Fight School Simulator (XSX) Review

Running a martial arts school sounds like a pretty simple business plan: teach people how to fight, collect some money and try not to get punched in the face. Fight School Simulator, however, adds considerably more to the process. You’re building a dojo, training students, learning techniques, dealing with rivals and occasionally stepping into the action yourself.

Welcome to martial arts management – hiiiya!

Building My Dojo

The first thing I noticed was just how much control you get over your school. You start small, adding training equipment and improving the space as your reputation grows. There’s a nice sense of progression top be found, as the dojo genuinely feels like it’s becoming yours. You’re shaping the place where your students train.

Furthermore, having a dojo full of equipment makes the whole thing feel more personal. It’s hardly the most elaborate system I’ve seen, however, it does enough to make expanding worthwhile.

Training the Next Generation

Running a martial arts school would be pointless if nobody learned how to fight. Students can be developed into different styles and disciplines, including kick-focused fighters, punch specialists and balanced characters. You also learn new techniques yourself and can pass those moves down to your students.

I liked this because it gives your fighters a reason to feel like more than background decoration. Watching students improve makes the management side of things work all the better.

There are also training facilities, meditation and recovery. Apparently, even martial artists need the occasional day off.

Fight School Simulator Allows You to Step Into the Action

What separates Fight School Simulator from many management games is that you’re not stuck behind a desk. Instead, you can actually step into fights yourself using first-person martial arts combat. There are missions involving the Mafia and thieves, while rival schools can attack your dojo and force you to defend the lively hood you’ve built.

This combination works surprisingly well. One minute you’re worrying about equipment and tuition, and the next you’re throwing punches because apparently managing a school wasn’t stressful enough alone. Of course, the combat won’t replace a big fighting game, but it keeps the management side from becoming too passive.

A Busy School

There’s quite a lot happening once everything starts coming together. Students need training, the school needs improving, rivals need dealing with and money needs to keep on rolling in.

Tournaments and side missions give you reasons to keep developing your fighters and provide something to do away from the dojo.

It can occasionally feel like there are small jobs competing for your attention, however, that’s also part of the appeal. You’re running a business, after all. Nobody said being a martial arts master meant glossing over the paperwork.

Presentation

Visually, Fight School Simulator isn’t going to win any awards for graphical prowess. Some character models and environments look basic, and there are moments where the presentation reminds you thing isn’t a huge-budget production.

That said, the visuals do the job. The systems are easy to understand, and the presentation fits the simulator style. There have also been updates aimed at fixing glitches and improving things such as the economy and localization, which is always encouraging.

Summary

Fight School Simulator is an entertaining combination of dojo management, RPG progression and first-person martial arts combat. It isn’t perfect, and some rough edges are visible, however, there’s an enjoyable game underneath them.

Building your school, training students, learning techniques and actually getting involved in fights gives it more personality than your average simulator.

Furthermore, it avoids feeling like you’re simply moving numbers around on menus. You’re building something, protecting it and watching your students become stronger.

For anyone who enjoys management games but wants more action, Fight School Simulator is worth a look on Xbox.