Tokyo 2029 A.D. steps out of the box and into the ring, pitting four players against each other in a 2D free-for-all that features characters that don’t do damage to each other. Technically. Read on.
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Players may choose from multiple fighters, each with varied attacks and a unique finishing move. In fact, the aforementioned finishing move is the only way to knock out one of your enemies, since basic attacks don’t do any damage. Instead, with each successful attack a character’s overhead gauge fills with a white bar. Each hit that the character takes, on the other hand, lowers this bar. When the bar is filled it will flash, signalling that the finishing move is ready. Execution of this technique will activate the character’s unique attack that serves as a one-shot kill against the first victim it touches.
Since the single-player mode progresses over six levels, with the first four hosting three-player melees and the last two introducing four-player rumbles, there’s definitely a lot of gauge movement. Each character has a varying move list, but combat often looks hectic (and rightfully so) as three or four combatants hop about the screen throwing out limbs in desperate attempts to keep their gauges moving in the right direction. Combat gets messy, not so much due to the blood spilled, but more so with the frantic flailing of arms and legs.
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Nevertheless, Tokyo 2029 only costs a dollar, so there’s only so much complaining you can do. One factor the game has going for it is replayability. Characters and modes are unlocked through combat, which means that you’ll probably play through the game with a couple characters. The background art is attractive, and the character models themselves aren’t too mundane. There is limited voice acting and the music is metal-like and confined to a loop, which is often the norm for games in this genre. Tokyo 2029 also features four-player local multiplayer, allowing you to replace the AI with people you can punch and kick in real life.
While using a finishing move will deplete the character’s bar, the gauge will automatically refill until the character is hit. Momentum persists with the implementation of this mechanic, as well as with the selection of the unlockable Momentum mode. Selecting this mode before battle makes for even wilder combat; after hitting an opponent, your bar will regenerate slowly until full, but if you’re hit the bar will degenerate slowly until empty. Imagine the tangled heap of bodies with this mode in effect and you probably won’t be far off from the truth.
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Tokyo 2029 is a fairly balanced Indie fighter, which is a difficult feat in and of itself. While the title can make for really jumbled combat and the tug-of-war style of play can mean anything from one-minute rounds to ten-minute rounds (there’s no timer), if nothing else it’s worth the 80 :MSPoints: price tag. There’s definitely room for improvement, which hopefully will be taken into consideration as Team Shuriken develops the follow-up already hinted at in-game.
You can find more information as well as the trial and full version of the game on the Marketplace.
Review by Iggypu.
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