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[Leguna]

Wanna HEAR me review Tekken 5? Download the video review. Yep, that's my voice and art:
Tekken 5: VIDEO REVIEW by Leguna

I think the ONLY thing I could say about Tekken 5 (T5) that would be considered negative would be that T5 does NOT bring anything new to the Fighting Game genre, BUT that doesn’t mean it’s not a great fighting game. Unlike MANY fighting game sequels being released now-a-days, T5 manages to improve upon EVERY aspect of its predecessors. Like Virtua Fighter 4, T5 took a step back in some areas and got rid of features found in Tekken 4 such as fighting at different ground height and the push ability, but added many new moves for each character. In saying that, T5 is actually more like Tekken 3 than it is like Tekken 4.

T5 feels more like a sequel than Soul Calibur 2 (SC2) and Tekken 4 simply based on its production values. T5 just looks like Namco spent a fortune making the game. EACH character has their own high-end, pre-rendered Computer Graphics (CG) endings, along with a totally kick ass intro! Truly some of the best CG I’ve seen in a while. It doesn’t stop there though; the graphics engine was completely re-designed. Tekken 5 is bar none the best looking fighter on PS2 and possibly on any console. We aren’t done yet, T5 has better extras than any game I could name, arcade perfect ports of Tekken 1, 2 and 3 and Starblade.

T5 feels like they took the already well balanced and skill based fighter Tekken 3, tweaked it very carefully, making it even more balanced and making the character designs even cooler, with graphics that are unparalleled and you get T5. The game just feels so very well crafted.

Tekken 5 is, in my opinion, the third best fighting game this generation (Soul Calibur being the best and Street Fighter 3 Third Strike being second).

Lastly I want to mention that the music in Tekken 5 is INCREDIBLE; best music since Tekken 3 and SF3 Third Strike.

GAMEPLAY: 9 out of 10
MUSIC: 10 out of 10
VISUALS: 10 out of 10

FINAL JUDGMENT: 9.7 out of 10

NOTE ABOUT THE VIDEO REVIEW:
I realize I ended up talking about the visuals way too much! Being that I was SHOWING the game for the first time I got carried away talking what sells the game visually.

Also I'd like to add that editing that video was a pain. For example, to get those counter throws in I had to put the game on ULTRA HARD and just throw until the countered with all the characters you saw in the video.

Comments and questions are welcome!

 

[Red Scarlet]

Do you review for the site, too? (I haven't been to just gaming-age.com for 5 years.)

 

[evil ways]

Nice review. Something that just popped in my mind though was that the narrator for the Story Mode sounds like Alucard from Castlevania SOTN.

 

[Anyanka]

I'm thinking Tekken 5 is the best fighting game ever.


Last night I finally got Tekken Lord rank with every character. I'm kind of sad that I have nothing left to do in single player.

 

[Leguna]

Red Scarlet:
No, but at some point I'm going to apply to the top guns (not for at least 2 years). Not many people can say they have written over 150 reviews, has industry insiders as friends, has experienced making games, and is a very good 3D animator that also enjoys the art of film making.

evil ways:
Music to my ears, thank you.

 

[bjork]

No, but at some point I'm going to apply to the top guns (not for at least 2 years). Not many people can say they have written over 150 reviews, has industry insiders as friends, has experienced making games, and is a very good 3D animator that also enjoys the art of film making.

What tense is this in?

:gets dizzy and pukes:

but yeah, Tekken is okay. It's no Yie-Ar Kung Fu though.

 

[manngc]

You made in error in your review above. Starblade is not in T5. Just a 30-60 sec portion of a level. Very misleading.

Mann

Edit: Nevermind, you were right. It's an unlockable...

 

[evil ways]

You made in error in your review above. Starblade is not in T5. Just a 30-60 sec portion of a level. Very misleading.

Mann

I believe you can unlock the full version by beating Devil Within.

 

[Leguna]

bjork:
If I understand your question right, that's my current status.

 

[bjork]

bjork:
If I understand your question right, that's my current status.

No, no. The status is fine. The sentence was fucked. =P

 

[olimario]

You sound angry.
And what's a "libary"?

 

[Bebpo]

I was all excited leading up to buying the Jpn Tekken 5 yesterday as I've been playing Evo for years now and couldn't wait for a new 3d fighter to practice on daily.

Then I played it and realized I never did like Tekken much ;_;

 

[haunts]

I think you should work for GameSpot!

 

[Leguna]

olimario:
Angry, really? Yeah, i realize i said "libary" instead of "library," habbit. There's a lot of things i could have done better in that video review. I spent too much time on it as it is, but now I have a working template for future reviews.

Bebpo:
Yeah, its definitely different from VF, though you should accept the fact that it is and try and enjoy it. T5's production values are much getter than any VF.

 

[Anamoly]

Not to be an ass, but, do you ever review a game you don't like? Seems like you only give opinion on high profiles games which also happen to be pretty popular and well received for the time. Just curious.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Yeah, Tekken 5 is just another Tekken and Eddy cried.

The game has nothing on VF4e or SC2.

Jinpachi is the shittiest shit that ever did shit. Jesus christ, he's like a refugee from Mortal Kombat.

CRAZY DAMAGE SPECIALS!

INCAPACITATING MOVES!

And Christie's titties do not move what in the name of all that is holy is up with that crap?! Screw that sorry ass Nina crap - I want the Chrititties! >:|

Although Nina is pretty damn hot in her barbarian bitch gear at the end. Still - it's Nina, I'd need a lot of beer before being required to squeegee my TV off.

 

[Bebpo]

Bebpo:
Yeah, its definitely different from VF, though you should accept the fact that it is and try and enjoy it. T5's production values are much getter than any VF.

Oh yea, the game looks amazing. I have no complaints about the game itself, just that it's not grabbing me from the start. I played a ton of T1-3 in HS with friends and was pretty into the game, but I only messed around with T4 for a week or two before shelving it. So I was hoping T5 would get me back into the series, but I think I've outgrown the series.

 

[totoro'd]

Wow, impressed with the video review Leguna. Looks and sounds just like something i'd see on X-Play or Judgement Day, very professional IMO.

You have a pleasing, media-friendly voice as well.

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

Your script could with some work though. That line about it being a 'collection of knowledge, experience and feedback, that Namco have collected' (or something to that effect), looks okay written, but sounds terrible when read aloud. And just generally you seemed to repeat a lot of words. Invest in a thesaurus, they're there to make you sound smarter than you are.

Other than that, a very well put together vid. Nice work.

 

[demi]

You should have talked about more things, like the Devil Within side game. But it's a very good starting video, I liked the opening and ending animations.

 

[mint]

ROFL you make an awesome donald trump impression, I'm not joking lol. nice review btw.

BTW, heres the results from a S. Korea tourney..this was a HUGE event.
Isu theme park: tournament result

1st Knee/Bryan

2nd HoleMan/Raven

3rd(shared) KidJin/Devil Jin, Narac Hof/Paul

Isu tourney vids are coming soon on IDISK.

Tekken 5 tier list.

Rank S

Feng, Devil Jin, Heihachi, Bryan, Steve, Raven, Law

Rank A

Kazuya, Roger Jr., Hwoarang, Nina, Julia, Wang, Xiaoyu, Bruce

Rank B

Lei, Paul, Anna, Jack-5, King, Jin, Marduk, Christie/Eddy, Asuka, Ganryu, Yoshimitsu, Lee, Baek

Rank C

Kuma/Panda

 

[Azih]

Tekken 3 psx has better music.

Kthxbye.

 

[SentientStone]

Tekken 3 psx has better music.

Kthxbye.

I like Tekken 3's music more as well, though the Tekken 5 music I like as well (like the Waterfall stage's).

 

[FortNinety]

Jinpachi is the shittiest shit that ever did shit. Jesus christ, he's like a refugee from Mortal Kombat.

Wow, I actually have to agree with TTOB for once on something.

I found the game really cheap at times, especially the last boss. Sorry, but if you have a last boss who flys, has a laser move that wipes out 90% of your energy, AND some cheap move that hits you while you're down, you know that the well of ideas is dry.

And sorry, when I play a game on easy mode, I want the game to be EASY!

* Cue calling me weaksauce. Well folks, I don't care, cuz that sause sure is tangy!

 

[Leguna]

Anamoly:
Excellent question, I'm working on that! I too have noticed that, but it's because the only game I review are the only ones I complete and enjoy enough to complete them. There are a couple of games I that I want to review POORLY but I'm trying to figure out a way to do it tactfully. One thing I find myself arguing with people too much is that fact that you don't have to complete a game entirely to paint an accurate picture of why my opinion would be negative towards that game

The Take Out Bandit:
It's hard for me to take your reply seriously when you complain about Tekken 5's Jinpachi design and not have anything to say about almost all of VF4's poor character designs that even seem to rip from Tekken. Tekken 5 is a much better game than VF4 in EVERY way.

Bebpo:
What do you like about VF4? What do you not like about T5?

Be-Ah-Hui:
THANKS!!! I did a real crappy job on the audio. I was in a hurry to edit it and just put it up and so that's why my audio has some distortion. My next one will be much more polished up.

demi:
Devil Within is so worthless that I forgot to even mention it.

mint:
Donald Trump? lol, ok cool!

Azih:
What are your favorite songs in T3, because the ones in T5 are of the same vein as the ones in T3 (i believe the same composer too), but better in my opinion.

Leshita:
Yeah, doesn't that song rock! I like Pirate's Cove, Acid Rain and Moonlight Wilderness as well.

 

[akascream]

Wow, I really like the animations and overall look of this game. I'll have to check it out.

 

[Azih]

almost all of the PSX tracks really, I've got the soundtrack at home and so I'll highlight the ones that I really liked but off the top of my head


Tekken 3 King Stage Arcade . Managed to be ambient and rocking at the same

Tekken 3 Secret Characters. Just *GREAT*

Tekken 3 Julia Chang PSX. Remix of the Secret Characters tune and damn well done.



All of the arcade tracks are fun to listen to and the remixes of them in the PSX album keep the great things about them while managing to be completely different. In fact the only missteps for me were Paul Phoenix PSX and King PSX, and the King PSX is only a misstep becuase I like King Arcade so much.


Of course I've listened to the 3 soundttack a whole lot more then the 5 one. But the 3 tunes stuck with me even though I only played the game very rarely in the arcade, in 5 the only tune that grabbed me was the ice penguin stage, that's a fun one.


Edit:

Tekken 5 is a much better game than VF4 in EVERY way.

Oh teh no!

 

[MrAngryFace]

SC2 > Tekken 5. This thread is worthless, much like most of mine.

 

[Bebpo]

SC2 > Tekken 5. This thread is worthless, much like most of mine.

I think if DoA can just get rid of the fucking counters and design a more strategy worthy reversal system it'll be able to sit behind the VF series as the 2nd best 3d fighter. Seriously, they have a pretty solid fighting engine on their hands but the counter deal just crashes any shot it has at being a serious fighter.

 

[MrAngryFace]

VF4 Evo all. And whats with all this Leguna Bootlicking. Hitler probably would like Tekken 5 too, doesnt mean you should come in the thread and lick his butt. Grow up kids.

 

[TheDiave]

No, but at some point I'm going to apply to the top guns (not for at least 2 years). Not many people can say they have written over 150 reviews, has industry insiders as friends, has experienced making games, and is a very good 3D animator that also enjoys the art of film making.

Hmm, lemme see... As far as the 150 thing goes, there's a difference between quality and quantity, sir. Having "industry insiders" isn't as impressive anymore as once was; If you said that back in '97, *maybe* I'd be impressed.

But I can say the parts about experience making games and being a good 3D animator... Props to you. I can't lay claim to either. Although I am currently studying to get into game development (programming).

Nice video review though. Rock on!

(P.S.- I'm the guy you whooped at 3rd Strike in Reno and Kenshin's hotel room back at E3 '02. lol. So the whooping I took makes us even on the smack I just spoke. Call it karmaic justice.)

 

[Kiriku]

Wow, people are having trouble with Jinpachi on EASY!?! I thought he was kind of easy on Very Hard...he's not THAT hard, especially not when you've learnt his moves, know when to sidestep and so on. I agree he's cheap, but not really hard.

And I like the S ranking on Heihachi.

 

[EviLore]

Tekken 5 is a much better game than VF4 in EVERY way

TAKE AIM....FIRE!

 

[sprsk]

I'm sorry leguna, that video review was totally retarded.

all throws, and you only talked about aestetic bullshit.

F+ (+ is for the sweet animation n stuff you put in at the beginning\end)

 

[Jared Goodwin]

Maybe you could upload a version that isn't in .wmv? Mac WMP is teh suck.

 

[Takuan]

"Tekken 5 is a much better game than VF4 in EVERY way"

 

[Jared Goodwin]

http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/ap/VATICAN_POPE.sff_PPC105_20050330085005.jpg

You realize you're going to hell, right? :lol

 

[haunts]

Yeah, I think you should have reviewed something else than the tech throw animations and the music.

What about the new moves they added for each character? What aobut the character customization options? How is the game play different than Tekken 4? Do they have the same eviromental structre where combos and set ups are depedent depending on what plane you are on?

 

[Tabris]

I don't understand how someone would rate a fighter based on single player.

Anyways, I watched it w/o sound cause I'm at work. You just did a bunch of throws and a couple basic moves.

You should show off your skills with some good air juggle combos.

I'm working on my Devil Jin game. My current fave air juggle is

sway+square, < > square, triangle, diagonal down, square, > circle circle circle

 

[Bristow]

That's a decent first video review presentation wise, but you need to go into a more in-depth analysis of the game. Just talking about how 'cool' it looks and sounds doesn't make for anything more than a fanboy impression.

 

[sprsk]

Yeah, I think you should have reviewed something else than the tech throw animations and the music.

What about the new moves they added for each character? What aobut the character customization options? How is the game play different than Tekken 4? Do they have the same eviromental structre where combos and set ups are depedent depending on what plane you are on?

not just new moves but very cool and well animated new moves!

 

[Bebpo]

What do you like about VF4? What do you not like about T5?

After playing all night and reading the Tekkenzaibatsu forums there's still lot about Tekken that doesn't quite grab me. I mean it's neat that it does it's own thing and doesn't play like other fighters (DoA basically plays close to VF for instance) so I respect Tekken as its own fighting game and Tekken players. But for me the things I don't enjoy so much:

--Incredibly small movelists when compared to VF. Most characters only have 60-70 moves and that includes combo strings. I mean over at the zaibatsu forums when people do a "10 best moves for character A" with a lot of characters people are having trouble even coming up with 10 really useful moves for that character. I can say with no lies that when I play VF, my Kage, Akira, Lion, Shun, Aoi are great because I probably keep 20-30 moves in my rotation to mix up my game keeping opponents on their toes. Tekken feels like there is less of this and more of "I have 5 moves I will keep doing and mix up the order". This is most apparent with stances where most characters have like 4 attacks in the stance (1 for each button) and that's all. In VF when you go into a stance you get a whole new movelist to work from, there's just a lot more options which makes the games more varied and the players more interesting.

--Movement. Completely put aside attacking for the moment. In VF the movement is so smooth and incredible that you can make an entire game out of weaving in and out of the opponents attacks and moving all around them to take advantage of the 3d positioning. Characters like Shun, and especially Lion have awesome movement. I just don't feel this at all in Tekken, side-stepping is slow and movement just feels rigid. Tekken seems more based around a 2d plane than fully utilizing all 3 dimensions.

--Combos. In VF you can create like a million combos and figure out some way to make a combo out of almost every move in your movelist. This feels realistic and is just so much fun for experimenting. Tekken feels a lot more stiff in this regard, canned combos aside most moves have 1-2 set moves that link after them and then the rest is just juggles and ground hits. I read the forums and it's like each player has a set 4-5 combos they stick with and use in their matches. In VF you not only have a major wider set of combos memorized from practice but you also learn to adapt to real life situations, when someone gets countered from a 42 degree angle and pops up 3 feets off the ground for a sec, you think real fast "what can I hit off this from my movelist" and hopefully you'll have some combo which depending on the physics might come through. One of the greatest parts of VF is sitting in training mode with a new character and creating all these possible combos and strategies that you can work with.

--Throws and Reversals. Besides the grapplers everyone in Tekken has pretty much the same throws commands, it's a superficial thing but in it's nice having a wide variety of amazingly choreographed throws for each character in the VF series. Also the reverals system of VF is freaking awesome and requires tons of skill and is incredibly rewarding (playing as Aoi is always a blast), I find Tekken reverals to be a lot less fun IMO.

Then there's just little stuff about VF that makes it so great. Like the hit sound effects which are hard and bone-crunching. When you kick someone you hear a SMACK and when you do a G+K sweep you here a SWOOSH. The punches sound good in Tekken but when I kick someone it's this soft noise which is kinda wtf...same with throws. The characters in VF are a lot less 'hokey' (well maybe Goh) and playing as Akira feels like playing as a badass karate master and playing as Shun feels like you're a drunken fool. Even Jeffrey who is kinda stupid oafish is a pretty cool guy with his big boot kick and flipping the camera around. Rings outs are also pretty nice as a psychological effect since when the fight gets near the edge both players are gonna start to think about their positioning and which moves throws should be used to re-position themselves (another nice thing is most VF characters having re-positioning throws). There's just so many little things that work about VF that make it the fighting game that may end up going down in history as the greatest fighter ever if VF5 is a step down.

Still Tekken is a great fighter, but I just have more fun playing VF. I don't think I've ever been bored in a VF match in the arcade or at home whether it's vs a human or cpu because I'm always trying something a little different and seeing the results.

 

[MrAngryFace]

VF feels reactionary. I dont have to memorize shit beyond the moves, I make 'combos' based off of need, not desired outcome.

 

[Bebpo]

VF feels reactionary. I dont have to memorize shit beyond the moves, I make 'combos' based off of need, not desired outcome.

Yea, I think you just summed up what took me like 10x the amount of words to express

 

[Drinky Crow]

Like in a real fight!

 

[akascream]

Whatever, I totally use combos in RL fights.

 

[Jared Goodwin]

Whatever, I totally use combos in RL fights.

What do you think a kata is?

Granted, fighting games (even VF) are crazy exaggerated.

 

[EviLore]

What do you think a kata is?

Something that won't help you in a real fight.

 

[MrAngryFace]

BURN

 

[Jared Goodwin]

Something that won't help you in a real fight.

Pwned.

Maybe I should shut up about things I know nothing about. :lol