Tekken 5

Super Street Online Game Reviews

Game Title: Tekken 5
Genre: Fighting
Console: PS2 exclusive
Publisher: Namco Hometek, Inc.
Hot: new graphics engine, new bonus game, new moves
Not: wanted more fighting arenas
Score:

Fighting games will never go out of style and that was evident by how excited we got when Namco's Tekken 5 arrived and we couldn't wait to take it for a spin in the PS2. As the fifth installment in the hugely popular fighting series, Tekken 5 faces the challenge of keeping the franchise strong after so many additions, but with Namco's record of superior fighting games (Soul Caliber, anyone?) we thought it would be hard for Tekken 5 to be anything less than fun. Our instincts were right, and as the fifth King of Iron Fist Tournament began, we were ready to keep the buttons flying to deliver one digital smackdown after another in our quest to be number one.

A quick scan of the game menu shows an brand new game mode that is actually a bonus action/adventure game called, Tekken: Devil Within, featuring Jin, one of the game's main characters. Obviously, since the game is a bonus feature, it is a very, very scaled down version of a typical action/adventure game, but it still offers non-stop fighting with some cool adventure-type moves thrown in like jumping, climbing, and smashing objects. True to adventure form, gamers must fight through various levels to make it through to the end and comes complete with mini-boss battles along the way to victory.

One of the biggest new additions to the game is a whole new graphics engine that make the new enivronments, the characters, and the lightening-fast fighting crisp, clear, and vibrant with no pixilated edges. Look for returning favorite characters or check out the new characters joining the tournament for the first time: Raven, Feng Wei, and Asuka Kazama, like other favorite characters each one comes with their own special moves and fighting style. Other added extras include being able to customize characters with cool accessories or costumes, and new ending movies for each character.

All in all, the new features and upgrades keep the game looking fresh while still retaining the Tekken style and flavor. Our shelf will always have room for fighting games, and Tekken 5 gives us what we want for a fighting game: great looking, hot moves, easy controls and fast action. Tekken 5 is all about kickin' that ass and doing it with style, and in this latest addition to the Tekken series, we think it easily succeeds in doing just that.