Summary
Project Justice: A Revolutionary Team-Based Fighting Game
Released in 2000, Project Justice is the sequel to the popular fighting game Rival Schools: United By Fate. Developed by Capcom, Project Justice takes the original game’s formula and expands upon it in several key ways, including a new three-on-three team system, a unique “Party-Up” attack system, and a robust character creation mode.
Gameplay
Project Justice is a team-based fighting game in which players select a team of three characters to battle against another team of three. The game’s fighting system is lifted from the original Rival Schools, with some notable changes.
One of the biggest changes in Project Justice is the addition of a third character to each team. This allows for a new type of attack, the Party-Up, which is initiated by pressing any three attack buttons. The Party-Up is a three-person attack that varies based on what school the character initiating the attack is from.
Another new feature in Project Justice is the ability to cancel an opponent’s Team-Up Special by inputting a Team-Up command of your own. This initiates a short fighting sequence between one character from each team. If the person initiating the sequence gets the first successful hit in during the sequence before time runs out, the Team-Up they are caught in will be canceled, and the game switches back to the main fight; if the opposing player gets the first hit or time runs out, the Team-Up continues as usual.
The ‘vigor’ meter in Project Justice is limited to 5 levels (down from 9 in Rival Schools), with Party-Ups requiring all 5 levels, Team-Ups continuing to cost two levels, and any attempts (successful or not) to cancel a Team-Up costing one level.
Characters
Project Justice features a roster of 16 characters, including all of the characters from Rival Schools as well as several new characters. The new characters include:
- Batsu Ichimonji: A hot-blooded martial artist from Seijyun High School.
- Hinata Wakaba: A shy and timid girl from Gedo High School who fights using a giant yo-yo.
- Kyoko Minazuki: A skilled ninja from Hakuoh High School.
- Sodom: A powerful wrestler from Taiyo High School.
- Akira Kazama: A mysterious fighter from an unknown school who uses a unique fighting style that combines elements of karate, judo, and kung fu.
Character Creation Mode
One of the most unique features of Project Justice is its character creation mode. This mode allows players to create their own custom characters who can be used in all modes except for single-player.
The character creation mode in Project Justice is very robust, allowing players to customize their characters’ appearance, fighting style, and special moves. Players can choose from a variety of different body types, hairstyles, and clothing options. They can also choose from a variety of different fighting styles, including karate, judo, kung fu, and wrestling.
Once players have created their characters, they can use them in all of the game’s modes, including arcade mode, versus mode, and online mode.
Reception
Project Justice was released to critical acclaim. The game was praised for its innovative gameplay, unique character creation mode, and beautiful graphics. The game was also a commercial success, selling over 500,000 copies worldwide.
Project Justice is considered to be one of the best team-based fighting games ever made. The game’s unique gameplay mechanics and robust character creation mode make it a must-play for fans of the genre.
Legacy
Project Justice had a significant impact on the fighting game genre. The game’s three-on-three team system and Party-Up attack system were both innovative at the time and have been copied by other fighting games since. The game’s character creation mode was also very influential, and has inspired similar modes in other fighting games.
Project Justice is still played by a dedicated community of fans today. The game is also available on modern platforms, including the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade.
Review Score
8.5/10
Art
Cover Art
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