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TAI FU: WRATH OF THE TIGER (PS)
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Publisher: Activision.
Developer: Dreamworks Interactive. Released: March 1999. Genre: Action/Adventure. Posted 6th February 2025. By Shane Battams © 2025 |
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With a library as vast and expansive as the PlayStation’s, it’s no surprise that a number of titles would be overlooked and forgotten, even if smaller clusters of fans still existed. T’ai Fu: Wrath of the Tiger was one such title, as despite coming from Dreamworks Interactive, most critics gifted it lukewarm reviews and, consequently, this would be the sole outing for the martial arts tiger, dooming T’ai Fu to obscurity alongside many of his contemporaries. Despite this, the beat ‘em up/platformer hybrid would offer a genuinely likeable world, rock-solid action and a colourful style that impresses, even if some issues with difficulty balancing, a lack of polish and limited longevity hurt the game.
Wrath of the Tiger offers a unique setting for its action. In this world, animal clans spread across the land, each representing a style of martial arts. After a great battle, it is believed that the clans of Tiger, Mantis and Dragon are all wiped out. Quickly, however, we see the Dragon Master is still alive, and upon hearing that T’ai Fu was secretly raised by the docile Panda clan, proceeds to wreak havoc, brutally attacking the last of the Tiger clan. Once he regains consciousness, T’ai sets out to learn more about the way of Kung Fu while perhaps seeking closure on his cloudy past. Several cut-scenes flesh out the story, and most bear decent voice acting and snappy writing that help keep you engaged. It’s not deep, but the mix of martial arts action, anthropomorphic clans and nineties attitude mesh surprisingly well.
T'ai Fu is set amid a vibrant, evocative world, whilst martial arts combat adds further to its distinctive nature
Across 20 levels, T’ai Fu sees you guiding the titular badass with a mix of combat and platforming. To start, T’ai comes equipped with a strike combo, guard and throw for offense which is admittedly quite a shortlist. However, as you progress, players begin to earn new Martial Arts styles which bequeath special attacks and moves. You gain a Chi blast projectile attack, Leopard Dash sprint and jump and new counter combos. It proves a rewarding progression of skills – much like actually learning a fighting skill. General combat is sturdy, with attacks generally finding their mark and the light use of blood gifting impact to each hit. Bosses punctuate every handful of stages, often requiring a mix of offensive and defensive tactics to overcome. They prove worthy obstacles that utilise blocking, counters and other tricks. Platforming is solid too, though the distant camera can make gauging jumps a bit tricky. It’s a well-paced, varied experience which throws curveballs aplenty.
That being said, Wrath of the Tiger can be dampened by a noticeable lack of polish at points. While it’s rare, some geometry is completely fluid and sees T’ai getting stuck or falling through, leading to a cheap death or two. Later stages, which place a greater emphasis on challenging platforming and precise jumping, see these issues causing a headache. Despite this and the second half of the game becoming a bit tougher, a lack of challenge also hurts this one. General combat, even on the Normal difficulty, rarely poses a problem and even if you lose a life, they are incredibly easy to earn back. Hidden in levels, rewarded for 25 kills and finding 100 jade diamonds mean you will soon be stacked up on continues, and generous checkpoints mean little progress is ever lost. Most players will struggle to even see the Game Over screen due to this, and while certainly avoiding frustration or cheapness, it also feels a shade too easy. You can even regain health by taunting after a combo.
That being said, Wrath of the Tiger can be dampened by a noticeable lack of polish at points. While it’s rare, some geometry is completely fluid and sees T’ai getting stuck or falling through, leading to a cheap death or two. Later stages, which place a greater emphasis on challenging platforming and precise jumping, see these issues causing a headache. Despite this and the second half of the game becoming a bit tougher, a lack of challenge also hurts this one. General combat, even on the Normal difficulty, rarely poses a problem and even if you lose a life, they are incredibly easy to earn back. Hidden in levels, rewarded for 25 kills and finding 100 jade diamonds mean you will soon be stacked up on continues, and generous checkpoints mean little progress is ever lost. Most players will struggle to even see the Game Over screen due to this, and while certainly avoiding frustration or cheapness, it also feels a shade too easy. You can even regain health by taunting after a combo.
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Perhaps due to this, T’ai Fu feels quite a brisk experience. You can likely smash through the 20 stages in around six hours, maybe even less if you opt for the Easy setting. It’s short, but a lack of incentives to return is also a shame. Once the credits roll, you can make a save which allows you to revisit any of the stages with all your upgrades and styles. It sounds cool in theory, but nothing changes: there are no secrets earned through being super-powered. There is almost nothing else in the way of unlockables: no Hard difficulty setting, no extra modes and not even something like a gallery. It feels like a one-and-done game.
Wrath of the Tiger does benefit from a colourful, if uneven presentation. It lags behind its platformer contemporaries, with characters lacking detail and environments suffering plenty of fogging. On the plus side, the animations look great, particularly T’ai’s powerhouse walk and combat strikes. In-engine cut-scenes, though quaint, do offer some decent facial animations as well. Additionally, performance holds steady even with plenty of on-screen action. The audio is a bit stronger, with the soundtrack from Michael Giacchino proving the highlight. While not quite up there with his best works, the mix of oriental stylings and hip-hop beats works pretty well, with some of the level themes driving the game forward with excitement. Strikes, specials and collection sounds all hit the mark too, even if there is an overreliance on a gong effect.
Wrath of the Tiger does benefit from a colourful, if uneven presentation. It lags behind its platformer contemporaries, with characters lacking detail and environments suffering plenty of fogging. On the plus side, the animations look great, particularly T’ai’s powerhouse walk and combat strikes. In-engine cut-scenes, though quaint, do offer some decent facial animations as well. Additionally, performance holds steady even with plenty of on-screen action. The audio is a bit stronger, with the soundtrack from Michael Giacchino proving the highlight. While not quite up there with his best works, the mix of oriental stylings and hip-hop beats works pretty well, with some of the level themes driving the game forward with excitement. Strikes, specials and collection sounds all hit the mark too, even if there is an overreliance on a gong effect.
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T'ai Fu: Wrath of the Tiger leaves you wanting more. It deserves credit for its solid gameplay and world-building, yet it falls short due to a lack of longevity. Despite sliding towards the easy side and suffering a lack of polish in spots, the kung-fu world of animal clans houses enjoyable action that grows more satisfying as you progress. It’s a shame that the brief runtime and lack of unlockables will see most players finishing T’ai Fu in a hurry, but the journey is still a satisfying experience. Value-conscious PlayStation collectors may turn their noses up, but those intrigued by this overlooked adventure could do worse than give it a try.
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VERDICT"T'ai Fu: Wrath of the Tiger leaves you wanting more. It deserves credit for its solid gameplay and world-building, yet falls short due to a lack of longevity." OVERALL: 6/10 |
OTHER DYNASTICAL-THEMED ADVENTURES REVIEWED
Jade Empire (2002, Xbox)
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Biomutant (2021, Xbox One)
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