I love fighters, along with RPGS they are my favorite genre of video game. So its no surprise that as soon as i started playing Tekken Tag Tournament 2 i was already in love with the game. Having played the Tekken series for years, throughout its various incarnations, it was like coming home to an old friend. Everything i knew and loved about Tekken was still there, along with some improvements and polish, so suffice to say i loved it, and in my personal opinion would give it a 9/10.

But, its time to get a little subjective, because as mentioned fighters and I go hand in hand, to someone whose either been out out the fighter game for a while, or has never really dipped their toes into the genre are more than likely going to feel lost. Now the game does try to help by replacing the traditional story mode with a “Fight Lab” which in essence is a glorified tutorial with a twist, the character you control in the lab, Combot, has access to all the moves from all forty+ fighters in the game, which lets you get a feel for not just the basics of the game, but also some of the more specialized moves you’re going to be pulling off later down the road. Its a great theory on paper, however the execution of it falls a little flat, as its all trial and error, the game will tell you what you need to do, but if your having trouble with some of the button combos, well good luck to you because the game sure as hell isn’t going to slow down and help you master it, which may lead some new comers rather frustrated and lost.

Check out the intro to the game and see the sheer ridiculousness that your about to get into!

Its not all bad though, as this tutorials levels feature some rather hysterical moments, with Pizzas being thrown at you, you head being turned into swine, and at one point an obese Ryu of Street Fighter fame is you opponent! Alongside that, the core game play is still fantastic, and anyone whose been a fan of the series will find a lot to love here, and with the introduction of the new “Tag assault” system, which lets you bring in your tagged out member when you’ve knocked your opponent into the air, you can perform an insane number of combos, which last a surprisingly long time. As i mentioned there is over forty fighters, so the combination possibilities seem endless.

Along with a slew of customization options for your fighter of choice, a practice mode that lets you upload videos, and online play that seems to be working fine, with only a couple minor stutters here and there, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is definitely worth your time, its just a shame, as it had the right thought with easing newbies into the genre, but the execution was lacking. Still, if your a fan of Tekken, or of fighters in general, there’s tone to love here, and comes well recommended.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is now available on PS3 and Xbox360!

8/10

~ The Ox