Fighter Within
By Chris Morris,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Buggy, disappointing brawler will get your heart pumping.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this game.
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Fighter Within
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What’s It About?
FIGHTER WITHIN is a motion-controlled fighting game exclusive to Xbox One. Player movements in the real world are captured by the Xbox One's Kinect camera and then reflected in the on-screen avatar. Punch high, and your character will hit someone in the head. Punch low, and he'll attack the midsection. Kick, and he'll use the same leg. Combination moves are reflected in cut scenes that occur after you've made the moves. A thin plot guides events, but it's largely inconsequential, existing mostly to give players a moment to rest after each fight.
Is It Any Good?
Fighter Within should be a game that showcases all that Kinect 2.0 can do. Instead, it reveals the weaknesses of the camera and relies on outdated ways to interface with the system. The menu, for instance, is a frustrating affair, requiring you to hold your hand in the air and push in toward the screen rather than simply voicing your desires. The fighting system works well at times and certainly gives players a good workout, but there are aggravating moments when it doesn't read your movements correctly. Some actions, such as picking up a stick, are virtually impossible. Others, such as throws or finishing moves, are very hit and miss. There's no online multiplayer mode, but players can take on local opponents in the same room. (Just be sure there's enough space so they don't accidentally hit each other.)
The corny story, meanwhile, is ludicrous and takes itself much too seriously. Skipping it isn't really an option, though, since the game takes an annoying amount of time to load each fight. Fighter Within has some good ideas, and its basic mechanics work most of the time, but overall the execution is badly fumbled.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about healthy exercise. Do you think games are capable of delivering a legitimate workout?
Families also can discuss the differences between a fighting game played with a traditional controller compared to one played with a movement interface. Do you get more worked up when you throw punches and kicks as opposed to simply pressing buttons?
Game Details
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Play
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate