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What’s new?
Looking at the startup menu, Tekken fans will soon notice that the tag team mode is history. Tekken 4 is all about one on one. The handling doesn’t differ much from the other Tekken games: two buttons for your fighter's arms, two for his or her legs.
In addition, combinations (such as throws) can be attached to the L and R buttons. Depending on the characters' position, there are more than a hundred moves each fighter can perform, as well as a huge amount of combos, tackling, juggle combos etc. etc.
Following the newest genre trends, Namco enables you to use the walls which are surrounding each area. Tekken newcomers will soon find themselves cornered and helpless. Tekken pros will solve such problems by jumping off the wall right next to their oppressor. Together with the ability to shove your opponents and switch positions, the game allows you to use all the dirty tricks that put the finishing touch to a good fight.
All of these of course need to be learned and trained first. And as the Tekken-creators know how important training is they implanted several luxurious possibilities to do so:
Be it the practice mode itself or the combo-lists, which can be viewed during the battle by pausing the game: players who want to polish their technique certainly won’t be hindered.
In addition there is the story mode (where you can view the story behind each character), the time – attack mode (finish the game as fast as possible), the team battle mode and the versus mode (which can be played against a human opponent as well). Finally the force mode is a special gimmick – a final fight style mini game.
But how does it look?
The overall impression is very good. Lively and varied background-sceneries, detailed character animations at reasonable speed – everything the gamer expects.
Get myself a copy then?
If you are a Tekken-fan already, you don’t really have a choice. As part 4 of the saga combines well-tried virtues with soft improvements, it surely satisfies all Tekkeneers out there. But also if you are a beat´em´up fan in general, Tekken 4 must not be missed. Playability, graphics and lasting motivation (a huge set of bonus characters) should definitely keep your hands on the pad and your eyes on the screen for months. All the others, who are just seeking “the beat´em´up game” for their collection, should stick to Virtua fighter 4 though – still the PS2 beat´em´up king.
