Rumble Roses
Format: PS2 | Released: 02/18/05 | Reviewed: 06/01/2006| Words: RobotRocker
If anything Rumble roses knows it's cheap and plays off it so deliciously well. It's a guilty pleasure to have beside that DVD of Equilibrium and Ridge Racer type 4 OST CD. Firstly, the plot is utterly insane. Words here will not do it justice. It involves an evil nurse trying to cut up female fighters for cyborg parts, a runaway high schooler trying to raise money for an orphanage and an Engrish Mongol warrior who rides in on a horse. Yet somehow it all adds up and makes some sort of sense, not only that. the characters are endearing and pretty funny compared to a lot of stereotyped blonde bimbos that some US studios love to put out. It's a hell of a lot better than the novella lite or botched Hollywood plots of late and damn funny to boot. Maybe EA should feed some crack into their designer's coffee.
Second, the voice acting is pretty bad, but in a so bad it's brilliant way. SCEAs newfound hatred for anything Japanese, means that we get some English voice actors camping it up nicely and it works with some superb delivery (Anaesthesia's voice actress needs major kudos piled in her direction just for playing her a sexy Australian in a Dick Dastardly esque style) Even the little touches are brilliant (Canadian Miss Spencer announcing her "lethal" move in French Canadian is a very nice touch if you consider the profiles). If you have to blame anything,it's the bogey script really. But it all part of the fun and isn't has offensive as some may make you believe.
Thirdly, Rumble Roses is unbelievable fun. It's limited; it's shallow and probably would be a rental for most. But it's endearing and makes you smile. The soundtrack is a seriously eclectic mix of Japanese electronic, Spanish Punk Rock and DDR-Esque Hip-Hop that's incredibly catchy. The gameplay, is tight, responsive and isn't as anal as a regular wrestling game with a very smooth learning curve. And the graphics are incredibly detailed, with some excellent looking character models and some smooth looking animation on the ladies as well as the shimmering mud in the now infamous mud match mode.
And yes, I'm at the bit you have all been waiting for. The sex. Leave your pantsu at the door as its going to get steamy. Konami style.
Recently Game Central on Channel 4's teletext wrote a piece damning this game and Dead or Alive for being sexist representations of females in the video game industry. And they may have a point about the whole fetishist angle (Every character is a representation of a sexual fetish) but sexist? Hardly. Rumble Roses presents its characters not as sexual objects, but as strong leads and not as mere eye candy as in previous wrestling games? Konami genre busting at its best. Even the fact that you "humiliate" your opponent to win is basically the same as a Pro wrestling "I quit" match. And the Mud match is way less offensive than the "bra and panties" matches in Smackdown Vs Raw. Rumble Roses is Page 3 before Murdoch got his hands on it. Cheeky and fun.
Rumble Roses is as honest a game you will find on the market today. It lets you know its sexual and may be offending those with more refined tastes but those willing to persevere with it will find a fun and engaging battler that may even appeal to both sexes of whatever persuasion.
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