For fans of fighting games the choices have been very slim on the Xbox 360. DOA 4 offered some great things and I enjoyed it but then it seemed the fighting games just dried up. I know that there are games that have fighting in them but most also have other elements that try and combine two different genres. When I first learned the VF 5 Online would be released on the Xbox 360, I had mixed feelings.

I liked what I had seen, but this would be the first game of the series to hit the Xbox 360. I also wondered about the online play. The demo was good but focused on the single-player mode only. Now that I have had time with the game read, the full review and find out what I thought of Virtua Fighter 5 Online.

Gameplay

In single-player the two main modes are arcade and quest. The game follows the arcade version and I enjoyed this. Playing the arcade mode is good to see what fighters are there and to learn the basics. I want to want to warn you not to judge the game on the arcade mode alone. The AI is not as tough and the movements at times seem slow and a bit stiff. It has all the bells and whistles of a Sega arcade game and this helps add to the enjoyment but long time players of the series or fighting fans in general will breeze through this mode quickly.

The quest mode is where the game gets interesting and you start earning things for your character. You can make a motto, adjust the looks, and add clothing and other items. You will follow the map to other arcades where a fighter awaits your challenge. The AI is harder and each fighter has a different style of moves or martial art form. The game starts to pick up the pace nicely here. Earning money and items is one thing but you will need to battle through all the fighters to beat the mode.

While the AI and your own character will exchange snappy comebacks, there is no set story line like in the DOA series. It’s all about fighting and everyone is an enemy plain and simple. Both the arcade mode and the quest mode look great and play very well on the Xbox 360. It is like you just bought the actual arcade machine and hooked it up except for the extra controls and fight stick. The other modes include a practice mode and a way to set-up two of the fighters and watch them fight. Virtua Fighter 5 offers the most fighters ever introduced in the series and is a great game for fighting fans.

Control

Learning the controls will take about 15-20 for those who have played the series either in the arcade or on another system. Those new to the series will need a little more time. I like the way the controls are mapped for the Xbox 360 controller. Of course Hori and Sega brought out a fight stick made for the game, but at $60.00 it’s an investment that I really didn’t want to make.

I personally had no issues pulling off the moves using the D-pad and analog stick. While fighting online and talking to a few fans, they had a few complaints that the D-Pad is just not sensitive enough to make the right combos as quickly as needed. I think this really boils down to each player and the way they play the game. Overall the game offers great controls and while using a fight stick is the best way. They did a great job with the Xbox 360 controller.

Xbox Live

Beating an AI opponent is fun but not as satisfying as taking on a real person. The Online mode allows you to fight in a ranked or unranked match. Learning how to host or join can take a little time, but after you do it once, you will see it’s pretty easy.
The quality of the match will depend on the host’s connection. Fighting games have always been at the mercy of this issue. Thankfully, most gamers out there have a high enough connection that lag is not a real issue. That’s not to say their set-up may need changed. I had some great fights that played flawlessly and a few that were like fighting in slow motion. This is due to the fact of their router’s NAT and other settings.

I liked both the modes and I really enjoyed fighting online. Sega was able to bring out a great fighter. My only complaint is more of a personal one. You can only fight one-on-one and no one can wait to fight like in DOA 4. I miss this and I know Gronar and Zrion were big fans of the DOA 4 online play. We would go into a room and talk and fight for hours. While this feature has never been added to the VF series, I think the next one will offer this option. I was impressed with the overall online play and the lobby system although it could be tweaked a bit.

Graphics

Virtua Fighter 5 Xbox 360 Screenshot

I said the graphics look like you just went out and bought the real arcade machine. I mean this and they look very detailed and really help set the game’s theme and appeal. I also like the way each fighting venue was different looking and had places that inflicted more damage to a player or AI opponent when thrown into a certain place.

Virtua Fighter 5 Xbox 360 Screenshot

If you look at the amount of characters in the game and the fact they all look different, it says a lot for the team that created the game. At times the opening segment when each fighter has their snappy lines, it needs tweaked as their mouths don’t always match what they are saying. This may not be a flaw. It may be a case of it being made from the original import version and the voice-overs were changed to English.

Virtua Fighter 5 Xbox 360 Screenshot

Audio

A talented group was brought together for the voice-over work. Their voices and style fit the characters well. Cheesy or over-the-top lines are common in fighting games and to be honest I look forward to those moments in any fighting game. Audio-wise they captured the arcade mode perfectly and added the right amount of effects to make the game well balanced.

Replay Value

Fighting games are perhaps the hardest to judge the replay value. If you are going to try and complete all the modes and take it online, then the replay is going to be higher for you. Just like each player has their own way of fighting, they also have their own way they will play the game. Some gamers will only want to play online and others may just want to play with friends. When compared to the only other main fighting game to hit the Xbox 360, the replay is high. Overall it’s a game that will certainly appeal to fighting fans.

Bottom Line

Overall Score: 8.8/10.0

Additional Comments

VF 5 Online was a surprise for me and a pleasant one. While I enjoyed the series, I had my doubts at first. It turned out to be a great first game for the series on the Xbox 360. I hope they expand the online mode and add room for more fighters but time will tell. I also think the controls are solid enough although I did get myself a Hori fight stick when DOA 4 came out. I think this decision should depend on how much time you plan on playing the game. The holiday season has brought us a ton of new games and money is short so choose wisely. Bottom line on Virtua Fighter 5 Online is it’s a solid game and a fun one to play.

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Filed under: Reviews • Xbox Live

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