PS3 Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Hands-On

We announced earlier that Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection had hit the Japanese PlayStation Store earlier than anyone had expected. After a couple of hours of playing through the game, we're happy to report that this is easily the best surprise ever.

Based on the latest arcade version of the highly popular fighting series, Dark Resurrection for the PS3 delivers with a number of improvements, including high-res graphics and a new playable character in Jinpachi.

The graphics are definitely a notch above the arcade version. Even when not played in the supported 1080p resolution (eds note: stop going out with the housewives, Andrew, and you might be able to afford one of those fancy new Bravias), the difference is noticeable to anyone who has played the original material extensively. In addition to sharper textures, it also seems that the characters are a little bit bigger, but that may be our eyes playing tricks on us.

Of course, the high res graphics also makes things stand out more. It's easy to tell that this game is based off a last-gen title just from the amount of geometry being thrown around, and the simplicity of the textures compared to current gen games. Not that it's a huge problem, but don't expect this to stand up to newer titles that are just being released. After all, the original Tekken 5 was released to arcades about two years ago, with Dark Resurrection following in 2005.

The addition of Jinpachi is a nice little bonus though, although he doesn't look like his end game form at all. Rather, Namco used the model that's used during the cutscene before the boss fight. Jinpachi has a ton of awesome moves in his arsenal, and they're all searchable via the in-game command list. Included in the moves that are at Jinpachi's disposal are an uppercut reminiscent of the traditional Mishima Godfist, a swipe that bounces prone opponents off the ground and into the air, and a hit throw that pushes enemies back. The latter, thankfully, doesn't give Jinpachi any additional energy like it did when he was a boss.

There are only a few modes in the game; it's decidedly lackluster compared to the PSP version. There are the traditional Arcade and Versus modes, as well as a Ghost mode which allows you to fight Ghost A.I. of real fighters. We're assuming that you'll be able to download ghost characters in the future but that's not available right now.

There's also a Gallery option, where you can unlock illustrations and CG movies from the Tekken 5 series. Oddly enough, these goodies are not part of the game's 800+ megabyte initial download. After you've decided to purchase these items using Tekken money, the game contacts the server for the download. The CG movies, sadly, are not new, as they are directly from the PSP version of Dark Resurrection.

In addition to the new character and visual updates, the PS3 rev of Dark Resurrection has also streamlined things a lot, combining the character select screen and the item shop into one, so that you can equip and purchase your items after you have chosen your character. While this is similar to the US versions of Tekken 5, it's totally different from the Japanese versions.

Are there any other bonuses that have been included? Not really, but what can you expect from a $20 purchase? The game has been visually upgraded and looks leagues better than the arcade version, and it's arcade perfect as far as character balance goes. Although only those with Japanese credit cards can purchase the game, an international release shouldn't be too far away, since it's assumed that Namco wants this game out before Sega's Virtua Fighter 5 hits stores in February. Keep checking your local PlayStation Store, just in case Dark Resurrection makes a surprise appearance just like it did in Japan.

via ign