick, and though it's merely a side-scroller, it at least gives you different weapons and allies to fight with through its 50 levels. The point is, it's great to stroll alongside these games down memory lane for a couple of hours, but they aren't deep enough to support repeated playthroughs anymore. But for $10, you might not need them to.

      Nothing says "love letter" like fake arcade cabinets.
Double Impact's presentation does everything you'd want, and the backend features hold up their end of the deal too. There are checkpoints in both games so you can pick up where you left off, and every manner of two-player play is in here: local, online, and even a jump-in matchmaking mode that drops you into the game of a random online player. (That mode can be slightly shaky when you first join a game but quickly stabilizes and makes for a smooth experience.)

Maybe the best addition is the Vault, which ties into the in-game achievements/trophies but extends well beyond them with extra challenges like "beat this game using less than 18 continues" or "finish every level with Guy." Some of these goals are pretty rough, and make you realize how intently old arcade games devoted themselves to the goal of making you pump quarter ad nauseam. They're cheap as hell. But finishing Vault challenges unlocks you tons of great old '80s concept art, fan art, comic book pages, and other random goodies that are fun to look at if you're way, way into Final Fight and Magic Sword.

Capcom is in the enviable position of owning a huge stable of beloved old arcade licenses ripe for a 21st-century digital repackaging. It's only fitting that a game as classic as Final Fight should be first up for this kind of royal treatment, but then again, I'd be willing to play any arcade rerelease that's this lovingly restored. Brad Shoemaker on Google+
29 Comments
Posted by Trilogy

I want to get my magic sword on.
 
 
 
 
If you know what I mean.

Posted by JJWeatherman

Sounds awesome. I've actually never played Final Fight though... at least not that I recall. I'm a bad person.

Edited by Rodiard

I'd like to see Knights of the Round get this treatment. 
 
And I'm ashamed to admit that I had never heard of Magic Sword before this combo was announced.

Edited by Brackynews
Posted by Lepuke

Yup I couldn't resist the urge and nostalgia ensued. Such  a great package, and presentation. 
Magic Sword makes the deal for me, because love Final Fight as I may, my ultimate favorite beat em up game is still Streets of Rage 2.
 
Also, agree with Rodiard also Knights of the Nine is another classic and sadly nearly forgotten game.

Posted by thecleric

I kind of regret not buying this instead of Stolen Memories 
 
 
because Stolen Memories keeps fucking crashing! and doesn't have Mike Haggar.

Posted by LordAndrew

$10 for Magic Sword? I'm game.

Posted by emkeighcameron

braaaaaaad  BRAAAAAD  BRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAADDDDD

Posted by Hailinel

*Rushes to download Double Impact on PSN*

Posted by JJOR64
@JJWeatherman said:
" Sounds awesome. I've actually never played Final Fight though... at least not that I recall. I'm a bad person. "
You are a bad person.  Go play it NOW!
Posted by alchron

I miss playing this game back in the day.

Posted by TheYear20XX
@Rodiard said:
" I'd like to see Knights of the Round get this treatment.  And I'm ashamed to admit that I had never heard of Magic Sword before this combo was announced. "
I would dig the hell out of Knights of the Round being released like this. Such a great game.
Posted by Milkman

As expected. Seems sweet.

Posted by Bluethunder35

I'm surprised by all the strong reviews this game is getting. I thought it would get 60-70 type scores. Still, CapCom pretty much covered every base. Online play. Save anywhere. Tons of unlockables. Low price.   
 
Maybe I'll buy it during the summer.

Posted by thecleric
@JJOR64 said:
" @JJWeatherman said:
" Sounds awesome. I've actually never played Final Fight though... at least not that I recall. I'm a bad person. "
You are a bad person.  Go play it NOW! "
Unfortunately trademarks are preventing us from receive Capcoms 2 masterpiece beat em ups 
 
Aliens vs Predators and D&D: Shadows over Mystara
Posted by Spectreman

* Capcom and Sony put some type of crap DRM wich don´t allow the game boot if you are not logged in PSN. In other words, you must have connect to internet to play the game. It´s dont make any sense in PS3.

Posted by Junior_AIN

Nice review, after reading this I want this game even more.

Edited by SenatorSpacer

So Brad, how does it feel reviewing a game other than Final Fantasy XIII :P ?

Posted by mosdl
@Spectreman said:
" * Capcom and Sony put some type of crap DRM wich don´t allow the game boot if you are not logged in PSN. In other words, you must have connect to internet to play the game. It´s dont make any sense in PS3. "
Only on the ps3?
Posted by Superfriend

I think games like these are better suited for Gameroom. Plus if I wanna buy Final Fight, I want to pay 400 points (or less) and be done. Magic Sword is okay, but here it feels a little tacked on to justify the 800 points.

Posted by Bluethunder35
@Brackynews:  
 
I love Black Tiger, too. Very underrated game and lots of fun to play. I would like to see it paired up with another heavyweight or two in a future Capcom Impact download.
Posted by RecSpec
@Spectreman said:
" * Capcom and Sony put some type of crap DRM wich don´t allow the game boot if you are not logged in PSN. In other words, you must have connect to internet to play the game. It´s dont make any sense in PS3. "
 
I know, that annoyed the hell out of me.
I bought this game solely to play with my brother and sister (who live across the country)
I bought the game, and downloaded it to both systems.
 
The first night we were going to play it, but my sister couldn't play it for 24 hours, cause I activated it first.
The next night, 24 hours later, we try to play, and wouldn't you know. Only one of us can play it at a time.
 
So rather than spend the extra 10 bucks to play online, I said screw it. I'll cut my losses and deal with single player.
Online
Posted by Egge

Bought this pack for Magic Sword alone, despite never having played it. Final Fight seems like a pretty standard beat'em'up to me, but the frantic Magic Sword is batshit crazy in all sorts of endearingly random ways. Gets a bit repetitive after, say, 30 levels or so but the forking story paths at the end are, like, so Heavy Rain... ;)

Posted by ptys

I can see where you're coming from with the 4/5 Brad, but I think the game is a bit janky for the four stars! Some parts are meant to make you die, no matter how good a player you are it's not possible to survive surely! Also when you try and quit after dying it forces you to re-join the game in order to access the exit option! Just a few examples.
  
Good news is, it's still a good release, now they need to work on the original Street Fighter 2, with all the invisible throws, golden stance and freeze! How cool would that be to play online!

Posted by ChernobylCow

Now if someone would put together the Dungeons & Dragons arcade game and maybe the Simpsons game.

Edited by Nettacki
@MisuseOfLasers: Isn't that the game with MAD TIGER BALLS?
Posted by YahwehTzVaoth

I played through Final Fight and having only played Streets of Rage 2 maybe six months ago, I am now struck at how much more fluid that game feels when compared to the Capcom classic.  Graphically I think Final Fight has the clear edge with its bigger an more detailed sprites. 
 
This comparison is not say that one is better than the other, I was just thinking about SOR2 when playing FF and wondering what FF needed to make it a better game.  I think the answer is to give the characters some kind of move that advances them in the field and does damage at the same time.  Axel's Rising Upper is somewhat unbalanced, but as an attack that moves into the enemy and allows the player to stay on the ground, it promotes advancing towards the enemy.
 
Just saying, is there is going to be a new Final Fight game for XBLA in the future, the characters should have an attack like this.

Posted by FPSsFTW

2 games for the price of one!

Posted by Siepher

Great package, even though Final Fight is receiving most of my attention.

Use your keyboard!

  • ESC