Preview
Tekken 6 Preview (PS3)
The King of Iron Fist Tournament returns once again, for yet another round of overblown fisticuffs, boxing kangaroos and dancing pandas. It’s Tekken 6, back with a vengeance on consoles, leaping from the arcade with more bonus bells and whistles than you could possibly hope for. More convoluted power struggles between the Mishima zaibatsu and much more story-related madness is a given, especially considering the fact that the roster has now expanded to a staggering 40 pugilists. But the question on everyone’s lips has to be: can Tekken still cut it? And more crucially, can it cut it in a world where the seminal Street Fighter IV currently holds the fight crown?
This by all accounts promise to be the definitive Tekken title, boasting more new features and additions than ever before. Obviously, arcade mode remains the crux of Tekken, but Namco has made extra effort to transform the much-maligned ‘Tekken Force’ mode (also known as ‘Devil Within’ for Tekken 5) into something more substantial in a bid to add a little more longevity to proceedings. With all 40 of its characters available from the moment you shove the disc into the drive, having no characters to unlock might not keep you playing for as long as you normally would, so having a fully-fledged scrolling beat ‘em up in the mix should help to add some extra long-term appeal. Additionally, the online component of the game will inevitably play an integral part in the overall experience and there’re also an unfathomable number of customisation items to unlock in the offline game.
Sporting an entirely new perspective and co-op play, the 3D scrolling beat ‘em up portion of Tekken 6 has been considerably bolstered so you can tackle it as multiple characters, with all of their accompanying moves transferred from the arcade mode proper. We had the chance to play the first two stages at a recent Namco Bandai showcase and found it to be a vast improvement over the developer’s previous efforts to spin out some added gameplay from what was clearly something that had been shoehorned into the game. The new version actually manages to slightly intrigue with fight action reminiscent of Namco’s own PS2 brawler Urban Reign or (going a bit further back here to 1997) Core Design’s rather dodgy Fighting Force. There’s even a decent crack at a story with new character Lars given some added exposure and vindication through his role in what is now being called the ‘Campaign Scenario.’
You can wield weapons too, from bo staffs to hulking great miniguns, which adds some variety to the relentless face pummelling. Then, in a complete curve ball you’re controlling a gigantic screen-filling robot called NANCY by the second stage, stomping everything in your path. In keeping with the Tekken series, the Campaign Scenario is completely insane and although it’d be considered completely lacklustre for a full game, as an additional bonus, it’s not too shabby.
Purists worried that some of this over-the-top stuff might have bled over into the core one-on-one fighting bit of the game, - y’know, the actual Iron Fist Tournament bit - can rest assured that this is still Tekken in all it’s unabashed, gloriously overstated grandeur. There’s still an overly dramatic, ridiculous narrative to follow (if you haven’t already given up) and most importantly, Tekken 6 is still one of the finest arcade style beat ‘em ups available. And one look at Dr. Bosconovitch’s daughter and Tekken newcomer Alisa, indicates that the same brand of offbeat humour remains, especially when she springs jets from her back and hedge trimmers from her wrists.
The same madcap sense of humour involving chickens, brawling animals and clumsy, oversized androids still endures in Tekken 6, with some of the games brand new interactive backgrounds getting the comedy treatment. Don’t believe us? How about an arena that takes place in the middle of a frantic tomato festival, where the crowd chucks handfuls of the squishy red fruit at you as you fight? Or how about scrapping in a field of sheep where you can stride knee deep into the flock, kicking the hapless woolly bleaters all over the place? It’s heartening to see that amid all the pompous operatics and scowling, there’s still enough room for a little zaniness.
Ostensibly more of the same, Tekken 6 defies this initial summation by providing one of the most silky smooth fighting experiences you’re ever likely to play. Running at an unbelievably fluid 60 fps while simultaneously generating a myriad of gorgeous visual effects, the game is a genuine graphical tour de force. It may not possess the artistic style and finesse of Street Fighter IV, but we’d be lying if we told you that Tekken 6 doesn’t look absolutely stunning.
Sun breaks through the trees casting god rays across one stage, the environment bathed in an ethereal tangerine glow. The use of motion blur brings an added layer of graphical fidelity to the game as well as an increased degree of smoothness to the animation. We could probably devote this preview to blathering on and on about Tekken 6’s visuals, but it’s enough to say that static screenshots don’t really do full justice to how fantastic it looks on home consoles. And there are no discernable discrepancies between the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, in case you were wondering.
Sporting Dead or Alive and Mortal Kombat style, interactive multi-tiered arenas, where smashing through weak parts of the walls or floor is possible on most stages (where indicated by an icon), a character roster that could be accused of having almost too many characters, a bewildering amount of customisation options (seriously) and jaw dropping HD graphics to die for, Tekken 6 may very well have it all. Cynics could argue that this is the same old game we’ve already played five times before, and reacting purely on first impressions we’d have agreed with this sentiment. But having played Namco’s latest effort, we can confidently report that this is the Tekken that you know and love, just so much more than you can possibly imagine. Will it have you eschewing Street Fighter IV for your beat ‘em up affections? We can’t really say until we’ve had more time with the full game this October, but we see no reason why the two can’t sit happily side-by-side in your collection. Conclusion? We’ve played Tekken 6, and so far we’re liking it a lot.
Tekken 6 is due in October for PS3 and Xbox 360. A Limited Edition bundled with an exclusive, custom-made Hori arcade stick will also be released for the princely sum of GBP149.99, as well as a Collector’s Edition with a Tekken hoodie and art book for GBP59.99
This by all accounts promise to be the definitive Tekken title, boasting more new features and additions than ever before. Obviously, arcade mode remains the crux of Tekken, but Namco has made extra effort to transform the much-maligned ‘Tekken Force’ mode (also known as ‘Devil Within’ for Tekken 5) into something more substantial in a bid to add a little more longevity to proceedings. With all 40 of its characters available from the moment you shove the disc into the drive, having no characters to unlock might not keep you playing for as long as you normally would, so having a fully-fledged scrolling beat ‘em up in the mix should help to add some extra long-term appeal. Additionally, the online component of the game will inevitably play an integral part in the overall experience and there’re also an unfathomable number of customisation items to unlock in the offline game.
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| Chief Director of the Tekken series, Katsuhiro Harada takes us through a presentation of the game. | Newcomers Lars and Alisa are typically ridiculous characters. Their hairstyles are enough of a clue, really. |
Sporting an entirely new perspective and co-op play, the 3D scrolling beat ‘em up portion of Tekken 6 has been considerably bolstered so you can tackle it as multiple characters, with all of their accompanying moves transferred from the arcade mode proper. We had the chance to play the first two stages at a recent Namco Bandai showcase and found it to be a vast improvement over the developer’s previous efforts to spin out some added gameplay from what was clearly something that had been shoehorned into the game. The new version actually manages to slightly intrigue with fight action reminiscent of Namco’s own PS2 brawler Urban Reign or (going a bit further back here to 1997) Core Design’s rather dodgy Fighting Force. There’s even a decent crack at a story with new character Lars given some added exposure and vindication through his role in what is now being called the ‘Campaign Scenario.’
You can wield weapons too, from bo staffs to hulking great miniguns, which adds some variety to the relentless face pummelling. Then, in a complete curve ball you’re controlling a gigantic screen-filling robot called NANCY by the second stage, stomping everything in your path. In keeping with the Tekken series, the Campaign Scenario is completely insane and although it’d be considered completely lacklustre for a full game, as an additional bonus, it’s not too shabby.
Purists worried that some of this over-the-top stuff might have bled over into the core one-on-one fighting bit of the game, - y’know, the actual Iron Fist Tournament bit - can rest assured that this is still Tekken in all it’s unabashed, gloriously overstated grandeur. There’s still an overly dramatic, ridiculous narrative to follow (if you haven’t already given up) and most importantly, Tekken 6 is still one of the finest arcade style beat ‘em ups available. And one look at Dr. Bosconovitch’s daughter and Tekken newcomer Alisa, indicates that the same brand of offbeat humour remains, especially when she springs jets from her back and hedge trimmers from her wrists.
 |
 |
|
| Yoshimutsu is just as barking as always. This is just his alternate costume. Would you believe us if we told you that thing on his back sparks up and spins like a Catherine wheel? It does. Honest. | Eddie Gordo is still the button masher’s choice. |
The same madcap sense of humour involving chickens, brawling animals and clumsy, oversized androids still endures in Tekken 6, with some of the games brand new interactive backgrounds getting the comedy treatment. Don’t believe us? How about an arena that takes place in the middle of a frantic tomato festival, where the crowd chucks handfuls of the squishy red fruit at you as you fight? Or how about scrapping in a field of sheep where you can stride knee deep into the flock, kicking the hapless woolly bleaters all over the place? It’s heartening to see that amid all the pompous operatics and scowling, there’s still enough room for a little zaniness.
Ostensibly more of the same, Tekken 6 defies this initial summation by providing one of the most silky smooth fighting experiences you’re ever likely to play. Running at an unbelievably fluid 60 fps while simultaneously generating a myriad of gorgeous visual effects, the game is a genuine graphical tour de force. It may not possess the artistic style and finesse of Street Fighter IV, but we’d be lying if we told you that Tekken 6 doesn’t look absolutely stunning.
Sun breaks through the trees casting god rays across one stage, the environment bathed in an ethereal tangerine glow. The use of motion blur brings an added layer of graphical fidelity to the game as well as an increased degree of smoothness to the animation. We could probably devote this preview to blathering on and on about Tekken 6’s visuals, but it’s enough to say that static screenshots don’t really do full justice to how fantastic it looks on home consoles. And there are no discernable discrepancies between the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, in case you were wondering.
 |
 |
|
| You can bounce your opponent off the floor now, opening up more opportunities to maintain a juggling combo. | Just in case you thought we were feeding you porkies about that giant robot called NANCY in the Scenario Campaign… |
Sporting Dead or Alive and Mortal Kombat style, interactive multi-tiered arenas, where smashing through weak parts of the walls or floor is possible on most stages (where indicated by an icon), a character roster that could be accused of having almost too many characters, a bewildering amount of customisation options (seriously) and jaw dropping HD graphics to die for, Tekken 6 may very well have it all. Cynics could argue that this is the same old game we’ve already played five times before, and reacting purely on first impressions we’d have agreed with this sentiment. But having played Namco’s latest effort, we can confidently report that this is the Tekken that you know and love, just so much more than you can possibly imagine. Will it have you eschewing Street Fighter IV for your beat ‘em up affections? We can’t really say until we’ve had more time with the full game this October, but we see no reason why the two can’t sit happily side-by-side in your collection. Conclusion? We’ve played Tekken 6, and so far we’re liking it a lot.
Tekken 6 is due in October for PS3 and Xbox 360. A Limited Edition bundled with an exclusive, custom-made Hori arcade stick will also be released for the princely sum of GBP149.99, as well as a Collector’s Edition with a Tekken hoodie and art book for GBP59.99
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By stuntkid (SI Elite) on Jul 05, 2009
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