The legendary fighters from the King of Iron Fist Tournament return to the console world with Tekken 6 arriving on not just the PlayStation 3 but also the XBox 360. How's that for service? Boasting around 40 fighters, Tekken 6 definitely offers the gamer a wealth of gaming options from campaigns to traditional fighting modes. The best part of Tekken is that even a novice gamer can pick up the DualShock controller and start playing, however Namco have carefully added a variety of new combinations, ensuring something for veteran gamers to strive for. After an impressive prerendered cinematic when I first put the disc in, Tekken 6 basically throws the player into the menu system which gives you the option of engaging in the campaign mode or kicking some ass in one of the many fighting modes.

Features

• Gorgeous Graphics: The advanced high-definition graphics and 3D animation technologies create the most impressive HD visuals in Tekken history.

• The Largest Character Roster Ever: Master 40 unique fighters representing the world's top martial arts styles! The character line-up includes 34 beloved characters, such as Jin, Heihachi and Kazuya, as well as 6 brand new characters with unique fighting styles and combo systems!

• Compete and Battle Globally: Prove your supremacy against players from around the world with Online VS Mode!

• Endless Possibilities to Customise: Create new characters and customise them with every imaginable detail. Customise their hairstyles, apparel, fashion accessories, tattoos, etc. Then take your own ultimate fighters online!

• Dynamic, Interactive, Destructible Environments: Punch your enemies through concrete walls or kick them through floors to open a whole new battleground. The stages go through dynamic changes ranging from a sudden attack helicopter crash to vehicle explosions!

THE BAD

New comers to the fighting genre or the world of Tekken can also engage in the training mode which assists in teaching the player how to move their characters and also pull off those impressive yet for most, unachievable multi button combos. The first aspect of Tekken 6 that I tried was the campaign mode which began with an extremely long and convoluted history of the various Tekken games through a rather disappointing cinematic that were basically animated still pictures and poorly at that.

When I play Tekken, I expect to see those larger than life cinemas, like the introduction, not still pictures with a few animations or flashing colours. The unfortunate aspect of the campaign mode is that the story is quite boring and once again revolves around an endless war with scientists and robots. With that said, the story of Tekken 6 focuses around Jin Kazama, the new leader of Mishima Zaibatsu who attempted to right the wrongs of his father and grandfather, however has inevitably joined their dark road and has bigger delusions of grandeur such as ruling the entire world. Clichéd and really bad story telling!

To compound the situation, the campaign mode looks like something out of the 90's from its Spartan like graphics to the limited way the characters move. Unlike the traditional Tekken fighting mode which is side-on view with 3D characters, the campaign mode is a third person view from afar as you and your co-fighter beat an unending hoard of thugs. The unfortunate aspect of this mode is that it is quite sluggish and feels like an afterthought to the main fighting experience of Tekken. The only good thing about the campaign mode is that you will learn about all the other Tekken characters. To compound the situation, you need to complete the campaign mode to be awarded cutscenes and costumes and the like but boy is it difficult to play through... yawn!

THE GOOD

Thankfully after the mediocre campaign mode, Tekken has one saving grace... the fighting and the arcade mode! Apart from around 40 characters that includes old favourites like Nina and King, it even contains some new character such as Bob, an overweight American fighter or Zafina who is quite surreal in her fighting methods that almost makes her quite ethereal when she fights. This is what about Tekken is about, beating the absolute living daylights out of your enemies and some truly fun and sometimes frustrating boss characters, even one who looks like it has been taken directly from Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla!

Character roster

• Anna Williams, Armor King, Alisa Bosconovich, Asuka Kazama, Baek Doo San, Bob, Bruce Irvin and Bryan Fury

• Christie Monteiro, Devil Jin, Dragunov, Eddy Gordo, Feng Wei, Ganryu, Heihachi Mishima and Hwoarang

• Jack-5, Jin Kazama, Julia Chang, Kazuya Mishima, King, Kuma, Lars Alexandersson and Marshall Law

• Lili, Lee Chaolan, Lei Wulong, Leo, Marduk, Miguel Caballero Rojo, Mokujin and Nina Williams

• Panda, Paul Phoenix, Ravan, Roger, Jr, Steve Fox, Wang Jinrey, Ling Xiaoyu, Yoshimitsu and Zafina

Although the game can become a button masher, by putting in the time and effort, the game does transcend to another level and with the correct amount defense and offence, it can be quite a tactical and strategic fighter as you block, kick and throw your opponents to the ground. You can also link combos together to deliver some powerful attacks and any who has played this game on the PS2 will be straight at home as soon as the DualShock controller is put into your hands. The buttons are well mapped on the controller with certain buttons used for leg, feet, arm and hand attacks.

Another cool aspect of Tekken is that just about all the characters feel different when you play and each has their pros and cons plus some devastating and visually impressive combo attacks. Although the learning curve of the game is relatively low, trying the master all the maneuvers will take some time to master, especially as you attempt to link your combos. And if you can master, nothing is more entertaining than to incapacitate your foes while they are in the air because it allows you to get in a few extra attacks in while they are stunned.

Another interesting addition to the gameplay is RAGE and when you're health gets to a certain point, your character becomes surrounded in a red glow that increases the damage they do and really gets the adrenaline pumping in a Rocky Balbo way. Friggin fun!
 
In relation to gameplay, players can play the traditional arcade mode which allows for 5 levels of difficulty, Ghost Battle which allows you to fight characters who moves are based on real-world players and really adds something uniquely different and sometimes difficult to the game. Apart from Ghost Battle, you also have Survival, Time Attack, VS Battle, Team Battle and of course Practice.

In regards to AI, the AI is quite easy to defeat early on in the game and on the early levels, it does become more and more of challenge and they do mimic real-world players quite well. You can also play the game online which can become a little challenging depending on lag and speaking of wait times, the loading of Tekken 6 is quite horrendous.

Graphically, the title looks seriously like eye candy in the fighting modes with extremely detailed characters and some brilliant texture details. Add in some great looking backgrounds and even the occasional special effect and realistic lighting and you have one good looking game. Unfortunately the fighting is let down by the mediocre graphics of the campaign mode that look like it has been taken out of a bad 90's video game.

Personally, the campaign mode does let down the main fighting and I believe it would have been better as a downloadable game. In terms of movement, the characters all move quite differently, whether its Zafina with her eerie, almost undead movement or the Bob, the overweight American who does have quite a bit of speed available, it all assists in the immersion. The soundtrack is decent and the voice acting is oozing with Japanese over the top character acting that suits the franchise perfectly.

At the end of the day, Tekken 6 is definitely a fun fighter, however it is plagued by some gameplay issues, more specifically the horrendous campaign mode and programming issues such as lengthy loading times. The strange thing is that the fighting is pure adrenaline pumping fun and with 40 characters to choose from, the gameplay of the fighting is very sturdy and deliciously addictive as you kick some serious ass! Plus, you can't beat the perfect control system of the arcade mode... Tekken is finally here on the next-gen of consoles!