Saturday 19 April 2008

Virtua Fighter 5



This is just a quick post to enthuse about my most recent gaming accquisition. Getting Virtua Fighter 5, (I got it for £4 by trading in a lot of Dreamcast duplicates from my collection) means I now have every incarnation of the franchise, which in itself is something I'm rather excited about. VF1, VF2, VF Remix, VF Kids, VF3Tb, VF4, VF4 Evolution and now VF5 - eight games spanning four consoles and every one with it's roots planted firmly in rich, Saturn soil.


I suppose that would be my first point. From the ridiculously blocky and angular characters of VF1, to the photo realistic graphically gorgeous polished characters of VF5, the game is essentially the same... Moves, fighting styles, outfits etc. are quintessentially untouched from console to console.


Obviously the range of characters, the environments and other features have changed over the years, but on turning the game on, and selecting the game mode one is afforded the familiar 'ping' from VF1. It's a reverberation of the Saturn in the 21st century and a comforting one at that...


But then when the game kicks in, and you see the stunning next gen graphics, you know that the 360/PS3 incarnation is a different beast. It's literally breath taking! For me, even the PS2's VF4 was so next gen, that I was blown away... But seeing VF5 made me jump.


Playing VF4 in arcade mode I was able to beat the opposition on first play, up to Dural. Playing VF5 I was stomped unceremoniously. It would seem that the stakes in gameplay have been raised. This was confirmed by my first experience of playing VF online...


I've had two matches, and got fucked up royally (3-0) twice! I play all out attack (as Kage, always as Kage!) and apparently the way forward in VF5 is defense. Defense and then a stunning array of attack... Well that was how I got my arse kicked anyway! I'm going to enjoy playing and getting to know this title. It's as stunning a Saturn rebirth as Sega Rally Revo... (don't even whisper Nebacha! LOL!)


I'll update you more on this one as I become more familiar with it. Initial impressions? 10/10!

Happy days! :)

15 comments:

NebachadnezzaR said...

I love the Virtua Fighter series so much... That day when fredy came by my place and we played together using the arcade stick as a 2nc controller, playing Virtua Figher, first 1 and then 2, was such a nostalgic trip that I almost cried.

Back when I was a kid I would spend hours and hours in front of the tv playing VF. It was just so awesome...

I got to pick VF5 up someday, but right now I'm about to get Sega Superstar Tennis, so that'll have to wait.

Oh, by the way, you're still missing one game Father. Does VF 10th Anniversary ring a bell? :D LOL

Oh, and almost forgot, just spent an afternoon playing Jet Set Radio Future and it's just awesome! If you liked the original on the Dreamcast, you just have to play this. Expect a post on my place about it soon.

elend said...

Oh nice. Never played Virtua Fighter 5, though. Maybe when we all meet and celebrate the SJY's 5th anniversary.

Anonymous said...

You don't have VF5 Online...

Unknown said...

Looks like you have some more shopping to do, Father!!

NebachadnezzaR said...

VF 5 Online? Never heard of it, besides the regular versions I only know of VF5: Live Arena, but that was only released in Japan (and like most Japanese games it's region-locked, the bastards...)

BTW, Father, I may be getting VF5 soon, so maybe we'll play some matches online ;)

fatherkrishna said...

Maybe I should have made myself more clear. I've got all the versions I can play on my PAL region machines!

Nebacha, that would make me so happy!

NebachadnezzaR said...

Me too! :)

BTW, tell me exactly what games do you have with online play besides CoD4 (I don't want to pwn you) and Sega Rally (I don't want to get pwned by you). VF5 should be fair play because I suck and apparently so do you, so we both should have a chance xD

I'm gonna use the free 1 month live gold card I got when my 360 went for repairs so I'll have to make the most out of that month :)

Oh, and tell me what your xbox live nick is so I can add you to my friend's list.

Anonymous said...

The Xbox port is titled as "Virtua Fighter 5 Online". I'm amazed VF fans such as you didn't know about it.

NebachadnezzaR said...

http://tinyurl.com/27fzmq

It was only called VF5 Online in the US. I'm amazed a know-it-all like you didn't know about it.

Besides, it's the same fucking game. What's the point in saying that Father doesn't have VF5 when in fact he does, only it's the European version instead of the American one?

fatherkrishna said...

"It was only called VF5 Online in the US. I'm amazed a know-it-all like you didn't know about it."

LMAO! Nice one Nuno!!!

I have GOW, COD4... (I'll take up the challenge!) VF5, SRR. Apart from the odd race on SRR and the odd fight on VF5, I've not really got into online anything!

But Please let me know of your gamer tag on the 360. I'd love to see your COD4 skills against ginger Ninja Marty! LOL!

Anonymous said...

Father, if you ever want to play VF5 online, I'm game too. I'm an NTSC user, but I don't believe it makes a difference over Live. I've been a Kage player since VF1 and I've never switched, but I'm not exactly spectacular, so the matches could be pretty even! Let me know and we'll try to exchange gamertags.

Great blog, by the way. I'm a Sega-Head myself, and I've recently been rounding out my own Saturn collection - though it's nowhere near as epic as yours!
:)

fatherkrishna said...

cynicalmatt, thanks for your comment! I'd be delighted to have a rumble online! T'would make a change from getting my arse kicked by the worldwide expert throng! Email me your details and we'll set it up ASAP! my email is revsimonearly@aol.com

I look forward to hearing from you!

:)

NebachadnezzaR said...

I'm not a big online gamer either. Not that I don't like playing online, but xbox live is not exactly free and my setup is crap (don't have a router, so I have to switch the pc net cable with the xbox one and reset the modem everytime I want to go online...).

Still, I have good memories of live playing. One time, I alone chainsawed 3 enemy players in GoW :D (got shotgun-blasted by the remaining fucker...).

Anyway, I look forward to play VF5 with you (should have it today) and CoD4 with ginger Ninja Marty! Never played CoD4 online, but as you know I'm a seasoned offline veteran and I've played a lot of CoD2 online both on the xbox and pc, so it should be fair game.

Add me, my gamertag is "BLS Nebacha" (NebachadnezzaR was taken, dammit...). What's yours?

Anonymous said...

NebachadnezzaR: Okay you got me, I didn't know that. Of course then I presumed the blogger owned the PS3 version, which differs from the Xbox version as much as VF4 Evolution differed from the original VF4.

fatherkrishna said...

My gamer tag is "father krishna", when shall we play???? email m when you are online. Mrs. K goes to work at 8.10p.m. (GMT) which means I would have clear access to the TV...