This Is No Remake...
It's more or less a direct port of it's own arcade version. This PS3 game plays almost as smoothly as the high quality arcade machine did, the difference between this version and PS2's Tekken 5 is instantly noticeable.
-Control: 9/10-
This game impresses me on several different levels, one being the control scheme. Sure Tekken has had the same control scheme since it's first Playstation game, but "if ain't broke, don't fix it." You move using the D-Pad, and the standard Left and Right punch buttons along with Left and Right kick buttons make this game easy to play. Most people shouldn't have any difficulty with just picking up the control and playing it with one explanation of the controls. Grabs/throws are just as easy to learn. The game also plays lightning fast, just like it's arcade version.
My only problem with playing this on the PS3 would have to be the small problem that arises when the control itself needs to re-sync with the system, you just stop moving for about two seconds as your opponent pounds on you. As far as I can tell this doesn't happen often (maybe every 200 matches or so) enough to be a real problem, but it still happens.
-Game play: 8/10-
This version of the game is pretty sparse when it comes to game modes. You get your standard arcade and vs. modes, along with a "ghost" mode.
Arcade mode replaces PS2's Tekken 5 story mode with a story-less 9 match sequence that ends with Jinpachi, and adds to it by letting you earn fight money and gain ranks in the process.
"Ghost" mode is like PS2's Tekken 5 arcade mode, you get to fight virtual copies of other people's game-play styles projected onto customized versions of the characters. It also still includes rankings and earning fight money.
Vs. mode is... well versus mode. That being said, this is a great game to play with a couple of friends. The characters each have their own distinct fighting styles based on real-life combat, and there are so many of them that anyone can easily find one that they like.
This game also offers the new characters that didn't appear in the original Tekken 5, Lili and Dragonuv, as well as the ability to play as Jinpachi. Great additions to the already overflowing roster.
Then there's the customization system, you can cosmetically alter and add accessories to the game's characters to you liking. This is all done with the fight money you earn playing. The PS3 version features all of the same customizations and accessories as the PSP version.
The game is lacking a practice mode, and most of the characters' endings. But hey what more can you expect of an almost perfect arcade port?
-Graphics: 9/10-
This is the pinnacle of current Tekken games in terms of graphics. With the PS3's capability to run this game at 1080p I've never seen the characters look so defined, or the stages look so detailed. Even when played on regular standard definition TVs it looks better than PS2's Tekken 5, which is no small feat. You can see every shadow and make out all types of surface textures, you can even see very detailed muscle tone on just about every human character's body. But that's not all this game offers in terms of graphics. The animations while fighting look extremely smooth and very fluid, it truly is an arcade port.
-Sound: 9/10-
The music in this game is pretty well done. It's nothing epic but it's pretty good fight music. But this game really shines when it comes to sound effects and voices.
As you can imagine the sound effects are made up of mostly impact noises, but all versions of Tekken 5 do a great job with those impact sounds. You can literally hear bones crack when certain moves hit in the right places, it's like you can tell how devastating a move is just by listening. It leaves you with a destruction induced sense of satisfaction.
The voices in Tekken 5 are perfect for one reason: all the characters speak in their native languages. That means they got Japanese people to do Japanese characters' voices and Americans/British people to do the voices for English speaking characters. It all sounds very natural.
-Replay Value: 10/10-
Come on, guys. This is a good looking, fast paced, satisfying, crowd pleasing fighting game. I've seen people play for hours on end, day after day, without getting bored.
-Final Thoughts: -
The game is downloadable on the Playstation Network for $19.99. It's a 555MB file that might take a while to download. But it's a great deal, seeing as it's the same price as a PS2 "Greatest Hits" title. If you're a fighting game fan it's worth the time and money.
-Overall: 9.5/10-