EA Announces Def Jam: Icon

A new urban brawler is headed to both next-generation consoles, but this time the music won't just be a part of the style and tone.  The music will influence the game play.

When Def Jam Interactive and Electronic Arts got together to start making hip hop themed fighting games, I didn't completely understand the premise.  I know that rappers like to kill each other sometimes, but I was surprised that they would be willing to lend their likenesses to a game in which 12 year old kids could beat the living daylights out of them.

I also knew that, despite the big marketing hype around violent hip hop artists, some of these guys were just acting the part and couldn't throw a punch to save their lives.

The latest entry from EA is looking to change the way you play the game, and make music a central part of the fighting.  I have no idea how they plan to accomplish this.  Maybe if you bump the turntables while fighting, the music will stop and the whole crowd will get angry and jump you.

I grew up in the South Bronx, the heart of hip hop, when it was just taking off.  I've actually seen a bumped turntable fight happen, in real life, so this could be a game coming full circle.  If a hip hop lover from a violent neighborhood plays a violent game, based on violent music, produced by people from violent neighborhoods... and then the kid goes on to body slam his teacher, who is to blame?  The mind reels.

Then again, if this is a hip hop game that features fighting, a Karaoke microphone and a dance pad, then I might body slam someone.  I came up with that idea first.