TEKKEN 6 – Xbox 360 Review

Fans of fighting games have had several great titles to pick from on the Xbox 360. DOA comes to mind as one of the favorites. Of course there have been some other games to finally make their debut on the Xbox 360 including Soulcalibur IV and BlazBlue and now finally Tekken 6. I know many were waiting for this one to hit. It offers plenty for fighting fans, but has a few flaws. It certainly offers a roster of fighters larger than any Tekken game in the past, but read the full review of Tekken 6 to find out what worked and what might have been better off left out of the long-awaited fighter.

Gameplay:

Tekken 6 is loaded with characters to pick from as I said in the intro. Namco Bandai made sure the list ranged from past favorites and new ones. Fans of past Tekken titles will be familiar with almost all the game modes included. There is the Arcade, Time Trail, Ghost Battles, Survival, Practice, Offline and Online versus modes. They also added a new mode Campaign Scenario which at first is interesting but seems thrown in as a time killer and is a bit out of place in the Tekken normal format. The good news is you can earn coins in almost every mode to buy new costumes and to unlock things.

Most fans will jump right into the arcade or online play and both play well, but Tekken 6, like the other Tekken games, is more about learning the advanced moves. If you take the time to learn them, the game will really prove to be more than just a basic fighter. So the game is loaded with modes and offers plenty for fans that is great. I am not sure why they added the Campaign Scenario. Maybe they wanted to try something new or maybe they thought it would add to the game. I found it to be a distraction from the rest of the game. Overall the story is scattered and it seems like an afterthought thrown in. Some may find it interesting, but if this was my only main complaint of the game, then I can live with it. Like any fighting game, Tekken 6 gives you plenty of offline and online modes. Offline is fun but for a real challenge try the online modes. This way you get to show off the things you have unlocked and have a chance to fight real people versus the AI.

Control:

Tekken 6 offers two control styles, the pick-up and play and the advanced controls, for each character. Learning the basics is simple and with the Xbox 360 controller easy to pull off. The advance controls take longer and to learn how to “Juggle” the opponent and the special moves will take time to learn. While the Xbox 360 controller works fine for real controls, you would be better off with a fight stick. Tekken 6 offers a special bundle with a wireless fight stick and art book. It’s around 129.99. Once you learn to fight with a stick you’ll never want to go back to the Xbox 360 controller. Of course if you already have a Hori or Mad Catz fight stick, they will work just fine. I found no control issues but just keep in mind there is a learning curve.

Xbox Live:

Tekken 6 uses the standard match-making lobbies and it works. There was an issue with some disconnects and finding people but Namco Bandai released a patch that took care of this issue. No matter how strong your connection is you’re going to experience some lag during online play. Every fighting game has this issue. It’s not terrible but it’s going to pop up at times and you just have to accept it. Fighting games are so fast-paced that one person in the group that has a bad connection will cause slow down or what we call “lag”. If it gets too bad, just find or make a new room. Other than that it’s pretty easy to create or find matches and the patch really improved the experience over Xbox live.

Graphics:

Each Character has their own unique look and the details are fantastic. The overall game looks great as well. Different stages offer new things and the graphics stand out. This is true in all the modes with perhaps the exemption of the Campaign Scenario, which at times looked a bit choppy and not as smooth as the rest of the modes. No complaints and Tekken fans will certainly feel at home with the graphics found in the game.

Audio:

You’ll need to read the subtitles unless you speak Japanese. They kept the original voice-over track in the US release. I have always preferred this then over the redubbed versions some games have attempted. You’ll know what is going on and each voice-over artist does a great job. When they try and make an English track, the translation to American gets in the way and almost hinders the audio instead of adding to it. Most Tekken fans won’t find this to be an issue and for those new to the series, you’ll get used to it and it will seem natural in the first hour of the game.

Replay Value:

Tekken 6 is loaded with replay value, but like any game, it depends on the person’s playing style. If you play the modes off and online, the replay value is going to be higher than if you just play offline. Also if you want to unlock the costumes and other items, it is going to add to the overall replay value. I will say Tekken 6 offers plenty of modes and I wish more fighters would offer as much. If you don’t choose to try all of the modes, that is your right or maybe your loss as some modes offers some great things.

Bottom Line

Overall Score: 8.8/10.0

Additional Comments

While Tekken 6 is not perfect, it’s a great fighter and offers plenty for fans of the series. While it was a long wait for the series to hit the Xbox 360, they brought a great version out for the debut on the system. It does take time to learn all the advance moves, but this is true with any fighting game released. I was also impressed with the way it controls while using a fight stick. I have also included a screen shot of the limited edition art book they included in the special bundle. It offers a great look of the art and ideas that went into the making of Tekken 6. I personally can’t wait for the next Tekken to hit. With Christmas right around the corner, if you know a fan of fighting games, this is one of the titles you should be out shopping for.

Links:

Tekken 6 Website

Filed under: Reviews • Xbox 360

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