First off: acquiring the game. It's free, and available for Mac, Windows, and Linux (even via apt). The homepage is http://www.toribash.com/.
Right, now that that's out of the way, on to the review. When I heard of the game, my thought was "Wow, that sounds really cool!" and that has pretty much stuck after playing it. The game introduces you with a short tutorial, giving the controls (how to change the view, adjust joints, etc). That is all that you really need to know to play the game. It then will throw you into your first multilayer match, if you have created an account. This match uses the "judo" ruleset, in which you win either by having the most points (determined by damage inflicted on your opponent) or, as it more often the case, by having your opponent disqualified, which, for judo, happens when a body part other than the hands or feat touches the ground. The coolest way I have seen to disqualify somebody is to rip off a part of their body and throw it at the ground.
Toribash is described as "...an innovative fighting game where YOU design the moves!." For me, those moves involve finding the coolest ways to inflict damage -- a double backflip followed by a decapitating kick, cannonballing through somebody's torso, or (a personal favourite to watch, though I have not managed it myself) using your own body parts as weapons, after they have been dismembered. The game allows you to save replays, so you can show them off to your friends and coworkers (it is an excellent way to pass the time at work, if you have a job that gives you such as opportunity).
I generally only play it to pass the time, though I am sure there are many who play it regularly. It's not something I would go out of my way to play, but I give it 5 stars because its execllent at what it does, and it doesn't pretend to be anything else. Definately worth checking out, and at least watching some of the replays that are available -- some of those are quite spectacular.
