8Bit/Digi

Relive the Beat’em Up Cult Classic

Last summer, I found myself discussing the lack of beat ’em up games with friends on several occasions. It usually started after we played one at a convention, which reminded us how absent this once-iconic genre has become. Whether it’s a remaster, a port, or a new original release, the genre still grabs my attention whenever it returns. This time, it’s the Fighting Force Collection thanks to Limited Run Games.

Limited Run Games has brought the Fighting Force series to PC and modern consoles for the first time. Gamers can now experience Fighting Force and its sequel again or for the first time. It may not be a well-known or groundbreaking title, but it was a fun one for those who played it back in the day. Now, we can relive those memories and share them with a new generation.

Downtown Beatdown

Both games have radically different stories that share few connections, so it would be best to summarize each one separately.

Fighting Force puts players in the roles of four heroes tasked with taking down Dr. Dex Zeng and his criminal empire before it destroys the world. Players can fight solo or with a friend through the streets of New York as they battle their way to Zeng’s island headquarters for the final showdown. Fighting Force 2 is set in the distant future and puts players in the role of Hawk Manson, who must shut down the Knackmiche Corporation’s sinister cloning operation. He will battle his way through their compound, taking out any foe that stands in his way.

There isn’t much to the stories, but that’s expected from a beat ’em up. Story has never been the genre’s main focus, so it makes sense for it to take a back seat and that’s perfectly okay.

It’s Hammer Time

Even though both games are beat ’em ups, they each have a radically different gameplay.

Fighting Force has players going solo or teaming up with a friend and battling through waves of enemies. Combat sticks to genre standards, offering light and heavy attacks followed by a finishing move if the right conditions are met. Along the way, players collect health items, weapons, and unlock hidden secrets. Each level ends with a boss fight that becomes far more manageable when players work together.

Fighting Force 2 leans more into action-adventure elements, while the classic beat ’em up formula remains the foundation of its gameplay. Hand-to-hand combat is still the backbone of the gameplay, but there are many more weapons to pick up, and firearms can be used in a first-person aiming mode. The best way to describe it is that it feels a lot like the 2000 PS2 title Oni, only with combat that is more refined and polished.

Limited Run Games has added quality of life features that make the collection easier to enjoy. This includes the ability to rewind after a fatal mistake or replay a section. Players can also save at any time instead of relying on the games’ original save mechanics. This makes it easy for players to pick up where they left off instead of replaying a section from the beginning. Using these features is optional, and you still have the choice to play Fighting Force the way it was meant to be played.

Knife to a Gunfight

Right from the start, I liked how Fighting Force Collection could introduce these games to a new audience. I never played them back in the day, so this was my first time experiencing both titles. Even so, the experience felt familiar because I have played many 3D beat ’em ups in arcades and already understood how they work. That was especially true with Fighting Force, since it follows the traditional 3D beat ’em up formula. It quickly reminded me of an era that has long passed but should not be forgotten.

As with most Limited Run Games re-releases, Fighting Force Collection is a port of the original games, so you’re essentially playing the originals with minor tweaks. This isn’t a bad thing, since I miss the aesthetics and design choices of that era, along with its soundtrack style. While ports can carry over shortcomings from the original, you could argue those quirks now add to the charm. It keeps things old-school in the right ways while still being accessible on modern consoles and PC.

Never Going Down!

Since these are ports of late-’90s and early-2000s games, both titles in the Fighting Force Collection will show their age and carry over some of the same issues they had at launch. Both of these games came out when the genre was at its peak and was competing against titles that either had better polish, stronger chracters or more fleshed out gameplay mechanics. At the same time, both games have inconsistent hit detection, and some attacks won’t register even when they clearly should. Other aspects, like the soundtrack and design choices, are more debatable because they come down to player preference rather than objective flaws.

Then there’s Fighting Force 2, which tried something different but ended up with an identity crisis and a clunky experience. It’s supposed to be a beat ’em up, but it often feels more like an action game. Since the beat ’em up mechanics were never removed, it seems unsure of what it wants to be. As a result, much of the gameplay suffers from clunky combat outside of hand-to-hand, along with poor camera angles and broken platforming mechanics. That said, it’s a curious experience for anyone who wants to try a game that aimed to be unique but failed in its execution.

Armed and Ready

Fighting Force Collection introduces the beat ’em up cult classic to a new generation while letting old-school gamers reconnect with their youth. Having both games available on modern consoles and the PC. allows more people to enjoy the series. They’re ports of the original games, updated to work with modern controls, and Limited Run Games has added a few quality-of-life features. Plus, the co-op of Fighting Force is solid and lets you enjoy the game with a friend by your side.

Disclaimer: The publisher, through a PR representative, provided the game used for this review.

This review is the critique and thoughts of one writer. If you want to see how other critics felt, then check it out on OpenCritic.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Fighting Force Collection (PC)

8

Excellent

8.0/10

Pros

• Both Fighting Force games are not available on modern consoles and the PC.
• Same classic game but they can be enjoyed with modern controls.
• Quality of life features improve the overall experience.
• Fighting Force’s co-op is solid.

Cons

• Issues that plagued the game launch or elements that have not aged well.
• Fighting Force 2 suffers from those issues far more as it was a hot mess at launch.