Def Jam: Icon
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| Def Jam: Icon | |
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| Developer(s) | EA Chicago |
| Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Series | Def Jam |
| Picture format | 720i, 720p (HDTV) |
| Release date(s) | March 6, 2007 (North America) |
| Genre(s) | Fighting |
| Mode(s) | 1 Player Story 1-2 Player versus Online Match Play |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: M |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 |
| Media | 1 DVD-ROM (360) 1 Blu-Ray Disc (PS3) |
Def Jam: Icon is a fighting game, the third in Electronic Arts's Def Jam-licensed hip hop video game series. The game was developed by EA Chicago, developers of Fight Night: Round 3 and is the first Def Jam game not to be developed by Aki Corporation. This installment purports to look and sound like a cutting edge video game while offering the "intensity and drama" of a big budget film. Unlike the previous games in the series, numerous gameplay videos have proven the game's soundtrack is completely uncensored. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 Consoles on March 6, 2007 through GameStop Pre-Orders, and March 8, 2007 for all other gaming outlets.
Contents |
Features
It features more than 35 artists, [1] and is a much less professional wrestling-oriented than the previous games, Def Jam Vendetta and Def Jam: Fight for New York. The game's executive producer, Kudo Tsunoda, has stated that he did not feel that wrestling and hip-hop went particularly well with each other. However, throws and environmental damage remain in the game.
Gameplay is similar to EA Chicago's Fight Night: Round 3, featuring a focus on up-close brawling, mixing up high and low attacks, blocks, and parries, and using the right analog stick to deliver stronger attacks. Also, like Round 3, there is no in-game heads up display by default, encouraging the player to observe physical cues on in-game characters to determine their health, such as ripped and burned clothing, bruises, and an overall look of exhaustion.
The developers aimed to make the music and the environment a much larger factor in the fight. The environments includes rooftops, streets, gas stations, Two Clubs, an Atlanta neighborhood, BET's "106 and Park" stage, and other locales, as opposed to the wrestling rings or arenas of the previous Def Jam titles. In addition, the producers promised massive levels of interactivity within each environment. Fighters bleed and show visible signs of their injuries as fights progress and as the player's character gets hurt.
The music actually effects the environment. The entire backdrop bumps to the beat of the background music. Different events occur on the beats of each song - some of which are dangerous. For example, a column of fire shoots up from a ruined gas station on every "bass hit" of a song's chorus. Other changes will be purely cosmetic: hubcaps on cars will spin and twinkle to the beat of each song. The developers have added more damage to a fighter's punches and kicks if they occur "to the beat" or making a rapper stronger if one of their songs is playing. By listening to the beat of the song and then timing a throw, the player can toss his opponent into an environmental hazard just as it goes off. On the Xbox 360 Console, players are also be able to load up their own music (Custom Soundtracks), and the game has a form of "beat detection" to find the beats from any song.
Fighters In Alphabetical Order
| Real Name | Build a Label Alias | Build a Label Role |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony AndersonΔ | Troy Dollar | Rival producer of Curtis Carver |
| Big Boi | Signable Artist | |
| Bun B | Troy's Artist | |
| E-40 | Signable Artist | |
| Fat JoeΔ | N/A | |
| The Game | Signable Artist | |
| Ghostface Killah | Signable Artist | |
| James HongΔ | Dr. Chang | Plastic surgeon |
| Jim Jones | Signable Artist | |
| Kano | Troy's Artist | |
| Lil Jon | Signable Artist | |
| Ludacris | Signable Artist | |
| Method Man | The Gooch | Player's Friend |
| Mike Jones | Signable Artist | |
| Paul Wall | Signable Artist | |
| Redman | Signable Artist | |
| Sean Paul | Signable Artist | |
| Sticky FingazΔ | Wink | Curtis Carver's Vice President |
| T.I. | Signable Artist | |
| Tego | Troy's Artist | |
| Young Jeezy | Signable Artist | |
| Big HercΔ | Bootlegger, Wink's Brother | |
| BoydΔ | Corrupt Cop, Employed by Wheatly | |
| Dae DaeΔ | Troy's Right Hand | |
| Fast HalΔ | Crooked Promoter | |
| GreerΔ | Wheatly's Partner | |
| Johnny NunezΔ | Paparazzi | |
| StanΔ | Stalker | |
| WheatlyΔ | Crooked cop who plans to take down the music industry by force |
Δ Indicates the character is unlocked in some way.
Build A Label Exclusive Characters In Alphabetical Order
Note: These characters are unplayable, and cannot be used to fight other fighters.
| Real Name | Build a Label Alias | Build a Label Role |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin Liles | Curtis Carver | Producer of the company you work for |
| Russell Simmons | Rush | Pays for the Player's plastic surgery |
| Platinum | One of Troy Dollar's singers | |
| Summer Walker | Girlfriend | |
| Mayra Veronica | Girlfriend | |
| Nina Nicole | Girlfriend |
fat joe and it's goin down code (ps3) down,o,x,right.
Venues
The following venues are in the game. Users can play in these venues and fight their opponents using various hazards.
| Venue | Hazard Name | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| The After Hours | ||
| BET: 106 & Park | Metal Screen | In the very center of the venue includes a Metal Screen with exposed wires. If a fighter is near these exposed wires during a big beat, they will be thrown forward from the charge. |
| Boom Camera | Slightly off to the right of the center stage is a boom camera. This boom camera swings around and bats at fighters that get too close. | |
| Pyrotechnics | On the right back side of the stage is a row of pyrotechnics. If a fighter is in the pyrotechnics area when a Big Beat goes off, they are thrown forward. | |
| Swinging Lights | On the left side of the stage includes a row of hanging lights which can smack a fighter across the venue if they are in the area. | |
| The Block | Lowrider | On the right side of the venue includes a Low Rider which is spinning his wheels. On a Big beat, the car spins out and knocks out anyone in its way. |
| Fire Hydrant | Just above the Low Rider is a Fire Hydrant which is initially inert. If the Fire Hydrant is broken, though, a geyser of water erupts upwards, blasting any poor souls which are currently resting on it. | |
| Back End Car | On the left side of the venue includes a car, which only the back of the car should be watched out for. The car initially just chokes out someone from the backfire exhaust on a big beat, but if the light pole is knocked out behind it, it will cause the overhead transformer to fall and make the back end of the car an exploding hazard. | |
| The Club | Dancers style=text align:left" On both sides are dancers who on the beat smack a player in the head with the dancers leg. Could send a player flying. | |
| Executive Suite | Speakers | In the main room, there are speakers that amplify to a big beat, which will knock the characyer back. |
| Vault | On the left side of the room is a vault behind a glass shelf. If the shelf is destroyed, the vault will start opening at big beats and will knock any character in its path flying. | |
| Elevator (Instant Death) | On the right side of the room is an empty elevator shaft. Once knocked into, the shaft will open on a big beat and anyone thrown into the elevator as soon as the beat is made will be thrown into it and automatically lose the match no matter their health. | |
| The Gas Station | Gas Tanks | The Gas Tanks are initially inert, and do not activate unless something is done to damage them. Once the individual gas pumps are damaged, they 'blow up' on a big beat, emitting a strong fire blast. Should a character be around the gas pump when it explodes, it will send the character flying. |
| Car Wash | On the right side of the Venue features a fast exiting brush. This brush is lethal to anyone standing near it. However, if someone is near the hazard and they are on the ground, it will not effect them. This could be used to someone's advantage should they be thrown into the hazard. This hazard, however, activates on every 'small' beat rather than the 'big' beat. | |
| Store Owner | On the left side of the venue is a store owner watching the fight from inside. If the glass is broken on his store, the store owner will begin firing his fire extinguisher. Like the Car Wash, the hazard is only activated on the 'small' beat rather than the 'big' beat. | |
| The Penthouse | Fireplace | On the left side of the venue is a fireplace. Initially covered by a Glass panel, if that glass panel breaks as a result of force (throwing someone into it) or other destruction (big beat destruction), fire will begin spurting out of the Fireplace on Big Beats. This also results in the rest of the place getting on fire. |
| Speakers | On the right side of the venue is speakers which will punch any unsuspecting enemies flying to the left of the venue, should they be present on a big beat. | |
| Piano | While the Piano is initially dormant, in the center of the venue exists a piano. If someone were to break this piano, the lid will fly open, sending any non-observant fighters nearby flying across the venue. | |
| Window | The most dangerous hazard of the venue is the window at the back of the venue. Initially dormant, when the window is broken, it will shatter, but not break. If a fighter is thrown into the window just as a big beat hits, they will be thrown out of the venue and will die instantly. | |
| The Roof | Helicopter | In the center of the venue includes a hovering helicopter. This helicopter will pull its tail rotors dangerously close to the ground on a big beat which will throw a fighter across the venue. This also can be placed correctly to put a fighter into another hazard in the venue. |
| Steam Pipe | On the right side of the venue includes a steam pipe. Initially inert, once the steam pipe is broken, it emits steam which blinds and scalds fighters. | |
| Fusebox | On the right side of the venue, just above the Steam pipe includes a Fusebox with a puddle. Initially inert, once the fusebox is broken, on a big beat, it emits a charge which flings a fighter halfway across the venue. | |
| Air Conditioning Vents | On the left side of the venue includes Air Conditioning Vents. These vents emit blasts which blind fighters. |
Complete Soundtrack
Def Jam revealed the full soundtrack for the game, consisting of 29 songs in total.
| Artist Name | Track Name | Original Album Name |
|---|---|---|
| Big Boi | Kryptonite (I'm On It) | Purple Ribbon All-Stars: Got Purp? Vol. II |
| E-40 | Tell Me When To Go (feat. Keak Da Sneak) | My Ghetto Report Card |
| E-40 | Go Hard Or Go Home (feat. The Federation) | My Ghetto Report Card |
| Fat Joe | Make It Rain | Me, Myself & I |
| Ghostface Killah | The Champ (Remix) | Def Jam: Icon Exclusive |
| Jim Jones | Crunk Muzik | On My Way To The Church |
| Jim Jones | We Fly High | Hustler's P.O.M.E. (Product Of My Environment) |
| Konkrete | What's That Smell (feat. Big Boi) | Def Jam: Icon Exclusive |
| Lil' Jon & The Eastside Boyz | Get Crunk | Crunk Juice |
| Lil' Jon & The Eastside Boyz | Get Low | Kings Of Crunk |
| Ludacris | Get Back | The Red Light District |
| Method Man & Redman | Da Rockwilder | Blackout! |
| Mike Jones | Back Then | Who Is Mike Jones? |
| Mike Jones | Got It Sewed Up (Remix) | Who Is Mike Jones? |
| M.O.P. | Ante Up (Robbin Hoodz Theory) | 10 Years And Gunnin' |
| Nas | Hate Me Now (feat. Diddy) | I Am: The Autobiography |
| Paul Wall | Sittin' Sidewayz (feat. Big Pokey) | The Peoples Champ |
| Paul Wall | Trill (feat. Bun B And B.G.) | The Peoples Champ |
| Redman | Let's Go | Red Gone Wild |
| Redman | Fuck Da Security | Red Gone Wild |
| Sean Paul | All Out | Def Jam: Icon Exclusive |
| Sean Paul | Head In The Zone | The Trinity |
| T.I. | Top Back | King |
| T.I. | What You Know | King |
| The Game | It's Okay (One Blood) (feat. Junior Reid) | Doctor's Advocate |
| The Game | Scream On Em | Doctor's Advocate |
| Young Jeezy | I Do This | The Inspiration |
| Young Jeezy | Soul Survivor (feat. Akon) | Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101 |
| Yung Joc | It's Goin' Down | New Joc City |
Controls
Def Jam: Icon features various controls which, used correctly, can cause severe damage to another fighter. Up to four hits can be used in a combo, with a directional attack able to be used as the fourth attack (but not the fifth). Depending on the amount of damage caused in the four hits, a fighter can cause an opponent to stagger backwards slightly, knock directly down, or fly halfway across the venue.
Fighting Styles
The fighting styles include Ghetto Blaster, Street Kwon Do, Black Panther, Muay Fly, Beatboxer, and Jah Breaka.
Xbox 360 Live Marketplace/Playstation Store Demo
The demo, originally announced as single player, but actually features a Versus mode, available on the Xbox 360 Live Marketplace and playstation store, features T.I. and Big Boi as playable fighters with their songs "Top Back" and "Kryptonite", respectively, and the Gas Station level. The player can only play as Big Boi with the CPU as T.I. The game does feature a versus mode where the first player must be Big Boi and the second as T.I. The game is fully playable in this venue and features how the fighting system functions in the real game. After a 2 minute time limit, the game stops and returns to the Press Start screen, no matter which fighter is winning. The demo was released on Thursday, February 8th 2007, one week later than originally announced. [2]
Xbox 360 Live Achievements
The following achievements are available to be acquired for the Xbox 360 version of Def Jam: Icon only. [3]
| Achievement Name | Requirement | Points |
|---|---|---|
| The Big Burn†‡ | Torch your opponent in the flaming gas pump | 15 |
| Workin' At The Car Wash†‡ | Clean up your opponent with the car wash brush | 10 |
| Too Loud, Too Old†‡ | Defeat your opponent by using the speaker blast at the club | 10 |
| Hit the Lights†‡ | Use the light wall at the club until it's lights out | 15 |
| It's the Amps†‡ | Blow your opponent away with the electrified car at the block | 10 |
| Joy Riding†‡ | End the fight with the lowriding impact at the block | 15 |
| Feel the Power†‡ | End a fight at the TV studio with an electrifying experience for your opponent | 10 |
| Heads Up†‡ | Knock your opponent out with the swinging light rig | 15 |
| Window of Opportunity†‡ | Throw your opponent out of the window at the penthouse | 15 |
| Marshmallows†‡ | Use the fireplace in the penthouse to finish off your opponent | 10 |
| Going Down†‡ | Throw your opponent into the elevator shaft in Troy's office | 15 |
| Killer Sound System†‡ | Bring your opponent's health to zero with volume at 11 at the Office | 10 |
| Smacked Down†‡ | Use the helicopter tail whip as your finishing move | 15 |
| Caution: Wet Floor†‡ | Shock your opponent to victory at the rooftop | 10 |
| Look But Don't Touch†‡ | Let one of the dancers defeat your opponent | 25 |
| My Mixtape | Play your Def Jam: Icon saved playlist in "my soundtrack" | 25 |
| Reversals Only† | Win a solo "beatings with bass" match using only reversals on hard | 50 |
| Directional Attacks Only† | Win a solo "beatings with bass" match using only directional attacks on hard | 50 |
| Bling | Have a record go gold in "build a label" | 5 |
| Bling Bling | Have a record go platinum in "build a label" | 10 |
| KaChing Bling | Have a record go multiplatinum in "build a label" | 15 |
| BMF | Complete "build a label" mode on hardest difficulty level | 100 |
| Producing Mogul | Release six songs in "build a label" | 10 |
| Top of the Charts | Have an album reach number one on the charts | 10 |
| Fashion Icon | Reach the maximum amount of style in "build a label" | 25 |
| Ladies Man | Have four satisfied girlfriends simultaneously in "build a label" mode | 35 |
| Represent Yourself | Change your signature | 5 |
| Getting Hot‡ | Win five online fights in a row | 15 |
| Critical Beat Down‡ | Win 15 online fights in a row | 50 |
| Get Your Mode On‡ | Achieve 50 online wins | 20 |
| Rollin‡ | Achieve 100 online wins | 50 |
| Ornery Bastard‡ | Achieve 200 online wins | 100 |
| Domination‡ | Have your taunt tag appear on your dominated opponent's screen | 25 |
| Straight Clownin'‡ | Win a ranked match with 50 total taunts | 50 |
| Protect your crib †♠ |
Do not let the fire glass be broken in build a label mode | 50 |
| Protecting Your Brother †♠ | Do not let the store glass be broken while playing as Dr.Chang at the Gas station | 50 |
| Troy's Trophies †♠ | Protect your trophies while playing as Troy Dollar. | 50 |
| Total | 1000 |
Achievement Requirements:
† Hard CPU
‡ Ranked Online Match
♠ Secret Achievement
Reception
IGN rated Def Jam: Icon 7/10, praising the uncesnsored soundtrack, "beautifully rendered" visuals and the "My Soundtrack" feature on the Xbox 360 version, but criticized "weak fighting moves" and "inconsistent game mechanics".[1]
Game Rankings has a press average score of 72.8% for the Xbox 360 version[2] and 70.3% for the Playstation 3 version[3].
Notes and references
- ^ IGN Review of Def Jam: Icon. IGN.com.
- ^ GameRankings Def Jam: Icon page for the Xbox 360. GameRankings.com.
- ^ GameRankings Def Jam: Icon page for the Playstation 3. GameRankings.com.
