Some of the bigger names in the game have music that's included in the score and it's all well done. I also think the soundtrack is pretty good despite being a novice rap fan at best. You also don't have to be into hip hop to enjoy the game, with how the fights are structured, it's more like a wrestling game with different styles peppered in. Are they all equally memorable? No but minus their overall fighting style and overall gameplay mechanics, you have no problem figuring out which character is which or finding things to like about each of them. The game also doesn't feature hip hop artists exclusively (you also have the inclusion of actors and actresses like Danny Trejo, Carmen Electra and Henry Rollins) but they're all unique, they have varied fighting styles, unique taunts and finishers to distinguish them from the pack. While the story is good, one of the more shocking things is the pure number of rap legends that they were able to include in this game. Not only that but the weapons and the finishers really feel epic (despite them not being terribly plausible) and whether you break someone's back with a punishing grapple, ring out someone through a wooden fence, throw them into fire or even push them in front of a moving subway train, it punctuates the experience and other than the occasionally blind spot in the camera work, the words flawless and transcendent come to mind when I think about Def Jam 2's gameplay. You feel the punches and kicks but the added bonuses of interacting with the environment and the crowd lend a fluidity to the game that few other games possess. Not only do they carry the street fight environment, they take it up another level. The choreography, flow of the fights, the hitting and counter system and the special ability attacks are phenomenal. The most important reason that this game is so memorable is the fighting mechanics which were lightyears ahead of its time for fighting mechanics. It outpaces every story mode I've ever played through in any wrestling or fighting game easily and it's another reason this game is great. It doesn't rewrite the book on video game plots but between where you go with the story, the characters you interact with and the dialogue you share with your fellow fighters, it's all top notch for the genre. I wouldn't call the ending beats of the story "revolutionary" but they're appropriately cathartic and they match the struggle that our hero has gone through. Just a little past halfway through, the twist drops and you have to do it all again but it never becomes boring and the stakes remain high throughout. They tie it into the first game in a fun way, including D-Mob as the beleaguered mentor when he was a villain in the original entry but you get a rags to riches story of your character coming up through the ranks, becoming a member of "the family" and gaining money, infamy and even a steady girlfriend. It might seem odd to start a review of a fighting game with praising the story but while Def Jam Vendetta II stands out even today with its fighting mechanics and its unique vibe, it also has a surprisingly well-developed plot. But at that point you're likely to be so advanced in your stats you'll make easy work of them.
And once it's over there's no point in going on unless your playing head to head with a pal. It took me just over a week to finish this game. No reason given for main characters motivations/involvement. No opportunity to customize player name, resulting in bland text when other fighters have cool fonts and logos. Weapons too difficult to pick up (if you stand over it and hit the pick-up button your character will often foolishly grab at a non-nearby opponent instead of the weapon). Massive range of clothing that differs little. The Cons: Incredibly linear story progression. Grim satisfaction in breaking an opponents bones.
For those of you who like this simple form of gameplay I urge you to get this game above all. Def Jam gives us real, bloody, bone-crunching action with characters we know and recognize from real life.
I'm so sick and tired of utterly endless Tekken/MK/Soul Caliber/etc variations with effects and moves that are far too fantastical.
Once you finish Def Jam: Fight for NY there's not much reason to go back to it.