Tekken Dark Resurrection is a remarkably
proficient title that brings the excitement, depth and nuance of an arcade
fighter to the PSP handheld. The game plays just as smoothly as you'd expect
from a Tekken title, and hasn't been dumbed-down to fit onto the handheld. A
large number of characters, deep moves lists and multiple modes of play are
proof of this. From a technical standpoint, the game controls smoothly once you
get used to the PSP's quirks, and the fighters are challenging with plenty of
moves to master. More impressively, the graphics engine rivals that seen in
console games, and makes the game a joy to watch in action. All these elements
combine to make Dark Resurrection a robust, exciting fighting game that's sets a
new standard of excellence other handheld platforms will be hard-pressed to
match.
You'd
expect there to be some adjustments made to squeeze a full-fledged arcade title
into the handheld confines of the PSP, but the remarkable thing about Tekken
Dark Resurrection on the PSP isn't what Namco left out, but how much the
experience mirrors the PS2 edition of Tekken 5 with little degradation in
aesthetic or gameplay quality. The game sets its tone immediately with an
outstanding opening cinema that sets the stage for the action to come, while the
initial stage selection nearly overwhelms you with more than 30 characters,
including 2 new ones, available from the outset. Most of the familiar Tekken
cast is present immediately, with no need to spend time unlocking characters,
the game allows you to jump into the fray almost immediately. The action unfolds
at a typically blistering pace with the usual selection of combos, chains and
super attacks that make each fight an intense battle between warriors.
Each
character brings a unique set of strengths and weaknesses to the arena, with
some better at attacking while other emphasize defense moves. The fighting
system should be immediately familiar to Tekken veterans, with many battles
decided in terms of momentum and speed, making the gameply unfold much faster
than in other fighters. This has been well-established over the past decade and
Dark Resurrection doesn't stray far from familiar territory. The game's controls
remain tight and responsive, and most players should have little trouble
performing the basic moves. The game uses the PSP's face buttons effectively,
with the face buttons appropriately mapped. Players can also configure the
buttons and add additional functions to the shift keys, as you'd expect. Players
can choose to use either the analog or digital controller for movement, and
while each does a good job, they both have drawbacks. Using the standard
controller allows for more precise movements, but makes jumping and circular
movements difficult to perform, while the analog stick fixes this problem, it
also seems less accurate. It takes some time to get used to the slightly odd
functionality, but these controls become more intuitive once you become
accustomed to them.
The basic fighting game mechanics are
impressive and give Dark Resurrection plenty of depth in its standard fighting
modes, but the game extends its replay value with a number of interesting modes
and extra features. As expected, players can choose to play in the standard
arcade and versus modes, or choose to polish their skills in practice mode. As
you play matches in these various modes, you'll earn additional points which
increase your character's overall ranking, adding to the challenge of the
gameplay. In addition to these standard modes, you can also play through each
character's Story mode, which allows you to see more details behind their
origins and motivations for entering the tournament. One of the more interesting
modes is the Tekken Dojo mode, where players compete in a series of training
missions that allow them to build up their skills and unlock additional items as
well. This adds a lot of depth and challenge to the proceedings, and actually
helps to polish your skills. One of the more impressive features of the game is
that Tekken Dark Resurrection lets players go online and compete with other
players in the PSP's wireless mode. Setting up games and meeting opponents is
fairly simple thanks to the intuitive menu system, and the game plays just as
smoothly online as of, with little in the way of lag or drop out. In addition,
there are some community features where you can also upload ghost and ranking
data, download extra items such as wallpaper and more. All in all, this is one
of the more robust handheld packages in terms of functionality and features that
we've seen on the PSP to date, with many paths that should keep you entertained
and challenged for quite some time.
Previous
attempts at bringing the look feel and polish of a modern 3D fighter to handheld
systems have generally fallen far short of the mark, but Tekken Dark
Resurrection's brilliant graphics engine is remarkably robust and allows for a
full-fledged console quality presentation that's absolutely breathtaking.
Tekken's fighting stages show a high degree of variety, ranging from roof-tops,
color-saturated urban roof-tops, stunningly realistic outdoor stages and more.
Each stage in the game shows a remarkable level of detail, showcasing excellent
arrays of lighting effects, environmental effects and more to give the game a
remarkably cohesive feel throughout. The production values are further enhanced
by the game's range of character animations, which look fluid and lifelike at
points, with outstanding rendering used to make each character come to life
vividly. Multiple outfits, stage variations and other special features add to
the replay value. Tekken also features an excellent camera system allow for
smooth and convincing transitions in 3D space, making this one of the best
looking titles on the PSP to date, one that rivals the best titles on console in
terms of overall quality. An excellent, driving techno soundtrack completes the
presentation, giving the game a glossy finish and polish that truly showcases
the PSP's technical power, outclassing anything else on the console, and Namco
makes this feat seam effortless.
While Tekken's size has been shrunken down a
bit, the gameplay itself remains as robust and deep as you'd expect it to be.
There's little compromise made here in terms of depth, challenge and controls.
Dark Resurrection definitely looks, feels and plays like a Tekken title should,
and its short matches, multiple extra modes of play and non-linear approach make
it perfect for either a quick session on the go, or a deeper play session while
at home. Using the PSP's d-pad and face buttons takes some getting used to, but
this installment is otherwise flawless and impresses in a number of areas. Namco
has succeeded in taking the excitement and challenge of the arcade game and
squeezing it onto the PSP is a remarkable accomplishment from a technical
standpoint. Add in the smooth controls, deep moves lists and multiple modes of
play and you have one of the finest handheld titles to date, in terms of overall
quality. All of this has been tied together nicely, and the addictive gameplay,
challenging extra modes and superlative presentation makes Tekken Dark
Resurrection an absolute must own and other brilliant title from Namco-Bandai.
Grade: B
