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Original Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Review.

This is the most complete version of Tekken yetThis is the most complete version of Tekken yet

Seven British pounds goes a long way nowadays. It'll get you a London day travel card and a bottle of Coke, for example. It'll stretch to a Sunday roast and a pint down the local too. You've even got enough for Queen's 1994 Greatest Hits album, if you were so inclined. Now you can add Namco's 500MB+ downloadable Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection for the PS3 to that illustrious list.

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The price is particularly important with this release. For one, it's about 20 quid cheaper than the PSP version. Two, when you think about it, it's better. You're getting the latest version of one of the most popular game franchises ever, it looks better on a big screen than on PSP and it's easier to set up a game against your mate.

The PS3 release isn't a port of the PSP game; it's the downloadable version of the arcade release, which came out in Japan in December 2005, and is based on PS2 architecture. To that effect, it's not got the next-gen gorgeousness of other full-priced retail beat-em-ups, like Virtua Fighter 5, but that's not the point. While the graphics look nice enough for an end-of-life cycle PS2 release, essentially this is Tekken 5.5, a stop-gap till Tekken 6 comes out. Your PS3 will run this lounging by a pool sucking on a margarita.

DR on PS3 will please high level Tekken players most of all. Beat-em-ups are all about scrapping with your mates, and, to that end, despite the solidness and multiplayer functionality of the PSP version, it's simply easier to play versus matches on the PS3. Add to that an HD polish (if you're fortunate enough to own a HD TV of course) and the fact that split-second button presses are easier to input on the SIXASIS than a PSP, and it's happy days for Tekken enthusiasts.

Tekken isn't as good-looking as Virtua Fighter 5, but still looks great.Tekken isn't as good-looking as Virtua Fighter 5, but still looks great.

Perhaps that's why Namco hasn't bothered to include the more single-player focused features that were in the PSP version. There's no theatre mode, training mode (a pain for newcomers to the series - the only way of learning moves is accessing the command list while in a fight) or story battle, for example. But you have got ghost mode, which allows you to choose the skill level of your AI opponents, work on your rank and win accessories and costumes. It's a stripped down version of VF5's quest mode, and is as good as it gets playing DR on your own. Apart from that, it's classic Tekken.

Traditionally one of the more accessible of beat-ups, DR has loads of characters, 34 in total, all available right from the start, and half of which are only there for comic value (Roger Jr anyone?). Tekken favourites Paul, Law and Yoshimitsu soldier on. Lili and Sergei, the new characters added for the PSP version are available. Unlike on the PSP however, big bad boss Jinpachi Mishima is selectable. This is a straight port of the arcade after all.

As it has always been, you've got two buttons for punches, two for kicks and a simple counter and throw system. You can get by button-mashing as a beginner (God-damn you Eddy), but invest some time and there's a solid, technical beat-em-up lying underneath waiting to burst out.

I reckon you'll be interested in DR on PS3 if you're a long-time fan of the series and need a fix to tide you over till Tekken 6, or a proud owner of a spanking new PS3 and fancy an accessible and great value beat-em-up with which you can have a laugh with some mates. A great start for new PS3 owners and a great start for PS3's downloadable game's service.

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