Great fighting game but difficult to non veterans of the series.
Graphics: The graphics are great and when your character falls into the water you can see the color of their clothes darken from being wet. The characters look sharp and detail was placed into all aspects ranging from face to body structures. The different costume options are great as well and fit well within the animations of the fights. The fighting animations are fluid and the fighting arenas look great with the lighting effects and surrounding backgrounds.
Gameplay: [Single player]
The arcade mode is a little weak because other than unlocking the boss Dural there is really no other reason to play it through with all the characters; since all the normal characters are available from the beginning. However, the quest mode saves the single player aspect of the game by providing a virtual arcade of different AIs that will range from complete beginner to hardcore veteran player. The quest mode also allows you to personalize your character with different costume options, ring name, and personal comments, but having to make a separate file for each customized character can be a pain if you want to use your customized character in vs mode or if a friend would like to customize a character. The dojo mode is a great way to learn you characters moves and test to see how fast you can complete their move set.
[Multiplayer]
The offline versus mode is lots of fun when you have a friend who can provide good competition and both of you are using customized characters. During some matches they will become either a ranking match or an item battle adding a little flavor to fighting your friend match after match. Of course if you don't have friends who are good or are a fan of fighting games you can always take the game online and battle against others from around the world. However, online is where VF5 loses most of its points due to its clunky online system, menus and unclear ranking system. The player is given two online options either player matched or ranked matches. Player matches are the same as ranked matches except you can change the round times, number of rounds per match and if you want it to be private or not. You cannot make a lobby and only one player can join at a time but thats not where it ends you are also not able to change stages or characters unless you recreate the online session again. This limits the fun factor of fighting against people online just a little since you have to use the same character continuously and endure fighting at the same stage until you remake the game session. The ranked matches do not allow you to change any of the match options and pit you against people online. Ranked matches can be engaged in 3 ways: quick match where you just quickly search for players and join their created game sessions, custom match where you refine your search to find players more within your skill level range and create session where you create a game session and wait to be challenged by any ranks.
Sounds:
The sound is pretty average for a fighting game, but the characters do not make any grunts or noises when taking hits which takes away so impressiveness from the damage dealing hits that are inflicted. The music is so so but you can just use your custom music over the games'.
Replay value:
Due to the games online and quest mode the game can provide unlimited hours of entertainment to fighting games fans.
Accessibility:
This part of the game is extremely low and is one major factor that keeps it from receiving a perfect 10. The game is very difficult to pick up and play and even though the dojo mode is there to help players learn their characters you cant really expect to play well until you have spent at least 2-3 hours in dojo mode performing the moves over and over. Some characters have extremely difficult moves sets that make new comers runaway almost immediately. The combat system is extremely deep and requires excellent timing and discourages button mashers or moderate fighting game fans. This is not DOA and if you go into this game thinking it will be like DOA you will be in for a rude awakening after you venture into the dojo mode. The game does however, provide a few characters who are easy to pick up and play such as Pai chan or Sarah and Jacky, but to use them effectively online means to practice their move sets until you can easily memorize all your moves and have a feel for your character.
Conclusion:
If you invest time and patients into VF5 you will be rewarded with a sense of accomplishment when you tear the people online apart but it will take some time and lots of patients as you may have to try some moves 10-20 times depending on which character you pick. Even if you are not a hardcore fighting game fan or only a casual fighting game fan if you are willing to learn a deep fighting game then give VF5 a chance however, if you are not willing to work at the game for some time then just avoid it or you will be one unhappy gamer. I'll let you decide.