The sequel, Def Jam Fight For NY, expands on the progress made in the original with a larger roster, bigger storyline and more options in terms of fighting styles and customising fighters. Just about everything that could be increased has been, with the resulting game one of the best fighting games we've played.

Most of the fighters from Vendetta have returned for the sequel, with the roster expanding to around 70 fighters. New fighters including Bubba Sparxx, Lil Kim and Carmen Electra join old favourites like Method Man, Redman and NORE. Also expanded from Vendetta are the number of match types and arenas available to unlock. Various novelty matches are available, such as trying to be the first to throw an opponent in front of a subway train, and these mix with standard fight modes in various arenas, both inside and outside traditional rings. It's an excellent combination of fighters and matches, providing much incentive to keep playing to unlock all of them as well as making multiplayer games that much more interesting.

The expanded Story Mode follows on from where Vendetta left off. At the end of that game the main enemy D Mob was beaten and subsequently arrested. At the start of Fight For NY he is being transported to prison when a truck suddenly rams his car, allowing D Mob to escape. The driver of the truck turns out to be the player's character, who can either be a pre-made persona or one created from scratch by players. The options for creating characters are quite good, and allow some entertaining fighters to be made.

The player's character must then prove himself to be worthy of being part of D Mob's gang, through a series of fights in various arenas. Fighting earns players money, which can then be spent on various things around the town. Shops are available to kit out a character, providing numerous tattoos, jewellery, clothes and other accessories. These not only improve the visual look of the character but also their prestige, which can then affect gameplay. In typical EA fashion, hundreds of items are available allowing players to create quite a unique character.

As well as money, players also receive development points for winning fights, and these can be used at Henry Rollins?gym to learn new moves, increase abilities or learn new fighting styles. It's an excellent system that allows for quite a bit of customisation. The amount of moves and styles available is quite impressive, with dozens to be bought and unlocked. Five fighting styles are available, including wrestling, kickboxing, submission, streetfighing and martial arts. Characters start out with one style, and can add up to two more over the course of the game.

The fighting itself is mostly well done. Aki's experience shows, as the blend of fighting styles mixes well to provide some exciting matches. As with Def Jam Vendetta, grappling and momentum play a major part, and are well executed. Grappling can lead to the bigger, more punishing moves, while momentum can shift quite easily between opponents, and this often saves fights from being one-sided affairs. As well as grappling, moves such as punches and kicks are available, as well as various environmental moves depending on the arena. These can range from slamming an opponent into a concrete pillar to jumping off a corner of the ring. The crowd can even join in, holding an opponent while a shot is lined up.

The fighting does seem to have a few limitations after prolonged play though, and gamers may find themselves wanting slightly more complex mechanics. For instance, while blocking shots is easy enough, blocking or reversing a grapple can sometimes be hard to achieve. This can result in some tough matches if an opponent can get the upper hand and creates the need for a more comprehensive reversal system. Overall though, fighting is generally good, and better than a lot of other games.

Key to the Def Jam franchise is a fair amount of violence, and the game is packed with big, painful-looking moves that occasionally making you wince. Virtually every move available looks like it could cripple a real person, from a simple kicking or punching combo, to a mean bodyslam or choke hold. Upping the ante even further is a myriad of 'Blaze?moves. Activated with the right analogue stick, these moves are designed to finish the match quickly, and include some quite over-the-top manoeuvres.

The soundtrack of Fight For NY is an excellent hip-hop compilation and features many of those who are on the fighting roster. Artists such as Xzibit, Shawnna and Big Daddy Kane make up some of the 32 tracks, about half of which need to be unlocked through playing the game. It's a soundtrack that fits well with the game, both with its style and attitude. All of the real-life fighters lend their voices to the game, mostly for pre-match banter, and this too fits the style. Even the commentator is suitably laid-back, as opposed to the incessant chatter previously seen in a game like Fight Night 2004.

Fight For NY is a visually impressive game. Evocative of the underground scene it tries to portray, the arenas are dark, dirty and very urban. Characters are over-the-top cartoon figures, almost becoming cariciatures of their real-life counterparts. Even the fighters that players can create appear this way, with nothing approaching a realistic person able to be made. Characters interact with each other quite well, although occasionally the collision detection does seem a little off. Despite this, fights are visually exciting, and the big moves look appropriately punishing and painful.

It's not perfect, though. A better camera system would have been good, rather than the relatively static view form one side of the ring. While close-ups and cutaways are there when big moves are executed, a more adaptive camera would have made attack and defence much easier, especially when the opponent is above or below the character on the screen. Some of the animations and effects could have been improved as well, especially the rather blocky 2D crowd behind the front row in the arenas.