- Title: Virtua Fighter 5
- Platform:Xbox 360
- Publisher: SEGA
- Developer: SEGA-AM2
- ESRB Rating: “T” for Teen
- Genre: 3D Fighter
- Pros: Nice graphics; incredibly deep gameplay; online play
- Cons: Story/Characters/etc. don’t quite match up to other fighters; steep learning curve means it isn’t for everyone
Features
Virtua Fighter 5 includes all of the modes you would expect. Arcade mode lets you fight through a lineup of characters until you reach a boss. Dojo mode is the training area, and you can free train or use a command training option where the game basically teaches you how to do everything. If you want to get good at this game, the Dojo is vitally important. Quest mode is meant to mimic real life arcade competition where there are different arcades available, each filled with players of varying skill levels, and your objectives is to beat everyone, win tournaments, and prove you are the best. Other modes include VF.TV mode where you can watch attract mode movies, saved replays, or set up exhibition matches between two CPU players. Customize mode lets you change colors, or outfits, or add accessories to your characters.
Of course, the main attraction on the Xbox 360 version is the VS. mode. You can play against another player locally, or jump onto Xbox Live to find an opponent. The Xbox Live setup is pretty easy to navigate, and finding a ranked or player match is fast and easy. It must be noted that there is some occasional lag online, but most matches are at worst passable and at best pretty darn smooth, but almost always very playable.
Gameplay
For casual fans, or people trying to transition over from the Tekken or Dead or Alive camps, VF5 can be pretty overwhelming. In most fighting games, a novice player can beat a veteran player from time to time by mashing buttons or spamming certain attacks over and over or sometimes they just get lucky. That doesn’t happen in VF5. The vast majority of the time, a skilled or even mediocre player is going to beat a novice player. That is why the online mode is so vital in this game. Human competition is vital to the longevity of a fighting game, but when you can easily beat the snot out of your friends, they don’t want to play anymore. With VF5, you can just jump online and find skilled people to fight whenever you want. Good times.
Graphics and Sound
Graphically, Virtua Fighter 5 is stunning. The characters are all very detailed and look great. The animation is also really, really good here as well, and moves flow together naturally and realistically. Perhaps most impressive are the environments you fight in. Snow deforms as you fight, water ripples, and the lighting is unique and stunning in just about every level.The sound isn’t quite as good. The music is just generic and the voice acting can only be described as cheesy. Luckily, the actual sounds of fighting are a little better.
Bottom Line
