Gaming Target - PlayStation 2: MTV's Celebrity Deathmatch

Written by John Scalzo on July 01, 2002

First Impressions: I'll allow it.

The most satisfying victory of that cold night in January was not John Elway's first Super Bowl victory. No, the most satisfying victory was watching Marilyn Manson rip Charlie Manson's skeleton in a fatality that would make Ed Boon and John Tobias proud. Mayilyn Manson was the champion of Death Bowl 98 and from those humble beginnings Celebrity Deathmatch proved that MTV can do more than pretend The Real World in anyway resembles reality or peddle the softcore porn they pass off as music videos (your humble editor also thinks the music is another thing they try to pass of f as good). It was really only a matter of time before someone turned Celebrity Deathmatch into a video game.

That someone would be the psychos at Take 2 Interactive. The publisher behind your favorite and mine, Grand Theft Auto 3, is taking the violence inside the ring with their plan to completely recreate the show on the PlayStation 2. The first thing they've done is reel in the men behind the mikes: Maurice Schlafer and Len Maxwell, the voices behind Johnny Gomez and Nick Diamond have both signed on to provide Celebrity Deathmatch with that perfect running commentary. Since the game is still early there's been no word on whether or not Mills Lane, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Debbie Matenopoulos will come on board, but I'd be more surprised if they didn't. And even if we don't get their vocal presence I'm sure they'll show up in digital clay if Take 2 is truly serious about making it as real as possible. Err, as real as a show about clay celebrities killing each other can be.

Which brings to the next key ingredient needed to make any translation of Celebrity Deathmatch great: the celebrities! Take 2 has said there will be 12 playable characters including Busta Rhymes, Tommy Lee, Mr. T, the champion Marilyn Manson, and at least one of the mutants that appeared in the later seasons. In my mind the mutants ruined the show, but I pity the fool that underestimates Mr. T! Moving on. Take 2 also has plans to make the crowd just as lively and animated as their animated counterparts. They'll cheer, boo, walk out, throw things, and basically become a part of the action.

Celebrity Deathmatch will not be your typical fighter. Instead of trying to challenge Tekken 4 this holiday season, Take 2 has decided to take a page from Super Smash Brothers Melee and make Celebrity Deathmatch a four player party fighter. This style definitely suits Celebrity Deathmatch while still providing the fighting goodness of things like special moves, reversals, blocks, and of course, good bloody clay death. I think it may be time for me to invest in a multitap.

Although the biggest shock of all when it comes to Celebrity Deathmatch is knowing that it's going online. Yes that's right, you can do some long distance celebrity maiming with the use of the PS2 modem that should be out by the time Celebrity Deathmatch is. Details are slim at this point about what you'll be able to do once you get online but the feature is there, so that's definitely one in Celebrity Deathmatch's corner.