FutureFive New Zealand - Consumer technology news & reviews from the future
Story image
Fri, 1st Sep 2006
FYI, this story is more than a year old

Tekken Dark Resurrection could quite easily be mistaken for a port of Tekken 5 for the PSP (and this is a testament to the sheer power of the PSP). But Namco have taken it further and Dark Resurrection is a completely amazing achievement. Moving at an astounding 60 frames per second, you’ll be hard-pressed to avoid arcade comparisons. Of course, by being on a handheld system, you’ll have to get used to the controls. For those who use arcade sticks exclusively, this will be your biggest step in enjoying Tekken on the go. The PSP’s D-Pad is riddled with issues when it comes to landing diagonal inputs. This can be alleviated by using the analog stick which can be enabled through the options. However once you’ve mastered it - the controls are fluid and arcade-perfect. The timing of combos and tech traps are just as they should be. Graphically, this may be as good as the PSP can get (especially the cinematic cut-scenes). The character sprites are absolutely titanic for the screen with detailed animations and lighting effects. The environments you fight in (19 in total, ranging from ice landscapes to city rooftops) are slightly interactive, but nothing when compared to the DOA series. Dark Resurrection also brings a huge roster of characters from all over the Tekken series, including two new ones exclusive to the PSP! There are over 30 in total including Jin, Heihachi, Paul, Law with Lili (a vicious, but sweet looking school-girl) and Dragunov (a Russian solider with a knack for wrestling) joining the classic cast. Add to this unlockable mini-games like Tekken Bowling and you have the best portable fighting title to date.