Virtua Fighter 5....ONLINE

I'm just gonna get to the point....THIS GAME ROCKS!!!! Eversince playing Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution on the PS2, I've always liked the notion of the game going online. Some people said it wouldn't work due to lag, and I'd always tell them that lag is gonna be a problem with online games regardless of what kind of game it is. Anywho, my prayers have finally been answered. Now I don't have to drive over a hundred miles in search of competition. I can throwdown with anyone across the globe with my XBOX Live.

The fighting system in Virtua Fighter 5 has seen some tweaks such as fine tuning the timing of moves. Also you got two new characters: Eileen (monkey kung fu expert) and El Blaze (luchador on a mission...sort of reminds you of Rey Mysterio from the WWE). Another thing about this game is that it is shiny as hell. This game is so beautiful that I found myself getting distracted by the ambiance of the games backgrounds rather than guarding that kick coming to my ribs.

The quest mode from VF4: Evo makes a return. It's pretty much the same drill: you go to an arcade, fight, get rank, get prizes...all that jazz. Hell, most of my fighting experience back in the VF4: Evo days came from quest mode and playing against my friend. The AI is fine tuned to mimic the strategies and fight patterns of Japan's finest. To anyone who's gotten to the Gladiator rankings, you know that the fights are no joke.

If you're a fan of fighting and a fan of Virtua Fighter, you should definitely pick this up. Online mode is made of pure win. Fight your way to the top to prove yourself.