Ragdoll Kung Fu shines in multiplayer but falls flat in single player

by Peter Fiorilla

Fun factor: Fun

Worth to: Rent

One of the better party games on the PS3 but it’s a crying shame that single player mode feels like a demo, offering little content and dumb AI

Most people are under the impression LittleBigPlanet was developer Media Molecule’s first game (which it technically is), but years before that megaton release the small team behind it created Rag Doll Kung Fu. A peculiar title in both presentation and content, Rag Doll Kung Fu was a great tech demo to show off the developer’s skills, and the translation to the Playstation Network retains what made the original game so much damn fun. It also makes certain issues more apparent and less excusable.

Tacky and wacky with cheesy Asian jams

Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic’s aesthetic is easy to appreciate. Customizable ninja-esque characters awkwardly move across the screen and jump as if in outer space, floating fluidly across detailed environments with cheesy Asian jams and wacky sound effects accompanying their every move. It is a very attractive game, and those who loved the look and feel of LittleBigPlanet will feel right at home with the ragdoll physics and slightly sluggish feel of movement.



Platforming around a wide variety of multitiered levels is fun, but the core experience relies on the fighting. Streamlined controls utilizing the Dualshock 3’s motion capabilities immerse the player into the experience and do a good job of showcasing the potential of the controller, and performing combos requires fluid translation between traditional and motion controls. Fighting is fairly standard, but kicking, punching and throwing thunderbolts never get old. All fighters have the same moves to keep things simple, and while that certainly makes it feel a bit more shallow than others of its genre, it is an excusable fault for a downloadable title.

Clearly not intended for single player

What cannot be overlooked is the drab single player experience, which lasts about half an hour and is not much fun even for so short a time. It is essentially a long tutorial and feels like a prelude to an actual game, not the full game itself. Uninteresting challenges, fairly standard fighting and dumb bots ensure the only reasons anyone will want to plow through Fists of Plastic without a friend is for the easy-to-get trophies.



The game’s saving grace is its multiplayer, which is a blast. Despite only employing four modes of play and eight levels it is easy to lose track of time; the Playstation 3 has lacked good party titles since its release, but this is a solid and accessible title that virtually anyone can get into (if not master).

Summary

After a single Friday night throwing punches at your friends, Fists of Plastic will have worn out its welcome. It is great fun while it lasts, but it just does not last that long, even if the player has friends interested in playing. A very attractive audiovisual presentation and tried but true gameplay make Fists of Plastic a worthy purchase for fans of the genre, but they may question why downloading a demo cost them $10.