Foreman for Real

Review

by Scott Alan Marriott

Big George Foreman returns to the ring once again to lend his name and likeness to Acclaim's second boxing game for the Super Nintendo, Foreman For Real. The game looks a lot like 1993's Boxing Legends of the Ring but with smaller, more detailed fighters. So how does it measure up to what is considered the best boxing game available on the system? Not very well, I'm afraid.

The biggest issue facing all boxing games, at least the ones that try to be realistic, is how to keep the number of punches thrown to a believable amount without sacrificing the rhythm or "feel" so essential to the sport. If you upset the balance, you'll either have a slugfest without any need for strategy or a game that's sluggish to control. Ideally, the boxer's fatigue level should be set so that if you constantly punch wildly, you'll tire out faster. Foreman For Real's problem is that the controls are unresponsive and the boxing has an uneven pace. Of course, the flip side of this is the number of punches thrown are within the realm of believability. That doesn't make the game fun, however.

The boxers look very realistic except for one thing: the digitized faces are expressionless, creating an eerie feeling that you're sparring against zombies. Some of the boxers even stare away from your fighter, which is more than a little unsettling. Foreman is not right either: he looks too thin in this game and is rated way too high on defense. Sure, he can take a beating like nobody's business, but that should be factored in his stamina rating! Another disappointment is the other boxers are all fictional; it would have been nice to face Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson or any other boxer from the past. It wouldn't be so bad if you could change each boxer's appearance, but you can't. The game doesn't allow you to customize your fighter or create a new one, which would have distinguished it from other boxing titles.

When all is said and done, it is the actual gameplay that matters, and this is where the game wobbles. When you press the button there is a delayed response, upsetting the rhythm and balance of the fight. Normally quick punches like jabs feel like you have weights in your gloves, destroying the sense of speed and need for quick reaction. It appears that the developers spent too much time worrying about the motion captured graphics than creating a great playing game, simulation or otherwise. Boxing Legends of the Ring outclasses this game in every respect aside from the graphics, but even this area isn't a knockout. That's a shame too, because with faster gameplay and better control "it coulda been a contenda."