Plot: What’s it about?
As you should be able to guess from the title, Girl Fight is all about girls…well, fighting each other. The stories behind our femme fatales are minimal, though some background reports can be unlocked as rewards. The focus is on the fighting and in a genre crowded with beloved games, Girl Fight needed a lot to stand out. The basic fight mechanics feel close to the Dead or Alive series, but not quite as refined or polished. DoA also serves as inspiration in other ways, such as the bounce driven female models and quite scandalous attire. I found combat to be responsive and like most fight games, simple to get a hold on, but a challenge to master all the finer touches. In a move that is sure to frustrate some, you begin Girl Fight with a lone combatant available and you unlock others as you progress. I always love a good unlock system, but a single fighter available at the start limits the action and feels a little too restrictive. Another problem is that the fighters all feel the same, with minimal variance between them in terms of fight style and move sets. Fans in this genre are rabid for vastly different characters with unique arsenals, so the similar fighters is going to limit the game’s profile somewhat.
As I said above, the fight controls work well and let you unleash your moves with ease. One element that Girl Fight adds to stand out is the Psi-Amp, which gives you special abilities of all kinds. You equip a Psi-Amp, then build up your meter (up to three bars), then let loose your powerful abilities. Some provide added damage to your attacks, while others allow you to turn invisible, so a nice mix of offense and defense are available. Another unique element is the Combit currency, which you earn through various actions as you battle it out. These points can be used to unlock new Psi-Amp abilities, artwork, alternate costumes, and even police reports that help flesh out the fighters’ stories. This unlock system helps add more depth and gives you some motivation to complete challenges as you fight. While Girl Fight has a lot of positive elements, in the end it simply isn’t going to dethrone the entrenched fight kings like Street Fighter or Dead or Alive. But it offers solid combat, smooth on-line multi-player, and some just plain fun times with hot girls battling it out. So if you are a dedicated fight fan who is interested in the Psi-Amp and Combit systems, then Girl Fight is well worth a look.
Video: How’s it look?
The visuals aren’t on the same level as the top full retail fight games, but still solid. The stages look great, with a lot of detail and movement in the backgrounds. The character models are what you’d expect, hot girls in skimpy outfits, with bouncing in all the right spots. The overall design leans toward a futuristic take, so there are a lot of metallic hues here. I found the animation to be solid, but again, not on par with the genre’s best. Even so, Girl Fight boasts good visuals for an arcade release.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The sound design didn’t jump out and impress, but it seems like the basics are covered. The music is passable, but can get a little repetitive in long sessions. The voice work is good, but not great and isn’t frequently used. The sound effects work well, with the kind of impact you’d expect from the genre. So while not a flashy game in terms of soundtrack, the basics are well handled and that is good news.
