Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U)

Allow me to be completely transparent for a moment: I haven't played a Tekken game since the original PlayStation's Tekken 3, a game released in 1998. I wasn't fond of the stiff play mechanic which felt clunky when compared against the likes of Capcom's ultra-fluid Street Fighter III: Second Impact. Fast forward 14 years and Namco Bandai's??graces the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and upcoming Wii U?and I absolutely adore it. Featuring fast, hard-hitting fisticuffs, gorgeous graphics, and excellent music, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is a game that fight fans should have in their collections. Note: This review is for the PS3 version.

Enter the Dragon
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 features 40-plus fighters representing a wide cross-section of martial arts styles ranging from boxing to wrestling to MMA to kung fu. There are a few characters that are virtually identical (Eddy Gordo, Tiger Jackson), but most feel like well-crafted combatants with their own takes on their particular brand of fighting. My one gripe with the roster is the handful of outright goofy characters like Alex (a boxing glove-wearing dinosaur), and Roger, Jr . (a boxing glove-wearing kangaroo who carries a Joey in the pouch). Some say such oddities are decidedly Tekken, but I found them annoying and out of place in a relatively grounded game.

Some of the rather over the top silly designs are counterbalanced by some of the best 3D fighting this side of Sega's Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown. Tekken Tag Tournament doesn't rely on projectile fighting as heavily as Street Fighter IV and the result is a game that features more in-your-face combat that not only hits hard but feels damned good. Blows are satisfying, as are the combos, which rely more upon memorization than some other fighting games. That said, some character pairs, such as the aforementioned Eddy and Tiger, appear to have advantages due to their fast and unusual attack?I wrecked opponents without bothering to learn their move sets. I will admit, however, that an EVO-level player would probably not fall for such shenanigans.

The game's called Tekken Tag Tournament for reason?you can mix it up in any match combination from 1-on-1 to 2-on-2. The game's team-based nature results in a number of incredible tag-based attacks such as Tag Combo, Tag Assault, Direct Tag Assault, and Tag Crash that lets you dish out big damage in high style. If you find those names intimidating don't fret; Tekken Tag Tournament contains a robust combat training mode (Fight Lab) and practice mode where you can learn moves to the point of mastery. I found these modes particularly helpful as someone who's had a long hiatus from the franchise. Additional modes include Arcade, Ghost Battle, Vs. Battle Team Battle, Time Attack, and Survival .

A Walk in the Spring Rain
Tekken Tag Tournament 2's visuals are as impressive as the fighting. The characters move with silkiness found in few fighting games. The outfits and hair ripple and bounce with each kick, throw, or punch. Environments are gorgeous, too, with some featuring second areas that become available once you put someone through a wall. Want to see poetry in motion? Keep an eye on the water effects when a capoeira master does the deadly dance in the liquid. Namco Bandai should be commended for its attention to detail.

The game's soundtrack is composed of more than the up-tempo, high-energy tracks that you'd expect to hear in a fighter. There are also a few slower-paced orchestral pieces that add to the drama. Namco Bandai also lets you use music stored on your PS3's hard drive as the game's soundtrack, so you can brawl to your favorite tunes.

Hardcore Tekken fans should love the World Tekken Federation, a free platform that lets Tekken players track an ungodly number of stats online. And speaking of online, I found the fighting action fluid with very little lag. Get some buddies together?either local or distant?and you'll have a blast.

Be Water, My Friend
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is a beast of a fighting game crafted with hardcore gamers in mind?there's no watered down control scheme to appease more casual players like you'll find in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Best of all, the game is just plain fun whether alone or with three others. Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is easily one of the best games of the year and more than worthy of an Editor's Choice Award.

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