Tekken 5

Tekken 5 can be summed up in two words: It’s Tekken. Everything that you loved about the previous games has been wrapped up, refined and perfected in what is essentially the video game equivalent of a Greatest Hits album. You even get the last three Tekken games included in the package; so if for some inexplicable reason the series has eluded your attention for the best part of the last decade, you can catch up on what you missed out on.
 
The fighting system is as good as ever, with the perfect blend of button-mash simplicity and strategic depth. Though the list of special moves for each character just seems to get longer with each iteration you’ll find the game is as accessible as ever and old combinations and tactics will more or less work in the same way.
 
Character wise, you’ll find plenty of familiar faces plus three new ones, bringing the total number of playable characters to 31. In traditional Tekken fashion, not all of these are available from the outset, and need to be unlocked through the games many modes of play.
 
Tekken Force mode, the side-scrolling beat-em-up from previous games has been replaced this time around with Devil Within mode – a rather plain 3D beat-em-up featuring Jin Kazama. It’s a fun distraction, but gets repetitive very quickly.
 
The main story mode is well-presented and follows your character through the King of Iron Fist tournament with a slick combination of anime-styled cutscene stills, in-game sequences and rendered video footage.
 
As is to be expected from the genre, the visuals are damn hot. Tekken 5 is one of the best looking games we’ve seen on the PS2. Fluid animation combined with meaty sound effects gives the game a satisfying oomph. Details in the various stages, such as the clink of loose change as you knock your opponent around an arena covered in doubloons, also add to the atmosphere.
 
New in Tekken 5 is the ability to customise each character by earning money from battles against AI opponents of varying skill levels. Though customisation is purely aesthetic, it does add to the longevity of the game and is sure to be a hit with die-hard fans.
 
The only real problem with Tekken 5 is that it’s Tekken. Despite slick presentation and minor refinements to the rock solid game mechanics, this really is the same game we’ve been playing for the last bazillion years. It’s the best of the series though, so if you’re looking for the definitive Tekken game, or just need to fill out your Tekken collection, this is a dream come true. Though it does leave us wondering just where else Namco can go with the series. Let’s just hope we don’t see another Death by Degrees.