Baki Hanma Blood Arena (PS5)

Those who remember Punch Out will know what to expect here, but given that was a very long time ago, let's have a recap on this arcade fighter. 

The game takes a third person view from behind Baki, your movements limited to dodging left and right, blocking and ducking. Similarly you have four attacks, two lower and two upper, augmented by a charging mechanic and a gauge controlled super that builds as you hit your opponent. It's easy to pick up and, as I discovered, hard to master.

Having updated the game mechanics, the game has been wrapped in the Baki branding, a fighting series that's all muscle and no carbs. Introduced with growling commentary, the presentation is really quite excellent. Each fight sees you go up against a single muscular opponent, who you must pummel relentlessly. 

On my first few matches I relied on just spamming attacks to overcome the enemy, but this won't work for very long. You need to be able to dodge efficiently (your opponent flags powerful attacks which need to be blocked or ducked) and you need to get your timing right to do major damage. When your opponent does go down for a 10 count, you can top up your own health metre by spamming the X button to recharge. If you go down you'll be spamming the same to get Baki on his feet.

All four buttons are attacks - two for the face, two for body. You can charge attacks using the shoulder buttons, land two of these in a row and you'll stun your opponent allowing you to pummel them relentlessly and build up your attack meters. Should you take enough damage, the screen will zoom in and limit your field of vision while muffling the sound. This looks good, but it does mean that you're unable to see some attacks coming, which makes the game much harder. If by some miracle you can stay on your feet long enough, you'll heal a little and the screen view returns to normal.

There are a total of 12 opponents to battle, each with different attack patterns you'll need to memorise in order to progress. There are no power-ups, no buffs, just you as Baki and your digital fists taking on each opponent in a battle royale.

Graphics are big and brutal

While it could be said that the game becomes something of a test of memory and reflexes (which is fair) it presents the whole shebang with such flair that you can't really criticise it for being one-note. The other fighters are a varied bunch, requiring different strategies. Their attacks are also quite imaginative - some fighters will poison you, others will blind you in one eye. It's this dedication to making each match unique that saves the game from becoming bland and samey. As much as I thought I'd get tired of a single perspective and limited options for movement, it captures the spirit of boxing and makes each match not only a battle of reflexes but also a matter of crafting the most brutal beatdown imaginable. It really is combat stripped to the bare essentials and then throwing you into a testosterone fuelled arena, each landed attack a savage and every satisfying ballet of fists and exploding skeletal structure. 

You can play two modes - the first is a Story mode that gives you a loose interpretation of the anime, each match offering 2 difficulty modes (Beast or Demon), though the final boss just offers one. Survival Mode is just that - last as long as you can with no retries and limited KO's. Basically it's the same thing with slightly different rules.

So is Baki Hanma worth the £24.99 price tag? Well, if you're looking at it strictly as a content for cash formula then no, probably not. While each fight is enjoyable, you'll be able to conquer all 12 opponents within 4-6 hours depending on your skill level. If you enjoy the experience you may want to do so again or try your luck at Survival Mode, but there's just not much to it beyond what you see. 12 bosses, learn the attack patterns for each, move on. It's enjoyable and probably a game I'll dip into for some raw and bloody arcade thrills, but unless DLC offers new content, it's a short and sweet arcade experience, but nothing deeper than that.