I hope this is suitable for V & PA... I can't think of anywhere else to post it and I think a videogame review thread would be really cool
Tekken 4
PlayStation 2
I've been waiting four years for this game and (joy of joys!) it's fantastic. After the bitter disappointment that was Tekken Tag Tournament this had a hell of a lot resting on its shoulders. I've had it nearly a week now and I doubt I've scratched the surface of the new tactics and moves.
The game features Story, Arcade, Time Attack, VS, Team Battle and Survival Modes. There's a Practise arena and the new additon of a Training arena where you can do pre-determined combos to a time limit - handy for the new characters. Tekken Force Mode makes an unwelcome return - if I want to play Final Fight I'll load up MAME thank you Namco. A big plus for European players is the inclusion of a 60HZ mode (I couldn't play Euro Tekken 3 (had to get a Jap version) or Tekken Tag because they ran 50HZ - too slow).
The inclusion of closed off arenas is one of the best new features in T4. For one it just looks more realistic - no more 'infinite' arenas, you can get somebody up against the wall and hammer them against it. It also means you can juggle them against the wall nearly continually with a fast hitting character like Nina or Heihachi. Good when you're doing it, a bollocks when it's being done to you. The other new feature that all characters share is a 'push or pull'. Basically this means if you're backed into a corner you can spin the other person into it instead and lay into them or simply push them away to get a bit of distance between you.
I don't think too much of the new characters so far (but admittedly I haven't really been learning them too much). Steve Fox is an interesting addition - a Tekken character without kicks but with lots of feints and dodges. Marduk seems weak, a simple big hitting Gun Jack subsitute with a bit of King grappling thrown in, although his intro is cool "I'll break your face!". Christine is awful, just Eddy Gordo with tits. The other 'new' characters are Tekken 1&2 characters with new moves - Kazuya and Lee. Neither have been majorly altered from their old personas, Kazuya has a great new drop kick but seems slower and Lee is definatly faster then he was before. The other 'new' one is Combot, who is Mokojin in a robot stylee.
They've altered the balance of the old favourites completely too. Nina is slower (boo!) but has some good new moves and combos (yay!). The damage her multiparts do has been crippled, which sucks since they're so hard to do anyway. Same applies to Kings multis. Lei has a great new backflip from the forward stance that is really handy to distance you from counter attacks after juggling. Jin is essentially a new character now again. He now uses traditional karate and although I'll miss the old Jin, there are some of his old moves still mixed up with the new ones.
The new costumes are great. Ninas pink catsuit, Jin's cool hooded tracksuit, Yoshimitsu's locust armour, Hworangs body armour- nice additions one and all. Heihachis nappy outfit is another matter altogether. He doesn't look like a sumo wrestler whatever the hell they were going for - the head of the Mishima Corporation should have some sense of fashion surely.
The graphics are excellent on the whole. The models are highly detailed - you can see facial expressions and the collision detection is spot on throughout. Small cosmetic additions like the smoke in the lab area, the waves at the beach area or knocking out a member of the audience in the underground arena add to the experience. The FMV is stunning but used really badly. What they could have done with the stories as opposed to what they actually did is criminal. Xiaoyu's one for example - two beautifully rendered girls in Japanese school uniforms talking to each other across a table for a minute, then they look out a window at a themepark. WHAT? Tekken 3's looked better and at least they were funny or advanced the plot a bit. The sound is pretty excellent too, crisp and powerful, but there's not too many new catchphrases or anything.
All in all - excellent work Namco. A near perfect conversion of the brilliant arcade version and an essential purchase for every PS 2 owner.

Tekken 4
PlayStation 2
I've been waiting four years for this game and (joy of joys!) it's fantastic. After the bitter disappointment that was Tekken Tag Tournament this had a hell of a lot resting on its shoulders. I've had it nearly a week now and I doubt I've scratched the surface of the new tactics and moves.
The game features Story, Arcade, Time Attack, VS, Team Battle and Survival Modes. There's a Practise arena and the new additon of a Training arena where you can do pre-determined combos to a time limit - handy for the new characters. Tekken Force Mode makes an unwelcome return - if I want to play Final Fight I'll load up MAME thank you Namco. A big plus for European players is the inclusion of a 60HZ mode (I couldn't play Euro Tekken 3 (had to get a Jap version) or Tekken Tag because they ran 50HZ - too slow).
The inclusion of closed off arenas is one of the best new features in T4. For one it just looks more realistic - no more 'infinite' arenas, you can get somebody up against the wall and hammer them against it. It also means you can juggle them against the wall nearly continually with a fast hitting character like Nina or Heihachi. Good when you're doing it, a bollocks when it's being done to you. The other new feature that all characters share is a 'push or pull'. Basically this means if you're backed into a corner you can spin the other person into it instead and lay into them or simply push them away to get a bit of distance between you.
I don't think too much of the new characters so far (but admittedly I haven't really been learning them too much). Steve Fox is an interesting addition - a Tekken character without kicks but with lots of feints and dodges. Marduk seems weak, a simple big hitting Gun Jack subsitute with a bit of King grappling thrown in, although his intro is cool "I'll break your face!". Christine is awful, just Eddy Gordo with tits. The other 'new' characters are Tekken 1&2 characters with new moves - Kazuya and Lee. Neither have been majorly altered from their old personas, Kazuya has a great new drop kick but seems slower and Lee is definatly faster then he was before. The other 'new' one is Combot, who is Mokojin in a robot stylee.
They've altered the balance of the old favourites completely too. Nina is slower (boo!) but has some good new moves and combos (yay!). The damage her multiparts do has been crippled, which sucks since they're so hard to do anyway. Same applies to Kings multis. Lei has a great new backflip from the forward stance that is really handy to distance you from counter attacks after juggling. Jin is essentially a new character now again. He now uses traditional karate and although I'll miss the old Jin, there are some of his old moves still mixed up with the new ones.
The new costumes are great. Ninas pink catsuit, Jin's cool hooded tracksuit, Yoshimitsu's locust armour, Hworangs body armour- nice additions one and all. Heihachis nappy outfit is another matter altogether. He doesn't look like a sumo wrestler whatever the hell they were going for - the head of the Mishima Corporation should have some sense of fashion surely.
The graphics are excellent on the whole. The models are highly detailed - you can see facial expressions and the collision detection is spot on throughout. Small cosmetic additions like the smoke in the lab area, the waves at the beach area or knocking out a member of the audience in the underground arena add to the experience. The FMV is stunning but used really badly. What they could have done with the stories as opposed to what they actually did is criminal. Xiaoyu's one for example - two beautifully rendered girls in Japanese school uniforms talking to each other across a table for a minute, then they look out a window at a themepark. WHAT? Tekken 3's looked better and at least they were funny or advanced the plot a bit. The sound is pretty excellent too, crisp and powerful, but there's not too many new catchphrases or anything.
All in all - excellent work Namco. A near perfect conversion of the brilliant arcade version and an essential purchase for every PS 2 owner.