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 | Tekken 5 Playstation 2 Namco  After being one of the premier 3D arcade fighting games Tekken became the mack daddy of fighting games on the PS1 and PS2. Throughout its life span it's seen a number of different incarnations, some of which have been hailed, others bagged. But thankfully, it looks like five's a charm. Firstly, button bashers who were unimpressed with 'Tekken 4's introduction of position-change moves will be happy to know that 'Tekken 5' has taken a back-to-basics approach and the game feels and plays more like the classic 'Tekken 3'. The fighting is some of the best available, and its multiple levels of depth give beginners enough moves to quickly feel comfortable, while seasoned players can dig deeper and deeper to find more advanced (and damaging) techniques. As usual, the main mode in Tekken 5 is the Story mode, starting with storyboard frames which then lead you through a number of fights, providing the payoff with a final pre-rendered ending for each character. Finishing story mode multiple times will also unlock hidden characters. As well as the standard fighting game modes, an adventure mode known as 'Devil Within' puts you in control of Jin as he raids the Mishima Zaibatsu and G Corporation's headquarters. The fighting in this mode has been extremely simplified and you're given a lock-on button that lets you target one foe at a time. 'Devil Within' is executed about as well as you'd expect, but with its stripped-down fighting, basic environment, and monotonous platforming, it's not the sort of thing that'll keep you coming back. However, Arcade History mode gives you access to the arcade versions of the original Tekken, Tekken 2, and Tekken 3: an impressive addition which serves as a reminder of how far the series has come over the years. 'Tekken 5' contains a great mix of characters, some of which haven't been seen for a while. All the main characters from 1, 2 and 3 are present, plus 'Tekken 4''s new characters, Steve, Marduk and Christie. There are also three brand new characters: Raven is a Wesley Snipes-like assassin that combines powerful moves including the ability to teleport; Asuka is a schoolgirl who's part of the Kazama family, making her a master of the Kazama style and a similar fighter to Jun; Feng is an evil kenpo master. 'Tekken 5' also features similar character-customisation options found in 'Virtua Fighter 4', letting you alter most of the characters clothes using currency earned from playing arcade mode. Graphically, you'd be hard pressed to find a better-looking PS2 game than this. The character models and animations are superbly detailed, as are the numerous stages. From the arena surrounded with bloodthirsty onlookers to the insid e of a burning temple, you'll find a wide variety of eye candy here. Support for widescreen displays and progressive scan support also helps to make the game look even prettier. If you were disappointed with the direction Tekken was heading with number 4, don't be afraid. 'Tekken 5' is alive!  | |
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