(LAST UPDATE: 9/15/09)
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Developer(s): Namco, 8ing/Raizing (PSP
version)
Publisher(s): Namco
Platform(s): Arcade,
PS3, PSP (as Tekken: Dark Resurrection)
Release: December 2005 (JP Arcade), February 2006 (NA Arcade), July
6th 2006 (JP PSP), December 12th 2006 (JP PSN), March 1st 2007 (NA PSN - As Tekken 5: Dark
Resurrection Online)
Characters:
Asuka
Kazama, Feng Wei, Raven,
Kuma,
Panda,
Bruce,
Anna,
Jin
Kazama, Lee Chaolan, Ling
Xiaoyu, Bryan Fury, Nina
Williams, Paul Phoenix, Yoshimitsu,
Steve
Fox, Craig Marduk, Christie
Monteiro, Eddy,
Hwoarang,
Kazuya
Mishima, King,
Marshall
Law, Julia Chang, Jack-5,
Lei
Wulong, Armor King, Roger
Jr., Wang, Baek,
Ganryu,
Devil
Jin, Mokujin, Heihachi,
Jinpachi,
Dragunov,
Lili
Related Games:
Tekken,
Tekken
2,
Tekken 3, Tekken
Advance, Tekken Tag Tournament, Tekken
4, Tekken 5, Tekken:
Dark Resurrection, Tekken 5: Dark
Resurrection Online, Tekken 6, Tekken
6: Bloodline Rebellion
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Review: Namco's welcomed update to the fan-loved Tekken 5 brings 3 new playable characters, new stages, a kickass new soundtrack (one of the best in Tekken history), new customizations, better graphics, and more balanced gameplay. Tekken 5's bugs and balance issues have been taken care of, and new combos and moves are waiting to be learned... DR was no doubt one outstanding update to Tekken 5 (5.1), and overall feels like a much more complete game.
The already deep characters from Tekken 5 are back with new moves, of which are nothing short of teeth-cringing (as usual)... Tekken is still one of the hardest-hitting fighting games to date, with fighting techniques that never fail to have that "oomph". Several characters like Baek, Lei, and Jack-5 for example, have been given complete "animation makeovers", with visibly smoother moves yet still keeping the same frame count as the old ones... This is perhaps how these characters really should have looked in Tekken 5, but I suppose Namco just couldn't get to it in time. Characters also have new intro animations, new taunts between rounds, and some pretty cool new win poses and intro taunts.
The new stages
are much appreciated... Namco answered my prayers for more stages
in Tekken 5, which I thought the game could really use. All of the new backgrounds (and returning
remixed ones)
add new graphical eye candy each in their own way. Namco also did a superb
job on remixing most of the background music from Tekken 5, and thankfully,
all of the stages from Tekken 5 are back along with their original
BGMS! Thanks Namco. They also switched up the announcer's voice for the
better... Even though the new announcer seems to lack motivation or something... 
Hehe. Even so, I still prefer this guy over the original Tekken 5 announcer any
day.
The gameplay itself is as flashy as ever, especially while watching two skilled fighters duke it out. And by the way, I don't mean skilled as in "using cheap tactics and strategies to win"... I mean skilled as in "making the game look pretty AND using useful tactics and strategies to win." In my opinion, being good at Tekken isn't just about knowing combos and having good defensive skills. It's also about knowing how to "adapt" against different players, as characters can be used in a variety of styles... There's no one way to play each character. With even more moves, the "mix up" game of Tekken is even more prominent in this version... Watching a skilled player take down a reckless player who "mindlessly attacks" is a beautiful think to see. If you one of the many who constantly get their ass kicked in Tekken, I'd recommend Tekken: Dark Resurrection for the PSP... It comes with an in game tutorial before it even lets you start fighting (Great idea Namco)... Let's clean up those button mashers already! Heh heh.
I will admit
that the hit detection in Tekken 5: DR can sometimes be a bit funky and
unrealistic at times. If you know the in's and out's of the game, you'll
know that certain mid and seemingly high attacks actually connect with a
grounded opponent, and may even "pick them up" allowing for even longer
combos. This flaw of physics rewards hardcore players
with longer juggles, and makes newbs say something to the effect of "what
the hell?!" or "put me down already!" 
In any case, pretty much every character in the game can pull off incredibly
long combos, so the game ends up pretty balanced in the end! Overall, T5DR is
one of the most responsive and most fun 3D fighting games I've ever played.
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10 / 10 |
Closing Comment:
Those of us that
love our Tekken were ecstatic when we heard about T5:DR,
and were even more ecstatic when we played it... Which clearly was
Namco's goal. T5:DR brought Tekken 5 players back to the arcade, and gave
us a more balanced game... The best Tekken to date in fact. With
it's release on the PS3, Tekken was brought into true HD with 1080p visuals
and, for the first time ever offered online play (ala Tekken
5: Dark Resurrection Online)! ~F.Yagami,
Webmaster
of TFG
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