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Virtua Fighter 5 Online Review for Xbox 360 (X360)

Virtua Fighter 5 Online Review for Xbox 360 (X360)

Take it Outside; Wait, Make That Take it Online. The Deepest Fighting Game on the Planet Just Got a Little More Interesting!

Wow, Virtua Fighter (VF) has come a long way since the original graced the arcades and those few Sega Saturns oh so many years ago. Yet one thing has remained constant over that course of time: The undeniable fact that VF has and always will be one of the most well rounded fighters out there. The years of steady improvement have all built up to this. Probably the deepest fighting engine on the planet, VF 5 will challenge players like never before. Mastering one character is hard enough, and there are seventeen to choose from. It is a genius title that needs to be played by any who considers themselves a fan of the genre.

Virtua Fighter 5 Online screenshot

If one set about the task of breaking down all the intricacies of the combat, you would find yourself writing something more along the lines of War and Peace rather than a strategy guide. The game is deep; each fighter has hundreds of move variations and combos to master. As for the characters themselves, they range in size, strength, and speed. Despite the immense differences in the way each battles, they are all balanced. For every action, there is a reaction; there can be no truer statement when it comes to this game. As I stated, this game will challenge you. Getting good enough with one character is an uphill battle in itself. Fortunately, the arcade mode is easy enough to break in new players, and the dojo allows you to train your skills as long as you like. Probably the best feature for going solo is the Quest mode where you battle A.I. controlled opponents around a variety of virtual arcades. Some of the higher level encounters will feature A.I. molded after some of Japan’s finest players. This mode will last you forever and it gives you the opportunity to unlock new clothes items for whichever combatant you choose. It’s unfortunate that it is restricted to one character because it is so long that it can begin to feel pretty stale, and as you slowly progress through each arcade, it almost feels like you are not making any progress at all. Also, the money trickles in at a snail’s pace ensuring that you will have countless battles ahead to unlock all the goodies. The true appeal of this 360 incarnation is the online play. How does it handle? Wait and see…

Overall play works exceptionally well; players will encounter a minimal amount of lag making it just as good as having a buddy around to throw virtual fists with, only incredibly more convenient. Trouble is this game is so intense that playing online will surely result in extreme frustration for the average player. These guys are good, and they have been waiting a long time to exercise their dominance. There is a player match in addition to ranked contests, but it’s best to get in a little dojo time before treading the deep water. It is certainly a welcome addition that adds years to the shelf life of the title.

Virtua Fighter 5 Online screenshot

As the PS3 version already expertly demonstrated, this is a gorgeous piece of work. The player models are ultra detailed, they move effortlessly, and the backgrounds look amazing at times. The sun shining in the distance, the hair waving as the battle rages, lighting flashing throughout fights; it is all quite remarkable. The only real complaint in this department is how generic the fighting arenas are. They are all squares, and the damage you can do to the environment is minimal. Sure, it is sweet when the players leave tracks in the snow as they scuffle, but the ho hum feel of the settings just doesn’t stack up to everything else. The overall presentation of the game is very polished with slick menu design.

Virtua Fighter 5 Online screenshot

The sound is the weakest portion of the game; there is just not much to it. Level specific background music plays, and each character has their own grunts or screams. Aside from that, there is the myriad of effects that come from attacks. A better soundtrack would not have been unwarranted, though you hardly need any kind of fireworks for the fighting. This is not a later version of Street Fighter with incredible super moves, punches, kicks, and there is no need for the game to elicit giant explosions. Still, a little more would have been nice. To its credit, the music coordinates with the style of level well. When it comes to the voice work, it ranges from bad to awful. It sounds like something right out of a recent Steven Segal movie.

Virtua Fighter 5 Online screenshot

The controls also could benefit from a little tweaking. Due to the fine tuned combat mechanics, players can ill afford a misstep. The 360 controller is just not the optimal piece of hardware for the job. Those not shy about shelling out the bucks will probably prefer to pick up the arcade fighting stick. It is a welcome addition for those who take this game seriously. For others just looking to have fun with their friends, I wouldn’t spend the extra money. For as frustrating as the controls are, they are not bad enough to throw down sixty bucks. They work well enough that it really will not matter most of the time. Probably the best use of the 360 pad comes in the triggers, which serve as a combination of block and punch or punch and kick therefore making some difficult moves easier to execute.

Better late than never for 360, and in this case way better because VF5 came bearing the all important gift of online play. It can not be debated that this is a hardcore gamers’ fighting game, but even those looking to just pick up and play will find more than enough to enjoy in this title.

Features:

  • Online Multi-Player enables players to compete worldwide with an online two-player versus mode via Xbox LIVE. (Xbox 360 only)
  • Leaderboards enable players to see how they stack up against other players. (Xbox 360 only)
  • Character Data Portability makes it possible to save characters created in Quest Mode via Memory Unit and play with those characters against other people’s customized characters in VS Mode on other Xbox 360 systems. (Xbox 360 only)
  • Two New Characters, El Blaze and Eileen, round out the cast of 17 dynamic characters. El Blaze is a Mexican wrestling champion that uses the Lucha Libre fighting style, and Eileen, originally from China, uses a “Kou Ken” (Monkey style Kung Fu fighting style).
  • Stunning, Highly-Detailed 3-D Fighting Environments inspired by locales around the world where players can challenge their opponents in unique types of arenas.
  • Offensive Move lets players to easily move around their opponent from the side and back allowing players to be more strategic with their battles.
  • Customize your character with the enhanced attachment system and customization engine giving players more flexibility than ever before when creating their characters.
  • Next Gen Presentation includes 1080p HD resolution, widescreen, and 5.1-channel Dolby Digital surround.

    RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.6 Graphics
    Character details and animations are amazing. 4.0 Control
    Solid enough to get by, but you will miss that arcade stick. 3.8 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
    Not much here, maybe a more variety in the dialogue to liven things up. 4.7 Play Value
    There is so much to learn and experience, plus boredom won’t be a problem with Xbox Live in the mix. 4.5 Overall Rating – Must Buy
    Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

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