When John Tobias teamed with Ed Boon for "Mortal Kombat," the fighting game arena was different. It was a small, blossoming genre with little competition. Having left Midway to create his own company, Studio Gigante, Tobias came back with another original fighter, this one caught in a sea of them. That's why "Tao Feng" fails.
A dozen fighters, each with a surprisingly deep back-story, are packed into the game. Their designs are mildly unique, though giving them names like "Fiery Phoenix" is not. It basically revolves around the good-evil conflict between two groups, the Pale Lotus and the Black Mantis, in a fictional China. The quest mode fleshes out the feud as you take one character and fight the opposite sect for control. If that's too deep, just go for the versus, survival, or team battle.
There are multiple glaring issues with the gameplay system in use here. Notably is the reluctance to get away from the dial-a-combo system that ran the "Mortal Kombat" series into the ground for a while. There's little skill involved when you have to memorize very precise button combos to inflict damage. It gives the game its overly stiff and hard to control feel. When done right, it all looks spectacular in motion, much like a kung-fu movie. That's assuming you wish to spend hours with a strategy guide or instruction book and a good fighter doesn't (shouldn't actually) require that.
The chi meter is another wasted aspect. As the fight moves on, the meter grows; allowing the lucky fighter to launch a brutal attack or heal damaged limbs. Yes, you can hurt specific areas of the body, though it usually ends up being the arms when the opponent blocks too much. When damaged, that person's defense stays at the same level but their offense decreases. It's a nice way to prevent players from constantly blocking, though if their arm is broke, shouldn't it hurt them to stop a kick with it?
Oddly, the left analog stick can be set to free movement. Why you actually have to turn this on during the initial boot up doesn't make any sense. The d-pad controls the basics (blocking, ducking, etc.) but not 3-D movement. Since the game allows for attacks off of objects (like poles and walls), it's imperative to be able to move towards them. That makes for some intriguing moves, though they can be hard to land. Juggling is allowed and can result in some great sights, but again, it's far more fun to look at then it is to play.
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