Now here’s something to consider: how do you objectively assess something that so many people so fervently adore without insulting those peoples tastes? How do you move away from the clichéd industry standard of “we didn’t like it that much, but if you’re into Virtua Fighter, you’ll love it”? Yes, that’s right, we don’t really like it that much. Not necessarily for the game, but because we’re no good at it, and being no good at it just isn’t fun. It’s worlds away from the likes of other Sega titles that offer the kind of all-encompassing fun that make gaming what it should be. Titles like Outrun 2, Super Monkey Ball and Sonic all offer something for everyone, but that philosophy has been clearly and, it seems, purposefully ripped out of the Virtua Fighter series over the years. This is no bad thing, but in this instance it falls to the player to offer time, contemplation and profound thought to reap any kind of reward from the game; the more you put in, the more you get out.

Whilst we’re unwilling to revisit the VF versus Tekken debate, it seems an apt place to start given Dark Resurrection’s recent appearance on the PlayStation Network. For those few people not accustomed to the inter-beat-’em-up wranglings, which has been raging since the dawn of 3D fighters, it goes a little something like this: folk who claim to be good at games, but can’t get to grips with hugely demanding button inputs and the precision required to own everyone and his dog usually err toward the more casual end of the beat-’em-up spectrum.

Titles like Tekken and Soul Calibur could be seen as the main proponents of this ‘relaxed’ fighting, and it’s difficult to make a case against it. Anyone with true gaming thumbs will invariably be of a Virtua Fighter bent, and never the twain shall meet. It’s a kind of status symbol in our circles; who plays what and how well is a matter of almost fundamentalist pride. In reality it’s only us games journalists that have a real issue with the casual/hardcore debate, but it’s worth pointing out that everything that Virtua Fighter does is replicated well in Tekken as well as other titles like Third Strike. We’ll happily admit – to make our bias clear – that we enjoy a good bout of Tekken over Virtua Fighter, but don’t let us dissuade you from this latest round of VF, as it’s the kind of game that seductively invites even the most stalwart of casual gamers to play.

We’ll be honest here. We just haven’t got the time, and more crucially skill, to be able to judge with absolute assurance how the balance has been affected in this update. In all honesty, that will most likely be judged by those at the front line of Japanese arcades in a few years, but what we can deal with is just how much effort has gone into making sure this version is as rounded as it can possibly be. Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution was received with glee by pretty much everyone, mainly due to the exquisite balancing act AM2 had managed to perform. Every fighter had a chance against every other fighter, and the absence of ‘cheap’ moves reinvigorated the arcade scene with a dedicated following of the most hardcore of hardcore beat-’emup vets, hailing it as the best ever created in the genre. Sure, everyone else either ignored it or mumbled something about Virtua Fighter being up its own arse and went back to bumbling about with Killik on Soul Calibur. Certainly however, you could easily say that Evolution was the most carefully crafted fighter ever made.

The considerations given to this latest iteration are indicative of a continuation of that quality of balance however, with the two new characters Eileen and El Blaze filling gaps that could easily have been filled by ‘cheap’ flashy characters to draw in a new batch of initiates interested in the series. This technique of offering Eddie Gordo type characters has been thankfully eschewed in favour of that aforementioned balance with both fighters having differing points of interest for those who are perhaps getting a little tired of the similarity of fighting styles that the last iteration delivered. Brad and Goh weren’t, in the beat-’em-up world at least, revolutionary characters, but El Blaze and Eileen both offer something different enough to entice gamers from all skill levels. Eileen’s monkey style is the more difficult to use effectively, while Blaze’s Luche Libre wrestling method, and look, is more likely to appeal to a wider audience. Even with the inclusion of these new characters – and this is only an early opinion – the careful poise of the combat mechanic has been unsullied, leaving the dedicated fans with cause to sigh with relief.

More obvious to us was a massive hike in the quality of the visuals. Whilst the character models haven’t been enhanced by any great bound, the collective look of the piece has been bettered with some tremendous animation, and a slow move away from the aggravating jerkiness of previous titles. It can still be an insanely speedy game, and there’s been no change in the focus on juggle combos and supreme timing, but combined with some gorgeous environments and the best water effects we’ve ever seen, it showcases the PS3’s power far better than many other early titles. Other nice visual touches come in the form of the items available from the prize system. While it’s been implemented in numerous other fighters since, this customisation is distinct to Virtua Fighter. Rather than simply offering outfits, or in Tekken’s case, a completely random assortment of bizarre add-ons that serve no purpose but to make your eyes bleed, VF’s goodies are as well thought-out as the combat.

Fashioning an outfit can give gamers a nice reprieve from the almost endless stream of opposition, and with the right amount of cash (an item of irritating rarity) and the requisite ranking players can kit out their fighters with a coherent and varied wardrobe. One such assemblage we saw in our trawl through the arcades in quest mode was Lei-fang dressed in red and black wearing a blindfold. Now this may not sound like much but it takes much away from the potential tedium of what amounts to an unending string of samey fights. This is where VF5 stumbles a little for us. Where other games in the genre have dared to innovate with tag battles, create-a-character modes, RPG elements and scrolling versions, VF has remained stationary in only offering fight after fight after fight.

This may not have been such an issue with an online mode, and the thought of online tournaments, rankings, news and all manner of other community goings on; its omission wreaks of missed opportunity. We understand AM2’s protectiveness. Lag, after all, could be a death knell for a title so finely poised, but the absence of any online matches will do little to increase VF’s popularity on a system so focused on the online component. What’s proffered by way of compensation is a streamlined and improved quest mode that sees you hitting the virtual arcades of Japan, offering out any and all comers. The personas you meet on these mean streets are modeled on real tournament fighters – even our illustrious Editor in chief has his own character for you to own. What’s great about this is that the feedback from VF4 has been taken into account, meaning that any niggle you had with that version will no doubt be changed. Sure, they’re not gigantic leaps, but they’re all from the common sense school of thought, and very much to the benefit of the single-player mode.

Essentially the focus has been put on realism. And not just with the playing styles of the combatants; if you squint really, really hard you might almost be in Japan. Almost.

For a start you’re able to visit every arcade from the off, giving freedom to those veterans wanting to dive straight into the hardcore end. Inside each arcade are parlours where individual matches can be set up, fought and won without the irksome hassle of walking around with pocketfuls of 50 yen pieces. You can choose to fight players of similar, lower or higher rankings than you, and what’s most important for those gamers who like to bear a grudge, the various players don’t flit around the arcades, preferring to stay in the same place and giving you the option to fight them pretty much anytime you want. Playing the same characters over and over again doesn’t help with either the realism or your skill levels, so AM2 has included an extra large portion of virtual opposition spread across the seven arcades in the mode.

Another nice addition is sheer quantity. For anyone to really get into Virtua Fighter 5, you’re going to have to spend an awful lot of time practicing, reading up on combos and pausing the game to have a sneakypeek at the moves list, especially with the new combat systems. A small digression here, but it’s a risky business, making fundamental changes to combat systems in beat-’em-ups. Just look at Tekken’s position change system. Supposedly included to allow players to reverse potentially harmful positions, it was a completely unnecessary, and detrimental, addition which served as a cheap get-out clause for those without the wherewithal to work it out themselves. Parrying in Street Fighter II, on the other hand, managed to remain fairly enjoyable, adding a new level to an age old combat system that, let’s face it, really needed it.

Not content with simply tweaking the throws, making grapple-happy characters a little stronger, AM2 has included refloats and adjusted the way in which moves connect when characters are side-on. In all honesty this kind of stuff is far beyond our reach, but we’re sure that they’ll become regular fixtures in future versions. Championships come up every now and again, and if you ever get to the higher echelons, there are even new and unique rankings to earn. The items earned in the quest mode through specific fights or at milestones in your career aren’t just trinkets to be added whenever you feel like it though, as an encumbrance limit has been set meaning that once your character has been loaded up with bits and pieces, any further additions have to be made at the cost of your current gear. The number of characters that can be altered and saved has been increased as well, giving further longevity. All this may sound utterly superfluous, but it’s these little touches that make up for the lack of real innovation in the modes. Because the quest mode is both thorough and extensive, you’ll be playing it for a good long while before the lack of variation begins to irk.

There are still one or two confusing points for us to ponder however. The tunes so loved and hated from the previous version have been dropped in favour of more authentic ambience. Whilst this is infinitely more coherent, the game loses something to this new-found conservatism by Sega. Similarly weird, and a touch more annoying is the fact that replays don’t last nearly as long as they should. Getting a cheeky post-KO hit in before the round ends then checking it out in the replay to double the embarrassment effect caused to your opponent is why we all play these games. Sadly the replays are prematurely ended, leaving you slightly annoyed that your victories can’t be enjoyed for longer. These are very much scratches on a masterpiece however, and looking at the game as a whole it’s clear that it’s an immensely playable title for those able to get into it.

A word of warning here though. We’ve been kinder to Virtua Fighter 5 than perhaps we should, mainly due to the fact that AM2 has managed to create a new game, complete with two new characters and the not insignificant inclusion of new combat mechanics and re-weighting of throws without taking away from the joy that long term lovers of the series find so addictive. Already those such folk in our office are chomping at the proverbial bit to get a copy to further hone their considerable skills. That’s the problem you see. Virtua Fighter still, even with a relatively friendly character like El Blaze, won’t appeal to anyone but the hardcore. It’s slipped in terms of innovation in favour of concentrating on the key aspects of balance and finesse. If you’re considering a purchase with little knowledge of the series, just don’t. The fact is that if you were the kind of gamer that appreciates the kind of gameplay that Virtua Fighter 5 delivers, you’d already be playing Virtua Fighter 4.

So, we return to our original point: how to approach Virtua Fighter from an objective point of view. We’re sure this review will cause something of a disturbance amongst those who hold the series dear, but then that’s our reason for being. In our opinion, whilst Virtua Fighter is undoubtedly a title of supreme quality, you’ve got to be the right kind of person to enjoy it. If you’ve already bought a custom-made shell and body kit for the arcade stick that you’ll queue up for three days to get from your local import gaming vendor who’ll happily rinse you for all you’re worth, we’ve got some good news. VF5 isn’t likely to disappoint. It adds enough new for you to get your teeth into, while sprucing up the visuals and throwing in a couple of new characters to perfect. The rest of us may be willing to give it a bit of time, realise that they’re just not good enough and relegate it to the bottom of their games collection filed under “Too good to trade in, not good enough to play”.

Tom Leclerc