Kung Fu: High Impact

[Lucas]

So I was at my friends house this past weekend and his son recieved one of those Xbox Kinect game things. He had this game called Fighters Uncaged.

Some of you might know that I like to play video games. Generally puzzle games, and action games. I've been a fan of fighting games since the early days of street fighter and mortal kombat.

Being a fan of games, I plan on buying one of these Kinect things this weekend.

For me, there is an attraction to being able to kick, punch, jump, duck, twist, etc. while playing a game rather than just sitting and using a controller.

Playing the fighting game at my friends house, 2 hours went buy before I even realized it.

Its all about timing and using the right attacks and defenses at the right place and time.

You can straight punch, hook punch, upper cut, over hand, spin back fist, low roundhouse, mid round house, high round house, front kick, spin kick, knees, elbows, head butting, dodging and ducking.

These are the moves I learned from playing the game for my first time. apparently there are more advanced techniques you can learn and use, combos etc.. The techniques, besides the spin kick and the back fist, you do for real in the air how ever you normally would.

I looked at the 2011 game line up coming out and there are a couple titles that look like they'll be really fun. Namely for me Sonic the Hedgehog, and some horror title that I forget the name of. There is even a Star Wars title planned.

Child of Eden looks like a pretty exciting game experience. "Child of Eden is the “multi-sensory shooter” that will send players diving into a kaleidoscopic matrix of synchronized music and mind-blowing visuals that will usher forth yet another landmark game experience from the mind of renowned game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi, its creator."

From what I can tell a lot of these titles are coming out of Japan. So you are going to see a lot of japanese influenced and developed titles, stories and art. One called Operation: Draco, where you raise a dragon and go fly it around on line with other players looks like another promising unique movement gaming experience.

[Zenshiite]

I've got Kinect. I was meaning to get Fighters Uncaged but read bad reviews... but I'm looking for it as a shadowboxing kind of thing. I have Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, but I'm not sure how I feel about the cardio kickboxing part of it. Too sissy to me, but then again... I need to work on rhythm and that's what those workouts are all about really. It's Zen thing is cool, with Tai Chi movements and Yoga poses... when you get the posture right it can detect it... which is pretty cool. It actually shows you when your posture is just right and gives a little chime. So, for instance, if I'm standing in Wuji and I don't have my weight sunk enough I don't get the chime, but when I sink my weight I do.

Also, this is coming out http://kinectgames.com/ufc-trainer-kinect/

[Lucas]

oh that zen one sounds cool im going to have to check it out. i do like the accuracy on the fitness demo i have, its way in depth on the movement recognition.

i picked the kinect up this weekend and had a ton of fun playing the adventures, the rally ball game and the bubble game are super fun to play online with other people. i like making my avatar do kungfu in the rally ball lol. hit those balls back with some style! its funny making your avatar go from crane posture to crane posture as the ball comes at you, you can do a form in place but you ahve to use the right posture so you can hit the ball where ever it comes from. just fun adding a kungfu element into the game.


the fighting game is ok for what it is. it seems like its more of a quick tester game than anything else, in that you get a list of guys you can fight, and unlock 6 more as you beat them up at 3 at a time. league 3,2 and 1. its all about timing and reflex, which i think is pretty neat. the fighter isnt as fast as you, wont throw strikes in combinations as fast as you can, but once you get the hang of the timing and what moves you can do, its pretty fun. i think one of the neat things is you can be in a square stance, like a wing chun stance, if you want to be able to react with your legs on an equal timing. or you can do what i like, pick a left or right foot forward stance, and keep a bit of weight on your rear leg, when you have to react with a raised knee to block a roundhouse on that rear leg, its decent weight redistribution reaction. but you can use any stance you feel comfortable with in real life, it doesnt matter for the game.

im really looking forward to Child of Eden, that one looks intense. i wonder how that ufc trainer will work

[@PLUGO]

Here's an out-of-the-blue call for a San Francisco Martial Artist/instructor/competitor type.

UTV Ignition Games wants to unveil their KUNG FU HIGH IMPACT video game for the X-Box Kinect, tonight in San Francisco and they are ...


looking for an actual martial arts instructor or student, who would be willing to show off a few moves, and then try them out in the game.


Anyone available and interested?

Post a link to some video if you have any. We'll PM you with details as we sort it out.

[Lucas]

i wish i lived in san fran!!!

[David Jamieson]

So, ~G ain't into the short drive? he's got skeelz.

[@PLUGO]

So, ~G ain't into the short drive? he's got skeelz.
~G as in Gene? Alas he's not available.

[GeneChing]

DS went and posted some pix on facebook (see UTV Ignition Games KUNG FU HIGH IMPACT video game release party (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150470366359363.430578.135964689362&type=1)) as well as a vid (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150370264566130&set=vb.135964689362&type=2&theater).


Game Guys preview - Kung Fu: High Impact (http://www.news10.net/entertainment/gameguys/article/164353/99/Game-Guys-preview---Kung-Fu-High-Impact)
6:10 PM, Nov 22, 2011 | 0 comments

http://www.news10.net/images/640/360/2/assetpool/images/111122090739_KungFu1.jpg
Written by
Barry White

Kung Fu: High Impact (which was originally known as Kung Fu Live on PSN) is now redone and is going to be available for the Kinect on Xbox 360.

No, you do not have to know Kung Fu to play this game, but it can help from time to time. If you're not familiar with Kung Fu: High Impact, it plays like this: The Kinect sensor will feature a ¾ view of your body on the screen and will additionally track your movements. As you play, you will be inundated with waves of enemies coming from all directions. It's your job to defend yourself by throwing punches, kicking and shifting from side to side in order to get either the highest score or defeat the massive boss at the end of the level. If you are so inclined, you can also use a weapon that you might have around the house such as a stick or even a toilet plunger.

There is a story mode in this game takes place in a comic book presentation where your character uncovers a sinister plot to destroy a shipment of artifacts and it is your job to stop it. What makes special is that it puts you into the comic, you are the hero and you will see that in the way that the game will react to your image in the snapshots that it takes while you play.

Kung Fu really pushes you to use a variety of moves in order to get the most out of it. For example, certain poses will allow your avatar to complete special moves. For you Street Fighter fans out there, there is the "Hadoken" move/pose that you will be able to use in order to deal a fair amount of damage to the oncoming enemies. While you are playing you will have to manage these special poses in addition to your regular punches to complete each level. Another type of special move requires you to jump up and then land while punching into the ground to help disperse your assailants.

Some very interesting news about Kung Fu: High Impact is that it is a multiplayer game. One would think that by looking at it, it would only be one, maybe two player game. But in fact, it can be played with up to five players at one time. You will have the main hero character and the four others will be able to use regular controllers to try to defeat the star contender.

With all the games that are coming out this holiday season, this will be a great one to play with your friends and family when they are all together for the holidays.

Kung Fu: High Impact is now available for $39.99.

- By John Speerbrecker on behalf of news10.net's Game Guys

[Hebrew Hammer]

I don't think my downstairs neighbor would appreciate my big ass jumping up and down at 2am making Bruce Lee sounds...but it would be fun.

[sanjuro_ronin]

All those kinect games suck, you have to move so freaking slow for the sensor to pick up your moves and so WIDE too.
Crap.

[GeneChing]

We're still a long way from combat simulation video games so if you're thinking that this is somehow going to degrade your training because it makes your moves too slow and too wide, well, that's like thinking video driving games will degrade your driving. :rolleyes:


POSTED: Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011
Video-game review: 'Kung-Fu High Impact' (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/12/13/2309798/video-game-review-kung-fu-high.html)
By BILLY O'KEEFE - McClatchy-Tribune

"Kung-Fu High Impact"
For: Xbox 360 (Kinect required)
From: Virtual Air Guitar Company/UTV Ignition
ESRB Rating: Teen (fantasy violence, mild language, use of tobacco)
Price: $40

There's plenty to like about "Kung-Fu High Impact." It is, in fact, one of the year's better Kinect games, and one of the few that reaches past the realm of fitness tools and minigame collections to produce an actual game that tangibly benefits from Microsoft's motion control device.

Just don't be surprised if some of the most fun you have with it is when you have a controller in hand.

"Impact" is a 2D brawler somewhat in the vein of "Double Dragon," "Final Fight" and any number of other games that propagated during the genre's heyday. The stages are small but open-ended instead of large but constantly scrolling from left to right, but the gist - punch and kick the bad guys into submission before they do it to you first - remains the same.

In this case, though, you very literally are the character. The Kinect's camera uses its motion-detecting magic to superimpose a direct feed of yourself onto the level, and once you're there, "Impact's" hit detection leaves you free to punch and kick as efficiently or sloppily as your ability allows. Backflips and a handful of special powers are triggered via poses or half-move gestures (because asking players to actually backflip is asking for trouble). But as far as your elementary punches, kicks, elbows, blocks, dodges, jumps and lateral motion go, successful execution is entirely dependent on your willingness to fight with conviction.

If any of this sounds familiar, it's because "Impact" first tried this, with dodgy results, on the Playstation 3 as "Kung-Fu Live." Fortunately, the Kinect's significantly better ability to discern player from background makes "Impact" effortless to set up and exponentially less likely to betray you in the heat of battle. You'll ideally want to play with good lighting to make it easier to see your onscreen likeness, but it isn't mandatory to do so - only more difficult if you don't.

On that note, it bears mentioning that even on its base difficulty, "Impact's" single-player storyline can punish you. More than not, it's punishing in a good way, with furious enemy rushes and an expectation that you paid attention to the tutorials about dodging and blocking as well as punching and kicking.

Sometimes, though, "Impact" simply betrays you - confusing forward jumps with backflips, for instance, or just plain not recognizing a crucial evasive maneuver. "Impact" is tough with regard to mid-level checkpoints and health pickups, and one bungled move at the wrong time can bring your life to an aggravating end. It doesn't happen too much if you accentuate your motions, but it will happen.

Of course, when a game is as physically intense as "Impact" is, accentuation gradually becomes easier said than done. If you like the Kinect for its fitness possibilities but still want actual games to play on it, this arguably is the best combination of both ideals in the system's library.

Occasional aggravation aside, "Impact's" story mode is a treat, with diverse environments, some surprising special powers, and a clever means of putting you in the motion comic cutscenes. The game asks you to assume a few poses for pictures that later are superimposed atop the comic panels, and it's hard to say whether cooperating or flagrantly disobeying the instructions produces funnier results.

Local multiplayer (five players), however, is "Impact's" crown jewel. Player one's role remains unchanged in this mode, but instead of A.I.-controlled enemies, you're taking on your friends, who control the enemies with standard controllers. It's a brilliant way to make a multiplayer Kinect game without cramming everyone into a small space and confusing the camera, and the lengths to which players can comfortably go to torment an out-of-breath friend makes this a must-play party game.

More on this Friday. ;)

[GeneChing]

Enter to win a KUNG FU HIGH IMPACT for XBOX KINECT (http://www.kungfumagazine.net/index.html)! Contest ends 6:00 p.m. PST on 12/29/2011. Good luck everyone!

[Lucas]

omfg i want that!!!

[GeneChing]

You want all our prizes. :rolleyes:

[Lucas]

i know i know...do you guys ever read the comments section on the entry forms?? :eek:

[GeneChing]

See our KUNG FU HIGH IMPACT for XBOX KINECT winners (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1152400#post1152400) thread.

[Lucas]

now i have to go home and cry in the corner for 3 hours.