Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn

Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn for PC, PS4 and etc. reboots the classic fighting franchise whose main character is a former NBA player - Shaquille O'Neal. The game's original version came out in 1994 on the Amiga computers, as well as Nintendo and SEGA consoles. It received mixed reviews, gaining as many supporters as opponents. There even existed a group of players whose goal was to destroy all the copies out there. Big Deez Productions took on the difficult task to reboot the controversial franchise, and this was the debut of the studio. Veterans of the industry were on the team, and they had worked on such popular franchises as Madden NFL, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Halo or Final Fantasy. Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn was produced partially thanks to a crowdfunding campaign, which's another goal was to check whether the players were interested in similar games.

Mechanics

Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn is not a typical remake; the original game's features are represented in this new version only by the title itself, and the main character. This time Shaq-Fu is a modern-day fighting game, which combines elements of such classics as Streets of Rage or Street Fighter with features typical for 3D action games, such as Devil May Cry. The titular, muscular basketball player is the protagonist; he traverses diverse locations and fights different enemies, as well as the more powerful bosses. In combat, Shaq makes use of a set of techniques, punches, combo strikes and power-ups; what is also helpful when dealing with enemies, is the presence of different weapons and destructible environments. The protagonist has to develop their skills alongside progression in order to face more and more powerful opponents, and eventually, the mysterious Black Star Ninja.

Game modes

Apart from the single-player story component, Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn for PC, PS4 and etc. offers multiplayer modes – both the classic 1 vs 1, and the co-op mode. In the multiplayer, one has an opportunity to assume control a series of characters and bosses previously unlocked in the campaign, apart from Shaq himself.

Technical aspects

Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn for PC, PS4 and etc. offers colorful visuals filled with special effects and based on cel-shading techniques. One of the game's strengths lies in the AI implemented here, as the opponents adapt to the fighting style of the player. Apart from Shaquille O'Neal himself, among those who co-created the game, it is worth noticing Steve Molitz, who is responsible for creating the soundtrack. He is a musician, composer, and a producer that had worked with many rock legends.

Last updated on 09 March 2019