Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown is the latest edition of the fifth entry in the series. While the core gameplay remains unchanged, the game features updated graphics, a brand new UI, and nearly unusable online systems. But make no mistake, we’re still giving the game a perfect score because according to Sega the possibility of a sequel rests entirely on the success of this mediocre port.
Last year Sega teased this release with a vague “Virtua Fighter x esports Project” trailer. It was unclear what exactly this meant at the time besides revealing that they had eSports aspirations for the series. And what better way to accomplish that than by porting a decade old game to one system with dysfunctional online modes in a time with no offline events?
Nevertheless, the core gameplay retains that classic Virtua Fighter feel. It still has a varied roster and the nuanced, technical gameplay that the series is known for. In fact, the only thing more challenging than mastering this deep 3D fighter is finding your friend’s lobby out of the 15 or so random ones it shows you at any given time.
But let’s not worry about the game’s flaws because, again, we’re trying to save a franchise here. The game is free on PlayStation Plus this month, so just download this shit and play it for 30 minutes like we did. The future of this series unfortunately depends on it.
It would be dangerously irresponsible to give this game the 6 or 7 it truly deserves knowing that anything less than a stellar reception could mean the end of the series. We want Virtua Fighter to continue on and so should you. After all, nobody wants to see another classic fighting game franchise end up like Darkstalkers.
Final Review Score for Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown: 10/10
