The beat-’em up (or “brawler”) genre was one of the mainstays of the arcade and early consoles back in the late ’80s and early ’90s. The genre is rather basic. You controlled a character moving from one side of the screen to the other as you beat your opponents senseless. It was fun for awhile, but I found it to be repetitive. You always go the exact same way, fighting the same opponents with different colorings and pretty much using the same tactics. And do you want a story to go with it? Forget it, because it isn’t and wasn’t going to happen or magically appear. Atlus and its crew recently decided to show the world that beating the living daylights out of people is not dead. Welcome to the fictional world of Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble. And it’s a pretty darn good game.
Kenka Bancho follows a high school student who only likes to fight. (You get to name him and the high school.) He is a “bancho,” a manly fighter who fights for fight’s sake. But a true bancho never fights those who do not fight. Engaging in combat with innocent bystanders and the police is highly looked down upon. So is fighting with weapons. Anyway, the high school that our protagonist attends is going on a seven-day trip to a fictional Japanese city because the principle believes that it is an important cultural experience. Unfortunately for the principal, so do all the other schools in Japan. Thus, the field trip becomes an all out battle royale for top bancho of Japan.
Despite the fact that there isn’t much to the plot, if you do not feel like it, you don’t have to follow the main story. But if you don’t, you’re missing out. The secondary characters in the game all have their own backstory and dreams. It helps create an authentic world. Text messages are predominately given by a former bancho trying to help. Furthermore, the writing is top-notch and over the top. It is not meant to be taken seriously as there is almost something to elicit a smile. Kenka Bancho is all about having fun. It is about the seriousness and silliness of those crazy high school years. Jokes and references to pop culture abound. It’s is not a laugh-a-minute, but it comes close to it at times.
This would mean nothing if it did not play well. Like all other brawlers, you’ll be pushing the same button combinations over and over again. However, what makes it feel consistently fresh is the fact that your move arsenal is constantly growing. Every time your avatar goes up a level or defeats a bancho, you gain a new attack. These punches, chops, head butts, throws and grapples can be traded in and out whenever you go to the inn or move from place to place. It is a cool touch, especially since they have some strength behind them. Also, you can distribute your avatar’s stats (attack, defense, speed, health and endurance) where ever you like. Who needs weapons anyway when fisticuffs are so effective?
Control is nice and tight. Expect the game to show about 95 percent of your button inputs. Movement is done by the control stick while the d-pad controls the camera and lock-on feature. Spirit (or “kiai”) is necessary to perform special attacks and local specialties (uber-potent attacks that are unique to each bancho. They can cause massive damage when used properly). If you stare down innocent bystanders, your spirit will rapidly be drained. This can be recovered by taking damage, crouching and using certain items. Items also can be used at any time while exploring, though their effectiveness decreases as your avatar becomes full.
But by far the best part of Kenka Bancho is its free-roaming, do-as-you-will vibe. If you just want to run around and look at the local scenery, you can do that. You can skip the school events (or attend them) and hunt down banchos. You can look for your “friends” and learn more about them. You can challenge their followers and engage in a smackdown and taunt competition. This part of the game requires you to press the appropriate buttons to initiate the proper taunt. I’m not too fond of it as it isn’t very dynamic and doesn’t allow for some creative taunts. Ultimately, the game is about doing what you want over the course of seven days.
Graphically, Kenka Bancho looks awesome for a PSP game. It looks realistic with its grainy charm. Characters express emotions. The world is vibrant and full of detail. There is shrubbery to stumble into. Cars are driving around the streets and brake at intersections. People wander to and fro, lost in their own silly thoughts. The various attacks look potent and cool. By far, though, the coolest aspect of the engine is the simple fact that load times are short. It is rare to be waiting more than 2 minutes for the action to start gain. Furthermore, the auto map is cleanly laid out and is useful in finding various events, stores, police and transportation hotspots.
Sound wise, everything is in its place. Punches smack well (if such a thing is “good”), footsteps are heard as your avatar runs from place to place, and special attacks sound unique. Music ranges from the local quiet ambience to rock. Guitars rock out on the opening movies. Guitars, synthizers and drums combine to create an upbeat feel. There is voice acting, but it is usually kept to grunts and groans. This is not bad, per se. It would be nice to hear more voices, though. But something had to give considering there is a ton of content in the game.
Overall, Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble is a fine game. Heck, it is one of the strongest action titles that I have played this year on a portable system. The free roaming, beat-’em up and story elements all combine together in a delicious mixture that is rewarding and intriguing. The game is hilarious at times and serious at others. Ultimately, complaints about it are few and far between. Granted, to get the most of the game a few replays will have to be done. So that’s not a bad thing, right? It may not be as addictive as Atlus claims, but it sure is a lot of fun. So anyone game for a smackdown?
