Getting to GRIPs with Shaq Fu
On the 29th of May, we were fortunate enough to be invited down to London for a special preview event hosted by Wired Productions. Eager to discover more about the upcoming Shaq Fu, as well as take a look at other ongoing endeavours, I hopped on the train and headed south.
About now is where you'd probably expect me to start talking about the venue, the staff, even the games. Alas, my day was not so simple, and as such, neither is its description. You see, this tale spans far before my reaching the venue. Around an hour before, in fact, when I arrived at the wrong place. In the downpour of a London previously deprived of moisture, I had found myself at a similarly named, yet not correct place. After a brief chat with four kind men, I realised where I was, where I needed to be, and that I'd be at least an hour late. Definitely not the news I was wanting. After a consultation with the guru that is Google Maps, I was soon back on the Underground and on my way.
Turning up almost perfectly an hour late was an experience in and of itself, a few of the staff hanging around outside the venue as I shakenly approached. After confirming my presence on the "awesome list", I dripped into the bar; to my right a variety of consoles running GRIP, and straight ahead, Shaq Fu. I regret to say I didn't manage to get a picture of the venue, but I hope anybody reading will understand my relief of simply being let in. Shortly after the offer of a drink, I sat down with somebody from Wired to play GRIP.
For those like me unknowing of Rollcage, I'll try to summarise it as best I can. Cars with large wheels go fast, and can drive on the walls. If you were a little too young for Rollcage, think Mario Kart 8's anti-gravity, turned up to an insane degree. Put this with what I was told was the fastest game on four wheels, and you have GRIP.
I was somewhat thrown in at the deep end. With only a brief explanation of controls to go on, it took me some time to adjust; but time I most certainly had. The race felt rather long as I first attempted to play, crashing into and flying off each and every wall. The cars almost seemed too sensitive for what looked to be a heavy vehicle, but it's something I got used to. The more I played, the less effort I had to put into avoiding walls, and the more I could look at the courses themselves. Flying through such stunning, such dynamic and diverse levels, at speeds of what I am informed go up to Mach 1; it doesn't feel like racing anymore. It feels beyond that.
Of course, racing isn't all this game has. Past the standard races, there are smaller challenges to test your mettle and put your skills on trial. Reminiscent of Super Monkey Ball levels, they see you flying, smashing, and carefully navigating hazards of all shapes and sizes. Add to this a global leaderboard of best times, and you have something for the hardcore fans striving for the best. Such skill is beyond me however. Even on the simplest level, it took me a solid five minutes to come to terms with what it was asking from me; this being only a simple jump followed by a turn. It was great fun, and I can definitely imagine going into it more confidently after getting a better feel for the game in general.
The version I spent time playing was on the PC, and I have to say it looked stunning, and played flawlessly. But that's to be expected of a game on this platform of limitless potential; my true curiosity lied in the Switch port. Just what was compromised to get this larger than life racer onto Nintendo's tiny handheld? Asking rather directly, I was told the focus of the port was on the framerate, and making the game feel as smooth as possible to play. Getting a brief hands on, I saw these efforts come to fruition. It felt fantastic. The compromises were visible in the background effects of the courses; snow falling seemed of far lower quality for example. With the game still incomplete and optimisations still yet to be made, I can see GRIP shining regardless of the platform you decide to play.
If you want to see the game for yourself, it's currently available on Steam as an Early Access title. I'll be waiting for its Switch release, but for those after a taste of the PC experience, this might be worth your time.
GRIP on Steam
As I moved to the console to experience this beat 'em up adventure, I was conflicted. I could see this game selling only through shallow nostalgia and uninformed parents. I truly wanted to believe there was something worthwhile to be found here, so I sat down and gave it a shot. The title screen burst with energy, power poses of Shaq with a mellow track in the background, planting the strangest seed of hope for what was to come.
Starting a new game, you're greeted with a quite frankly bizarre cutscene of Shaq's origin; of the trials and hardships of his youth, and of his master Ye-Ye. Amongst the best things I have seen all year, it was brimming with humour outlandish and childish, animated in a static yet lively manner. It provided what it acknowledges to be convoluted story full of holes, but I found that to be part of the charm. Such a story puts across an allure not often seen, a temptation to continue, if only to see how far the game will push its unseen boundaries of absurdity.
When you first gain control of Shaq, you're introduced to the core gameplay a button at a time as you navigate a brief tutorial section. From the start, it feels familiar. Everything feels as it should in a beat 'em up; there's little that stands out, neither to its detriment nor merit. To me, the beat 'em up gameplay feels like a vessel to carry the ridiculous celebrity-killing plot; the humour and animation demonstrating the game's true strengths. It's not to say the gameplay isn't fun, but the stage set almost seems too ambitious; as if the developers wanted to do more but couldn't. Despite this, the humour still manages to seep through and lift the gameplay slightly beyond what it would be in isolation. Even in the first section, you see Shaq and his master arguing about why it's only Shaq fighting. These small interactions keep you engaged and drive you to continue.
I really do struggle to put into words my feelings for this oddity of a game. I'd call it the game nobody asked for, but everybody should try, but that isn't exactly true when it was funded by people who wanted it on Indiegogo. I think the thing that saddens me most here is that I wouldn't have gone out and bought it without this hands-on experience. Before this, the game seemed like another unnecessary reboot from a time long-since forgotten. Now? Now I see a rough diamond. Something not quite perfect, but something memorable and fun. I wish there were a demo available for people to come to the same conclusion. If you're on the fence and know one of your friends is buying it, I urge you to give it a shot. Nag them until they pass you the controller; I feel you won't be disappointed.
Trailer for Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn
All in all, I had a fantastic day in London. Though stormy and stressful, I got to discover GRIP, and come a little closer in understanding the enigma that is Shaq Fu. I'd like to extend a personal thanks to the staff of Wired Productions for being so accommodating despite my shortcomings in timekeeping and pathfinding. I may have been on their awesome list, but I think they've found their way onto mine.
Stay tuned for more GBAtemp adventures in future!
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