Tekken 5

(Note: I originally typed and posted this review about 2 weeks back, but due to some error with Blogger, the review was lost and being the dumbass that I am, I didn’t make a backup and so I had to redo this entire review from scratch. Seeing how it is I hate to repeat myself and can’t remember all the good stuff I wrote in the original, here I present a more streamlined version of the review where I might even be missing a few things I complained about in the original. Enjoy)

Heihachi is dead. At least that’s what all the trailers and promos leading up to the release of the latest in the series of Tekken games says. But surprise surprise! The old goat is still here! I swear if there was one character in a fighting game I really want to see dead and taken out of the any game series, it’s probably Heihachi!
Anyways, this latest installment of the Tekken game franchise sees the tournament being run by yet another mysterious member of the Mishima clan. Many of the regulars from past Tekken games including a few new faces take part this time around. As usual, each character has their own agenda for taking part in the tournament and beating the story mode of the game yields some very nicely done (and some are just hilarious) ending stories, which can be unlocked and viewed once you beat the game with each character.
The graphics in the game of course are top-notch and probably some of the best in 3D fighters. All the characters look good, are huge on screen and nicely detailed. It would have been nice if they added a bit more detail to change things up in the series, like say bruises from getting hit or breaking armour and ripping clothes? I also would have liked to see a little more background interaction. Sure you can smash the ground by slamming your opponent hard enough into into it, and certain objects are breakable., but most of the backgrounds give you that feeling that maybe you could break through to new areas if you smash your opponent through a wall or floor or something, like the recent Dead or Alive games.
The audio in the game is really good and catchy in places. I particularly like the bit of crowd noise in one area where there’s an audience and their doing a tribal like chant. Adds atmosphere to the fight. Like I said in my Death Jam: Fight for New York review, more fighting games need to have that kind of background noise to add to the feel of the game. The character voices in the game were also nicely done, with some variety added in that most of the fighters speak in their native tongue (English, Chinese, Japanese, Bear), it’s not all perfect, but gets the job done.
The controls still use the same two-punch, two kick system like all the other previous games in the series. It’s easy to pick up and play the game as even a novice can just mash away at the buttons and get results, but there is also a joy in learning the complex combos and chain-throws in the game to get satisfaction out of whipping your opponent. 10-hit strike combos are already available for each character in the in-game move list provided, but true veteran gamers will find innovative ways to go about juggling their opponent and cause massive damage.
One problem that I have noticed with the controls though is the very tight timing in chaining certain moves together, even for some basic 2-hit combos. But with a wide variety of moves available per-character, it’s easy to overlook.
Overall, Tekken fans will obviously flock to this, as well as 3D fight fans. New gamers who’ve never played the game can also enjoy it due to the pick-up and play gameplay. A good 3D fighting game overall, and I don’t usually like 3D fighters.

Ratings:
Graphics – 9
Sound – 8
Gameplay – 8
Lifespan – 7
Overall – 8