Def Jam Vendetta mixes first-rate wrestling gameplay with an unusual cast of rappers to create PS2’s best wrestling game since WWF/WCW.

At first appearance most people looked at this game and thought, what, a wrestling game without The Rock? But after the first couple of hours of playing Vendetta, I was glad and eager to replace The Rock with DMX (one of the rappers in the game), because this is the first wrestling game to put gameplay above the details on the wrestler’s disturbing leotards. EA Big (the game’s producer) fills the game with hundreds of unique moves you can use to give your opponent a real smackdown. There is also an interesting momentum system that rises as the character continuously performs moves on the opponent. When the momentum bar fills to the top you can set your player into "blazin’ mode" which allows him to perform his special attack that is able to "KO" the opponent.

The major flaw with the gameplay is that after two hours of playing or actually listening to the tutorial you can master the game with ease. Facing another person may be difficult, but playing the CPU, even on the hardest level, is quite easy.

Since I have been playing video games, this is the first wrestling game with an actual storyline other than fighting match after match to get to the WWE championship. You begin by selecting a player and going underground to fight for your friend Manny who is in over his head and will be six feet under if you don’t help him. After the first three victories word spreads that you have come back to the underground and you see your old girlfriend, Angel, again. Yet, she is now with the baddest and baldest of them all, D-Mob, who just so happens to be the guy who crushed you in your past. Now your motive is to rise to the top, defeat D-Mob and win back your pride and your girl. As you progress to the top of the rankings, D-Mob throws all of his Def Jam rappers in your path. To ascend to the top you must defeat rappers such as DMX, Redman, Method Man, Ludacris, N.O.R.E., Scarface, WX and many more. But trust me it is incredibly fun wrestling all of them and making cash doing it.

However the game fails to properly notify you that the people you are fighting are famous rappers. If you don’t know all of the guys mentioned above, you won’t be able to enjoy this game to its fullest.

Vendetta provides many pleasurable extras as well. As your character gains fame in story mode there are a number of girls who will fight to be at your side. When two girls are yearning to be at your side at the same time you can pick one and they fight each other to see who gets to be your girl. If you win, photos of that girl will be accessible at the main menu. But don’t go thinking this is BMX XXX, the girls aren’t nude, but some of the photos are a little provocative.

For all wrestling games, the multiplayer mode has to be good for the game to succeed. A good single player mode can only take a wrestling game so far; the multiplayer aspect has to take it down the long hall. Don’t worry, Vendetta is successful in this aspect as well. Vendetta works with a multitap to play four person free for all (FFA) or a two-team tag match. The FFA is very exciting because you have to keep an eye on every player or you may get a pounding. The tag team also takes skill because you must watch your partner’s back and make sure that opposing players aren’t weakening him too much or you will lose.

Nevertheless, no game is perfect and this one has some flaws that are certainly noticeable. For starters, the combo system doesn’t make any sense. It is better to just hit the opponent hard and grapple him right after that.

My major complaint was the music. Although I liked the music in the game, there were only 18 tracks on the game. That is miniscule compared to other PS2 games like GTA. After three hours of gameplay you have heard every single track at least two times and it starts to get on your nerves considering the title of the game is Def Jam Vendetta. You might expect the game would have more than 18 tracks given it has a record company in its title.

Despite the music and flawed combo system, I found myself playing this game all the way through and trying to unlock every extra. EA took a risk with this game and succeeded in making a wrestling game that has an entertaining single player mode, as well as a fun multiplayer mode. Vendetta is the start of a new wave of wrestling games that I for one look forward to.