Foreman for Real

Genesis

Review by Matt Paprocki

Acclaim

Sports

Graphics: 7

Sound: 4

Gameplay: 3

Overall: 3

We've all ran out on launch day and picked up the latest and flashiest hardware. Still, there are those dedicated companies who stick around a while in the previous generation, if only to give past gen owners something to show off. Foreman for Real is one of those soundly tech games, just completely devoid of any play value. Its style is bland, and with the exception of the graphics, this would have out of date as a Genesis launch title.

The draw here, both on the box and in the title, is the amazing animation. It's all motion captured and rendered. It moves, at times, smoother than some games based solely on full motion video. It's amazing to watch at first. Then the flaws start showing up, the most noticeable that every boxer has the same body. The only variance is an obviously slapped on head that rarely looks attached.

The small amount of color available shows through as well. It looks grainy and unfinished. It almost seems as if the boxers are plastic. The various shades simply don't blend well enough to be realistic. It's even worse on a bigger screen with a decent video connection.

That graphical prowess wears off just as quickly as the actual game. You select a generic no name boxer and move up the rankings to fight, of course, George Foreman in a basic career mode. You can brawl in a basic exhibition against either the AI or a friend. That's it. There's no battery either. It's all saved via passwords.

As time goes on, you can quickly figure out ways to exploit the engine at work here. Throwing basic jabs, and timing them right, can score a knockout. The animation doesn't cycle through fast enough to give the opponent time to defend. The same goes for certain power swings. There's a large reaction when you hit the face. If you aim for the body, you'll have a hard time even realizing you've connected.

The only on-screen information is stamina. Once out, you can't punch at all. If you're looking for any indication as to your injury status, you need to pause and select the proper option. There's absolutely nothing on the screen to tell you you're in danger of being knocked down. You can call it realistic, but you're playing a video game, and that information is crucial.

The crowd remains silent for most of the bout. They rarely perk up enough. The music is dominant here, and it's hard to even tell there's a sound effect when a punch lands. In this game, with the animation failing to provide anything that tells you you've hit the gut, it's a major flaw. It also doesn't help that the music is so repetitive.

This is one of two boxing games on the Genesis that's too focused on technology. The other is Muhammad Ali Boxing. That game featured somewhat realistic boxing stuck inside a slowly rotating ring the console could not handle. Neither game is particularly successful in any category. Stick with the Sega produced boxing series.