Splittin' wigs to tha' beat!

Def Jam Icon is the best rap-centric game I have ever played. It is flashy, over-the-top and features some of the hottest beats from the past few years. The innovation in the fighting engine shows some promise yet ultimately leaves you wanting more. Whatever it lacks in depth, though, it definitely makes up for with amazing style.

Icon at its roots is a brawler style fighting game. You pick from a roster of today's most prominent rap artists and throw down in a handful of locations ranging from a gas station to the BET studios. The real show-stoppers in the game are the environments. Every level transforms to the music as you fight and hazards are triggered as the song hits a major beat. It is a really cool mechanic and knowing how to manipulate the music is the key to victory. There are many modes available but the meat and potatoes of Icon is its single player "Build a Label" mode.

In "Build a Label" mode you get to create a custom character using a very extensive set of options and set him on a journey that takes you from street thug to record mogul over the course of the game. In between fights you will get the opportunity to sign artists to your label and make various choices that will either make you money and your artist happy, or stir the pot and cause rivalries. I found this portion of the game to be really engaging. When an artist completes a song, you are tasked with investing money into different aspects like marketing and PR appearances to promote the song. Your song then hits the charts and if you put the right money in the right places you will see the song climb and your profits soar. You can use the money you earn to further customize your character by buying new clothes, jewelry and even tattoos. I think this music business aspect made things fresh and really set this game apart from other fighters.

Simply Awesome. Not only does the game boast some very well modeled and textured characters and environments, but the lighting and camera filters used really make the game feel like a gritty Spike Lee movie or Mark Romaneck rap video. The smoke and explosions look realistic and as the fight progresses you will see your character acquire bruises and charred clothing. The game gets an A+ for style and consistency.

By default the game uses no meters or on-screen indicators much like EA's Fight Night. You will be able to determine your status by the physical appearance of your fighter. For instance, the closer you are to being defeated the more blood and bruises you have all over your face. When a player is down to his last few hits, the camera pulls in close to the action and the color contrast increases. Sometimes it makes things hard to see, but for the most part it heightens the tension and makes for a really satisfying victory.

Icon's control setup is simple but takes a few fights to really get the hang of. The face buttons are used to punch and kick for quick hits and the right analog stick executes stronger attacks that often knock your opponent down or backwards. You also use the right stick to grapple your opponent and either throw him towards an environmental hazard or do a takedown move. In addition to its other functions, the right stick is also used to block if you hold down the right trigger or enable DJ controls with the left trigger. My major gripe with the control is just that: too much is happening with the right-analog stick and there were many instances of not getting the proper response from the controls when I needed it most . It is a forgivable flaw and only makes for a little annoyance, but I wish grapples could have been assigned to another button.

EA deserves a gold star for its DJ controls and implementation. By holding down the left trigger and rotating the analog sticks you can manipulate the current song to your advantage. Take for instance if your opponent is standing right next to a hazard that isn't set to trigger for another ten beats; you can use the DJ controls to fast forward or rewind to the nearest beat that will trigger the hazard and send your opponent flying. Once you get the mechanic down, it is easy to integrate into your fighting strategies. The different fighting styles don't make a huge difference in overall strategy though. The progression of every fight is the same and utterly predictable. You come in for a few quick hits to stun your opponent leaving them open to grapple and throw into a hazard. Repeat over and over to win. This is where Icon comes up short, but what is there is entertaining enough to keep you in the game.

Icon is just as much about sound as it is about flashy graphics and luckily it delivers big time. The song selection is varied and features some really great artists from the more recent mainstream rap scene. Some may complain that this sequel in the Def Jam series doesn't feature any classic rap legends or tunes. I haven't kept up with rap in a while and it would have been nice to see more familiar faces but through the course of "Build a Label" mode I was able to learn a bit more about some of the new guys and get into their music. I think taking a fresh approach to the sound is more in line with how the game play and graphics were executed and I don't fault EA for their song choices. Sound effects and voice acting are top notch and use real actors' and rappers' voices.

An added feature in the XBOX 360 version of Icon is the ability to load your own custom songs from an external mp3 device. The game will do its best to match the environmental hazards to the beats in the songs but isn't always perfect. What this feature does do, however, is open the possibilities to fighting and DJ-scratching to an unlimited supply of songs and musical genres. This along with the custom fighter creation makes Icon an extremely personalized experience.

Def Jam Icon is not for everyone. The explicit lyrics in the uncensored songs alone are enough not to recommend it to anyone who isn't old enough to drive. It definitely captures the flavor of the rap culture, though at times it takes it to ridiculous extremes. The game is over-the-top, no doubt about that. It cannot contend with other 3D fighters for the XBOX 360 but (thanks to its amazing style and presentation) is one that should not be overlooked. If you like today's rap scene and are into eye-candy I highly recommend playing it.