Fighting Force Collection

A pair of late-1990s 3D brawlers returns with all the rough-edged arcade energy that made PlayStation beat ’em ups memorable. Fighting Force Collection combines the original urban rescue mission with its more focused sci-fi sequel, moving from Dr. Dex Zeng’s city-threatening scheme to Hawk Manson’s investigation of a cloning conspiracy. The tone is loud, direct, and unapologetically old-school: gangs and guards pour in from every direction, scenery breaks apart, and survival depends on keeping the pressure on. Rather than chasing modern spectacle, the collection preserves the simple pleasure of clearing rooms with fists, improvised weapons, and oversized firepower.

In Fighting Force, players choose Hawk, Mace, Alana, or Smasher, whose differing speed, strength, and reach give the seven-level campaign a little variety. Stages play like compact combat arenas connected by streets, rooftops, trains, and interiors, with enemies dropping pipes, guns, grenades, shotguns, and even rocket launchers. Basic strikes, throws, running attacks, and weapon use form the central loop, while environmental hazards and destructible objects encourage players to turn the battlefield into an advantage. Local co-op lets two players bulldoze through the original together, making its hectic crowds and often-unforgiving encounters considerably more entertaining.

Fighting Force 2 changes direction by placing Hawk alone inside the sterile, heavily guarded facilities of Knackmiche Corporation. Its combat puts more emphasis on combination attacks, targeted encounters, and a larger weapon selection, while breakable scenery gives fights a welcome sense of impact. Neither game has the precision or depth of Streets of Rage 4, and the polygonal presentation clearly reflects its era, but that is part of the appeal for players who enjoy the experimental 3D brawlers of the original PlayStation. Fans of Die Hard Arcade, Dynamite Cop, and straightforward couch-co-op action find the first game especially rewarding, while veterans curious about the genre’s transitional years get two distinctly different takes on the same formula.