I must start this review by saying this: I am severely biased towards Namco fighting games. All of them. From the first time I played Tekken in the arcades, I knew it was something special. Soul Calibur was my only reason for owning a dreamcast, and the shear volume of hours whiled away fighting between the two series is astounding. Tekken 5 PROUDLY continues that tradition. Taking a step back towards the fast, sharp gameplay that made Tekken 3 so fantastic (and 4 so relatively disappointing), 5 on nearly every level satisfies. The gameplay is very well paced, the characters varied and individual, and the surroundings captivating. The sound, which is good, still left me with something to be desired. Hearing the native tongues on all the characters was a nice touch, but I would have liked to hear a more thorough update of some of the actual fight sounds. A small thing, but when you have heard the same SMASH sound of a fist connecting hard for as long as this series has been around, it begins to wear on you. What is new is fantastic, what is old is still great; just getting old, man. With a well balanced roster of fighters both new and old, Tekken 5 turns into less of a game and more a work of art when two talanted fighters battle for supremecy, both in the arcades and especially at home. When given the opportunity to soundly trounce my friends, I can't help but be just a little bit giddy. Which leads me to the only downfall in my mind...lack of online play. While the game is excellent in it's own right, I can imaging nothing I want more than to be able to comfortably rest on my couch while fighting my friends that are spread all around the United States. That said, I still HIGHLY recommend this game to anyone who has ever enjoyed a fighting game, and to anyone else who just enjoys great gameplay, beautiful visuals and a sense of appreciation for fine work. I am already pumped for the next game.
Tekken 5 is the latest in the Tekken fighting game series. The graphics, gameplay and customizable outfits make it a game well worth buying! I really enjoy fighting games and have played most that have been rele... Read Full Review
Tekken 5's main asset is its fast, smooth fighting engine. The action moves at a lightning fast-pace, with many rounds decided inside of 30 often heart-racing seconds. The system is fairly deep, attack reversals, chicken... Read Full Review
