From: Sega Of America, Inc. Average Rating: Binding: Video Game ESRB Age Rating: Teen Format: CD Label: Sega Of America, Inc. Model: 69005 Platform: PLAYSTATION 3 Release Date: February 20, 2007
Features:
Two new characters, Mexican wrestler El Blaze and Monkey Kung Fu master Eileen, round out the cast of 17 dynamic fighters
Challenge their opponents in unique types of arenas, in stunning & highly-detailed 3D fighting environments inspired by locations around the world
New offensive moves let players move around their opponent from the side and back, allowing players to be more strategic
Customize characters with the enhanced attachment system and customization engine, giving players more flexibility than ever
Next-Gen presentation includes HD resolution (widescreen) and Dolby Digital 5.1CH sound
Product Description: Virtua Fighter 5 will elevate the arcade fighting genre to all-new heights. Virtua Fighter 5 sets the standard for console fighting games including all the features fans know and love, plus enhanced gameplay mechanics, additional characters, and new fighting styles, as well as newly redesigned 3D environments.
To be honest... it's kind of bland. So after dropping a hefty wad of cash on the PS3 I decided to pick up a moderately priced game for two players to tide me over until the next payday. In comes VF5.
Virtua Fighter 5 is a decent enough fighting game for $20 but it is not great either. In the end I feel like I should have saved that $20 to buy some games off the PSN store.
It doesn't have a story mode. As crappy as the stories might be in other fighters, they serve to flesh out the character and let the player feel like the fight matters for some reason in what is otherwise a one-note genre. Instead VF5 gives you a career mode that is just one match after another with screens in between that say "character A vs. character B." Absolutely riveting! But of course since there is no story that means the characters must be unique and interesting on their own? You know with wacky costumes and awesome individual move sets, like Mortal Kombat or something? Right?
Wrong. The characters themselves are essentially interchangeable. There's that one girl who does the kicks... oh no wait I am thinking of the other girl. And that big dude who's like a wrestler I think. Or are there two of those? Who knows? Who cares? Seriously the only character who seems unique is the Lucha Libre guy with flaming leather pants (which is 70% of the reason I gave this game 3 stars in fun category). A lot of people that come over to play the game are button mashers. I know purists hate games that give button mashing any credit, but what do you want? Not everyone is a gamer. Considering the lack of online play, you can only play with other people in person. Well everyone I know that comes over to play has jobs and studying to do, so there's no way they're going to be anything other than button mashers. The result is a fight that is composed of one three punch chain and a couple kicks. After a few minutes of this someone is bound to suggest a rousing game of Scrabble because that would be ten times more riveting (seriously though, scrabble is pretty sweet).
If you are a hardcore gamer, then this game is not bad. Each character has plenty of difficult move sets you can try and master. The shaolin monk guy and the drunken kung fu dude are pretty good examples of this. Of course there is no preview mode, so you'll never know if you're doing the moves right because there is no way for you to see what it is supposed to be. The more difficult move sets also look better and might help you feel like the characters are more unique. That is if you are still playing this game and not using it as a fancy coaster on your coffee table.
The graphics in this game are great though. Things look awesome if you have an hdtv to really let the system do its thing. Some of the levels make you wish you could go vacation there instead of having a slow-paced boring fight there. The characters look great too, even if they have some awkward proportion issues. (Is El Blaze just small or is Jeffrey Mcwild suffering from a thyroid problem? You'll never know because there is no story mode).
I think my review is harsher than I meant it to be but still VF5 really doesn't leave any impression. Yeah it's a fighting game and that's about it. It's easily accessible because button mashing works (it just looks the same for every character: punch punch punch kick and repeat). It offers complicated combos that are animated well for those willing to learn the intricacies (but no way of knowing which move is which and if you're doing the right one). It has great graphics but no story. Essentially it looks pretty but has no personality. If you're a huge fan of Virtua Fighter, well why are you even looking at the reviews, you know you're probably going to buy the game. If you lean more towards games like Soul Calibur, skip this because you won't see the appeal. Unless you're trying to rekindle your love for board games.
Mindless bashing, but the same can be said about the entire genre I am not a console gamer and bought the PS3 mainly for the Blu-ray. This is one of the few games I have gathered for the machine.
The graphics is par for the course. The movement is not perfectly smooth, but not overly jarring either. The game play is predictably mindless and repetitive. The demand on twitchy fingers suits early teens only. All in all, it is exactly what one expects from a fighting game. I still get to blow off some steam once in a long while. As a time killer, this one does not succeed for me, but I consider that a good thing.
Fun But Lacks Competitiveness! Virtua Fighter 5 is a great game but it lacks the online feature especially for an next-gen console. Compared to VF4 it's a huge step up, but I preferred the VF4's style it was somewhat more entertaining. It does have stunning graphics as promised. Lots of customizations with bolts and screws for you to play with. It may not be a must have but instead a "Good To Have".
HELP ME! Why can't you use the thumbstick to walk/move in this game? It drives me crazy! Is there some simple setting that I need to change? I just don't get it! My son played this game in-store, and loved it so much we bought it. Unlike the system at the store which allowed movements via thumbstick, ours does not. PLEASE HELP!
Amazing graphics........and nothing more! I would have thought that after 4 versions of this game, that SOMEONE would have thought about the controls.....or gameplay, in general.....
The good: The graphics are great! Vivid colors, smooth action sequences, nice fighting moves...etc etc
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
