There’s little about Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection that doesn’t scream value. Sure, this addition should really have been included with the original download, but that’s kind of beside the point. Dark Resurrection has just got better. For many this will reinvigorate what is probably getting a bit stale or, at the very least, a little less used. For others it may ruin the purity of a one-on-one fighter. That said, if you want a perfectly balanced fighter, Virtua Fighter 5 would be a better option anyway. Yes, whichever way you look at it, you’re winning with this patch from Namco.

Don’t think you’re getting anything new with this online version. Everything remains exactly the same in terms of gameplay, and you’re only likely to make the most of this with some really persistent play. It does have a particular reward though, and that reward comes from the ranking system brought about by the update. Running from 1st Kyu to Tekken Lord, it’s satisfying to see your ability ranked in such a way, and given that in order to have fun with a beat-’em-up you need to be playing someone of a similar skill level, that ranking system will work wonders for assessing skill levels, especially once the game is sufficiently established.

A sad truth of online gaming is that everyone will try to find some kind of cheat or glitch to get the upper hand. There’s very little honour in Tekken Online and, while we’ve not had the pleasure of too many games, playing across the Network brings out the worst in fighters. Cheap juggle characters fare brilliantly in online mode, with some players only requiring a handful of combos to demolish anyone without the knowledge of their character’s cheaper moves. This is where the unbalanced nature of Tekken doesn’t help. When you’re playing your friends in your house, with a couple of beers, there’s an almost unwritten handicap. You might choose a lesser character or play with a little more flair, but online it’s all about winning, it’s your record that counts at the end of the day, not how you got it. But then that is perhaps the way it should be, and we’re just being miserly grumps, who don’t like losing.

The organisation of the rooms is more than adequate, but still has a stark feel about it. Above all it gives you the feel of playing in an arcade, being able to queue up for a game with the winner of the last match while watching your potential opponents moves for repetition or weakness. That’s got to be worth a few quid of anyone’s money.

Tom Leclerc