And yes, this is the first time PS3 players will be able to take the fight online. Animations and graphics look more refined and sharper than ever before, adding an even greater level of precision. The online multiplayer has seen a huge overhaul as well, with an improved eight-player lobby system in which I had no lag during the time I spent with it. The biggest changes can be found in the rest of the game. And, of course, there’s Free Training which lets you beat a dummy player senseless. A tutorial that baby-steps the player through the very basics of the game can be found here, as well as Command Training for the more advanced player. If you have never played a Virtua Fighter title, this is the first place you should visit. Having said that, it definitely succeeds in providing the perfect way to understand the mechanics of the game better or to get an overall mastery of them.ĭojo is where one goes to engrave those finger-blistering combos into their psyche. Think of the Challenge Tower from Mortal Kombat, but less fun and more tedious.
License Challenge is a tiered mode that puts the player up against a themed wave of challenges, which unlocks a new rank in their license after completing a certain amount. What solo players are left with is Arcade, Score Attack, License Challenge, Special Sparring (which requires you to own all of the DLC item packs), and the Dojo.Īrcade has one fighting their way through a set of opponents, while Score Attack is almost the exact same thing but the goal being to get the highest score possible. The rich single-player experience has been all but done away with. What’s readily apparent is that Final Showdown is a title for the dedicated, competitive fans, but also a welcoming entry for newcomers alike. This is a very different game from the one we received five years ago.
Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown ( PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade ) It took two years to make the jump from the arcades to the console, but as it turns out, the wait was well worth it. For the first time in the game’s history, it finally has a golden standard across all three platforms. Even though the arcade, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 iterations were all vastly different from one other (with each having their own set of unique problems), Virtua Fighter 5 was heralded as one of the best fighting games to ever come out.Īs its name implies, Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown is the last refinement of a five-year-old game. Before Street Fighter IVcompletely revamped excitement in the fighting game scene back in 2009, Virtua Fighter was still going strong with the fifth installment hitting a couple years earlier.