This year has been a great one for fighting games. Between new ones like The King of Fighters XV and DNF Duel, modern ports with Persona 4 Arena Ultimax and Them’s Fightin’ Herds, and a packed bundle of classics with Capcom Fighting Collection, there’s been a little something for everyone. Coming out just in time for the end of the year is another modern port of an older title, The Rumble Fish 2.

No, this isn’t a fighting game based on the similarly named Rumble Fish novel or film. I would forgive you if you hadn’t heard of this one before though. It was originally released in Japanese arcades back in 2005 and was never officially released in the West. Developed by Dimps, who have long left their mark working on a variety of popular fighting games (among other works), this game unsurprisingly has deep fighting mechanics with unique visuals to boot. Unfortunately, this port buries a fun game with questionable implementations.

Let’s dive into the visuals first. I initially found myself studying them more than I was learning how to play. Using a “Smooth Model Animation” system, the sprites of each character are divided up and animated separately per limb. The result is a visual style that’s simultaneously dated and yet wholly unique. Characters manage to have a very mid-2000s 3D look, but they’re not moving as awkwardly as some 3D-model fighters from the time did.

Supporting this is a great variety of characters. Everything is here from the typical headband-wearing main character and determined daughter of a martial artist to a jolly old man who shoots energy beams out of his fingertips. Adding in an extra layer of personality is the Parts Crush mechanic which changes the individual sprites to show off damage over time. This isn’t as unique of a mechanic anymore and for some female characters, it does predictably lead to tattered and revealing clothing. However, it is refreshing to see a character’s demeanor change after taking some hits to the face.

Just as varied as their designs is the character movesets, contributing to why the gameplay itself is arguably the biggest highlight. Aside from a couple of characters having their own unique gauges, each juggle with an Offensive Gauge and Defensive Gauge. Both can accumulate up to three stocks of meter and are used for a wide variety of actions.

The Offensive Gauge can be used for normal-canceling Advanced Attacks, unblockable Jolt Attacks, and the recovery-negating Impact Blow. The Defensive Gauge is used for Impact Breaks that reduce opponent frame advantage and Quick Recovery. Along with expected super-like moves, they’re also both used to enter the character-enhancing Boost Dive state. All of these systems and mechanics have unique applications that can turn the tide of a match. I probably don’t need to state the obvious, but this is a fighting game with a lot of options to consider.

It’s easy to see why people enjoyed playing this and why dedicated fans have been looking forward to this new port. Unfortunately, nearly everything new in this port feels like it was also made in 2005 and the UI is a prime example. The original arcade release simply had a start screen that went straight to character select, while a main menu screen that’s more basic than Tekken 3’s has been added for this version to support the new modes. What immediately caught my eye was the large text size which made me question if there was something wrong with my resolution.

The original release’s display resolution was 4×3, while this port is a widescreen 16:9. I could tell something was off while playing and the change has been criticized by fans. However, what I really couldn’t help but notice was how stretched out the menus and loading screens looked. I assumed these two issues were connected until I realized these UI elements were made for this port. Short command lists are displayed to such a large degree that they require unnecessary scrolling, which hammered the point home that these were design choices, not consequences of changing the display ratio.

Perfectly piggybacking from the UI problems are the UX ones. A huge issue I had was the absence of a central place to learn about all the unique mechanics this title is known for. There isn’t a tutorial mode to learn the basics of what you can do here, much less the more advanced techniques. There isn’t even a digital manual or glossary to read through.

Every mechanic is instead presented through the previously mentioned loading screens. Not only are these presented at random and individually, but they also load too quickly for any information to sink in. It wasn’t until I looked up a list of the mechanics online that I learned what was possible.

New modes also suffer from feeling plain or following arcade customs. The character select screen doesn’t have a button or option to back out. Training mode has everything needed to fulfill its basic purpose, yet, it’s also rudimentary by decade-old standards. Time Attack and Survival modes are standard inclusions that feel dated as they kick you to the start screen once you finish them.

Even the local versus mode falls in line with arcade rules. No rematch options appear after a match is finished. Instead, the winner is placed directly into the arcade mode. Unlike arcade rules which allow a second player to challenge you though, the best way to fight against the person next to you another time is to quit back to the start menu and set it all up again.

As disappointing as that all sounds, it’s the online mode that will be most relevant to players. Two online options are available: inviting a friend and matching against a random person through quickplay. I’m happy to say that every match I played worked without a hitch.

I’d presume this was due to the rollback netcode, but I don’t really know. Aside from seeing each other’s ping at the character select screen after you’ve already both accepted the match, there’s no other network quality information provided. I can’t tell if the netcode is implemented well or if everything feels great because I’m playing someone down the highway. What’s even worse is that online matches also lack a rematch function and just drop you back off to the start menu. Whether it’s a random opponent or a friend, you have to repeat the whole process to play online again.

The reception hasn’t been great since it launched last Wednesday. Reviews on the Steam page skew quite negatively as many players echo some of my criticisms along with others. Other complaints vary such as the stated lack of mouse and keyboard support as well as the noticeable absence of lobbies. Another decision that has been hotly contested by fans is the three paid DLC characters, each of which was in the original release and could be unlocked through an operations menu.

The developer has responded to a lot of these reviews to promise that they are working on a patch to add in certain features. At the same time, they’re remaining firm on some decisions such as the lack of keyboard support (although there is some) and moving away from the original 4:3 resolution. None of that affects my personal score, however, I do think it’s important information for anybody that considers checking this out.

The Rumble Fish 2 is a fighting game I had only heard of in passing alongside high praise. As much fun as it is to play a match, it’s bogged down by poorly-thought out elements that lead to a frustrating experience. Taking the current state of the game solely into account, I could not recommend this to anyone but the most dedicated fan who wants to support an official release. Even then, it might be better to wait until some updates go live.

A PC Review copy of The Rumble Fish 2 was provided by 3goo for this review.

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The Rumble Fish 2

$29.99

3.5

Score

3.5/10

Pros

• Deep Fighting Mechanics
• Art Style Still Looks Great

Cons

• Bad Explanation of the Fighting Mechanics
• New UI Elements Look Dated
• Online Play is Horribly Lacking
• No Rematches
• Barebones Port at Best