GameHaven

VIRTUA FIGHTER 5
ARCADE FIGHTER

I love fighting games. There's few things better than beating the crap out of a buddy or finally pwning that one guy you couldn't beat. I'd never gotten into Virtua Fighter before, (Soul Calibur and Mortal Kombat FTW) but I found this a great experience nonetheless and thought it was one of the better fighter I've played in a while.

GAMEPLAY- 5/5
This game has it where it counts. Out of the plethora of modes, rings, and fighters, fighting has never been more fun. The controls are silky smooth, and the difficulty, although challenging, is incredibly fun. The standard Arcade and Vs modes are here, and Quest mode (I don't know if it was in previous VF games) is a lot of fun. You basically go to different arcades to fight various people and participate in tournaments to raise your rank and unlock things. Sure, there may not be any online play, and that's a bummer, but I won't grade a game down for something it doesn't have.

GRAPHICS- 4.75/5
Beautiful. These graphics are simply stunning. The characters look amazing with fluid animation, although some of their attacks make them look like morons, and the environments are breathtaking. Clothes sway, sweat forms, and more. Amazing. The one exception is that the characters look really shiny, making it look like they're oil-coated. Not a big problem, and it certainly didn't bother me.

REPLAY- 4.5/5
You'll have this game in your console for a long time, believe you me. With the various modes, the characters, rings, and the deep customization system, you'll be playing for a long time. I continually said "Just another minute" or "One more fight" as I tried to unlock that one new accessory or earn that new rank or beat that tough character. However, if you get really stuck on a fight or have played quite a few fights in a row, there's not much else to do, and I found myself quitting and playing another game.

SOUND- 4/5
I think this is where the game did the worst. No, it certainly didn't fail, but it did suffer the one downfall of all fighters- voice acting. The voices are atrocious; they assault my ears with horrible sound. The music is good, but I didn't really notice it much while playing. The sound effects, however, are great. You hear every bone-snapping punch and spine-crushing kick. Effects: awesome. Voices: crap. What'd you expect from a fighting game?

OVERALL- 4.5/5
A great game, and a must to rent (which I did). For fighting fans, there's not much else on the PS3, so this is an essential. However, online junkies beware- lack of online play may turn you off.