(continued from previous page) ...like it. Indeed, the bulk of the fun comes from the other available options - Dojo, Vs, VF TV and Quest. The Dojo mode is a self-explanatory, yet immensely useful, training facility where you’ll be able to master and fine-tune your character into a lean, mean killing machine; here, you can either battle freely at will, or allow the game to guide you through each and every move in your fighters repertoire in a comprehensive training session.

This is an absolute necessity if you ever want to find yourself bettering anyone but the less than competent AI. Meanwhile, Vs mode pits you against a friend in a competitive brawl, while VF TV allows you to view pre-set computer battles in addition to replay footage from your own Vs matches; an interesting inclusion, but one that could have perhaps been substituted for a more substantial offering, such as a Team Play or Survival mode. However, the omission of online functionality is frankly shocking, despite the developers citing possible lag interference as the reason not to include it; ironic it is, then, that the AM2 saw fit to include full online play in the Xbox 360 version of the game due out later this year. And, given the ‘hardcore’ niche that the series has carved out for itself, you may be hard pushed to find an opponent in your neighbourhood that would be willing facilitate your need for those all-important Vs matches.

However, the meat of the game is undoubtedly Quest mode; here, the game simulates competing against various “human” opponents by entering the local arcades and challenging its occupants, as well as taking part in local or nationwide tournaments. The idea here is to challenge as many combatants as possible, increasing your rank along the way and earning various cash/item prizes as you go. Naturally, winning tournaments offers the most lucrative of cash prizes, but they are far more competitive than your standard arcade duel. Concurrently, Quest mode also ties in with the games in-depth customisation option, allowing you to kit our your favourite fighters with various clothing, hairstyles, equipment and other trinkets by spending the fight money you earn.

Other supplements include a personal emblem, stage name and catch phrase, the latter of which is displayed along with your stats at the beginning of each battle. You can also obtain a special orb, which is collected by piecing together seven smaller orbs after winning various item battles, unlocking special prizes to use with your character. The AI here is also far superior to that of it’s rudimentary Arcade brethren, offering up a variety of difficult skill levels based on the player’s ability; as a result, you’ll likely be dividing up your time between Dojo and Quest modes for as you attempt to better your chosen fighter.

Graphically, Virtua Fighter 5 is one of the most visually stunning PlayStation 3 games out there, and a testament to the console’s capabilities. Characters are rendered in meticulously life-like detail, with small touches such as sweat, bulging veins and beautifully flowing hair creating a believable presentation that supplements the gorgeous, 3D backgrounds that make up the game’s fight zones. Each stage has its own unique theme and characteristics; waves roll and reseed in undulating fashion on a beech, neon lights cast a glow on your fighters in the city streets, sending real-time shadow bouncing all over the shop, and the wind on a mountain top sends ripples across combatants clothing. All this is achievable at a blistering 60fps in 1080p, we might add.

The game’s score is your typical amalgamation of various rock/disco/Caribbean/eastern flavours that do well to accompany their respective stages, though the voice acting leaves much to be desired, and is typically conveyed in wonderfully contrived, hideously wooden fashion. The sound effects are of top quality however, and come off far more realistic than most other beat ‘em ups, with every punch, throw and bone-crushing manoeuvre enough to make you wince as you wage down one devastating combo after another upon your unfortunate victim.

Overall, Virtua Fighter 5 is an interesting beast; conceptually, it’s one of the greatest fighters available on the market, and quite simply one of the best looking games to grace Sony’s latest hardware. On the flip side, it’s one player ... (continued on next page)