Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection is the latest offering from Namco in the Tekken series of fighting games. This version of Tekken 5 is offered as a budget title in the Playstation 3’s digital download initiative. Clocking in at only $20 US, the game offers players an almost arcade perfect port of one of the best 3D fighting games ever created.

Don't Bring A Gun To A Tekken Fight
The Tekken series started off slowly and quickly gained an immense following, due to its more “realistic” depiction of its fighters in comparison to its arcade rivals of the time. The series was considered to be on the wane after its masterpiece fighter: Tekken 3. It took Namco some time, but the release of the original Tekken 5 was considered a return to form. Tekken 5: DR is a remastered version of Tekken 5 featuring additional characters, slight enhancements to the combo system, a few fighter balancing tweaks, and a reworking of the game’s final boss: Jinpachi Mishima. The new updated version of Tekken 5 was released to the arcades and eventually it made its way to the PlayStation Portable. The PSP version remains easily one of the greatest handheld fighting games ever released.

Do not be mistaken however; the PlayStation 3 version is not a simple port of the portable version. It is actually a complete reworking of the title from its original arcade form. The fighters and backgrounds have been given a 1080p HD makeover. The developers at Namco have done an excellent job ensuring that everything made the transition from the arcade to the home smoothly. A near perfect translation of the arcade title means that each ten hit combo and all of the game’s timing is still intact. The lighting and self-shadowing work on the fighters is top notch quality, and what you would expect from the Tekken franchise. Given the new HD resolutions, a handful of lower quality backgrounds and textures betray the otherwise gorgeous look of the game. Luckily you would be hard pressed to notice any of those issues in the midst of a game unless you pause the match.

Meet The New Kids In The Class
Outside of the returning cast of every single Tekken fighter ever, Tekken 5: DR features two new characters: Lili and Dragonov. Also for the first time, Jinpachi Mishima is now an available character. The PS3 version of Tekken 5: DR’s gameplay modes are surprisingly sparse for a game in the series. The only modes available are: Arcade Battle, Ghost Battle, Vs Battle, and the standard fighting game gallery mode. In comparison to the PSP version of Dark resurrection, the options seem rather slim. Here is a case where the PSP version has a slight edge. The most glaring omission though is a dedicated practice mode. Unless you have two controllers and alot of patience, you have to master your ten-hit combos against live attacking opponents.

Dark Resurrection allows you to customize your characters using virtual gold that you earn based upon your performance during matches in Arcade and Ghost Battle Modes. Unfortunately, Dark resurrection doesn’t let you preview a purchase. You have to spend your credits blindly; you don’t get to see which options you’ve chosen until the start of your match.