Review: Tekken Dark Resurrection
Format: PSPPublisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
Release Date: 15/09/06
The purist's number one choice in arcade fighting games has made the leap from big screen to small screen with the release of Tekken Dark Resurrection for PSP, and it's a shift that's well overdue.
Fans of the series' fast-paced, brutal martial-arts combat won't be disappointed by the transition to Sony's handheld – everything is here, including new and old characters as well as some brand new game modes to keep even the hardcore gamers happy.
As soon as the game loads up, you're struck by just how slick the whole thing is. Without a doubt, this is the best-looking game the PSP has ever seen – the characters are lifelike and well-animated, the backgrounds are colourful and interesting and the whole presentation feels like you're playing on a next-gen machine rather than a handheld console.
A massive selection of new and returning Tekken characters is on offer here and, unlike previous games, you get access to every fighter from the outset – there's no need to complete the game several times to unlock them all. New combatants include Lili, a rich-girl street fighter from Monaco, and Dragunov, a Russian Spetznaz Commander who specialises in Sambo-style grappling moves.
It wouldn't be a fighting game without a decent two-player mode, and Dark Resurrection allows versus-battles for two PSP owners with only one copy of the game, through wireless game sharing. While this mode works extremely well for the most part, loading times can be a bit excessive, and occasionally the game will slow right down – particularly annoying if you're in the middle of a killer combo.
Some clever single player game modes are on offer too, on top of the usual story and arcade modes. Particularly interesting is the ‘ghost' mode, where the computer watches how you fight and then creates a digital version of you that uses the same moves and strategies. You can then battle it out with yourself to see where your weaknesses are or trade ghosts with other players wirelessly and download or upload them with Tekken enthusiasts worldwide.
With excellent visuals, lightning fast combat and some clever new artificial intelligence modes, Dark Resurrection is a must-have for PSP gamers everywhere.
Gaz Deaves
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Tekken Dark Resurrection
