“Tekken 5” hit the PlayStation 2 console with the fury of an iron fist. Tekken 5 commemorates the 10-year anniversary of the Tekken franchise.
The Tekken series, notable for its one-on-one martial arts fighting using cutting edge 3D graphics, is considered an arcade staple. The series, produced by Namco, has been one of the must-buy titles for PlayStation.
PlayStation included a demo of the first Tekken with it. While it wasn’t playable, “Tekken” was still considered one of the highlights of the disc and “Tekken Tag Tournament” became one of PlayStation 2’s launch titles. Instead of one-on-one fighting, each player picked two fighters, and could switch them. The game looked like “Tekken 3” with more characters and a gimmick. The gimmick worked and so did the game.
“Tekken”, one of PlayStation’s most popular franchises, is considered the fighting game to which all others are compared. Is “Tekken 5” the next step in fighting evolution or is it put down like a three-legged greyhound?
Cocky from the success of “Tekken Tag Tournament”, the folks at Namco decided to play Emril and “kick it up a notch.” “Tekken 4” came onto the scene with wildly improved graphics and many new control changes. Jumping was almost eliminated to allow easier side-to-side movement. With the improved graphics came less character choices. While the game was considered successful, much of the fan base felt like the game had strayed from the true path.
So what’s new, what’s old and what has returned? The game features three brand new characters – each with a new style, but still fitting in with the other characters.
What is old is probably what makes the game so good. It plays more like “Tekken 3” and less like “Tekken 4”.
In the latest installment the graphics are just as good, if not better, than the previous one. All the new characters from the last game, except that stupid robot, -are back as well.
At first the game is a little overwhelming. Last time, it offered around 10 characters. Now you start with twice that amount and more to unlock. Also, each character really seems exceptional; there aren’t really any redundant characters. Some of the unlocked ones are a somewhat similar, but they still differ in some ways.
The game disc provides some bonuses, the latest trend in fighting games. Namco executives had a meeting and started brainstorming what they could throw in that Tekken fans would not expect. First off, Tekken 1, 2 and 3 are included. Fans don’t have to unlock them or do anything special to play the previous editions.
Secondly, the game features a dress-up mode: playing the game earns you “gold” and “gold” allows you to buy new clothes for your characters. If you’ve ever wanted to watch a character do karate in a cowboy hat, you are empowered to do so.
Tekken 5 is still a good deal at $50.