• Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Mar 17, 2002
Metascore
94 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 36 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. The depth of this game is staggering. [Feb 2003, p.93]
  2. Tight control, a fantastic training mode that really helps anyone learn, original modes like Kumite and just awesome AI make for one of the best fighters in years.
  3. 100
    It's not simply an all out brawl where the one who punches the fastest wins, but rather an elegant and more balanced fighting game, where knowing the combos is not enough - knowing when to use them and how to counter them counts for something as well.
  4. 100
    The best fighting experience available on home consoles...One of the slickest fighting games ever.
  5. I can't get enough of it. Not many games are so great that they can help influence your taste, but this one really is something special. [Apr 2002, p.100]
  6. A complex fighting game that will take you a very long time to master each of the 13 characters.
  7. 100
    What’s awesome about the gameplay is that you can just pick up a controller and start fighting. Three buttons (block, kick, punch) are all that are needed to master a basic set of moves.
  8. Underneath its silky shine is a feast of fighting goodies that will change everything you have ever come to expect from this genre. [May 2002, p.78]
  9. A meticulously balanced fighter's fighter – no cyborgs or polar bears or laser beams. It's simplicity perfected, and you'd be surprised how complex that can get. [May 2002, p.110]
  10. The kicks, punches, and throws all look extremely close to an actual fight with the force of the hit being displayed in such a way that gives you a feel of the power.
  11. It’s going to be remembered as not only the deepest fighting game for the Playstation 2, but also the best, on any platform.
  12. The game is a gorgeous and perfectly balanced game where no fighter is better than another is. Kumite mode helps define this game as purely skill-driven, but its simplistic controls make it accessible to anybody.
  13. 95
    Deeper than Marianas Trench, but fortunately, it's much easier to dive into. The most realistic, well-rounded and technically impressive fighting ever made.
  14. There's quite literally nothing else about Virtua Fighter 4 which comes close to disappointing as much as the graphics – and considering that the game still looks marvellous, that's the best bad-news-good-news we've ever had to tell anyone, you lucky people!
  15. VF4 is probably the greatest fighter ever made in terms of lasting appeal. The Kumite mode is absolutely fantastic.
  16. Though DOA3 may have it beat graphically, no game can touch VF4’s fighting engine. This is the deepest, most dynamic fighter ever created.
  17. This is the epitome of what fighting games should be, having practice, patience, and technique take precedence over simple button mashing.
  18. 93
    The amount of variety for toe-to-toe fighting is the best the series has ever seen.
  19. The real beauty of it is definitely in the gameplay...You can't tell right off the bat, but Virtua Fighter 4 is the best fighting game in years.
  20. The Kumite and AI modes are ridiculously fun, and should you be one of the poor, unwitting souls that actually hooks up with a friend that’s purchased a copy, you can kiss at least a couple weekends (and likely a few weekdays) goodbye.
  21. 91
    Virtua Fighter 4 has moved in next door and I am coveting my neighbor until I am sore.
  22. It is not only the best fighter available for the system, but pretty much the best console gamers have seen since "Soul Calibur."
  23. This game looks amazing. The character models and animation are clearly the cream of the crop...If you're not completely sold by now, then the Kumite will definitely put you over the top.
  24. The game features the absolute best training mode ever made for a fighting game.
  25. VF4 does an amazing number of things right. [Apr 2002, p.24]
  26. Teach your PS2 well, and the phrase “the A.I. sucks” will no never be spoken about this title.
  27. Simply a brilliant fighting game, and it seems that the best thing that ever happened to PlayStation 2 gamers
  28. On a final note, the menu looks amazing. I know it really doesn't matter that much, but it really does. And it's customize-able! And that's not a bad thing. It's a good thing.
  29. 90
    Solid fighting gameplay coupled with some very good graphics.
  30. The pacing, the control, the animation, the look, the feel -- the Virtua Fighting itself has been polished to near perfection. The strength of the basic arcade game mode alone is enough to heartily recommend Virtua Fighter 4.
  31. Ignore the vapid thrills promised by shinier, shallower games, and enjoy mastering one of the most challenging fighters for ages. [PSM2 Magazine]
  32. 80
    While this PS2 game may not be as pretty as Tecmo's hot Xbox seller, Virtua Fighter 4 rivals the competition where it counts the most -- in gameplay.
  33. A smashing game that has a life span as long as your Grandma's...[but] it's far too deep, complex and frustrating at first for instant hit bruisers to get their thrills from.
  34. Visuals are but one aspect of this game's worth. It's the play that really matters, and VF, as always, plays marvelously. [Mar 2002, p.44]
  35. There are an awful lot of moves assigned to each character and that means a lot of thinking. But this kind of thinking is good, it's deep and it relates to the gameplay.
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 54 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 42
  2. Negative: 10 out of 42
  1. DanielM.
    10
    Most fighters are jerky matches that simply involve two combatants arbitrarily hitting each other. You won't notice this until you play VF4 however as the momentum of the entire match smoothly and quickly switches maintaining the flow of the fight. Full Review »
  2. HannahD.
    9
    I think that VF4 is absolutely AMAZING! This game truly sets the standard for all fighting games. It's really great to see Sega pioneering this genre by stepping out and actually creating what I liken to the film industry's equivalent of what they would call a "Cult Classic," except for this particular classic, is a game. They have actually used their creativity enough to push this genres' often lazy thumb-button-happy users to think and calculate their moves realistically, instead of just winning because you push all the bloody buttons at once! This game makes me think, and I feel much more rewarded personally when I win, because due to the complexity of the moves and button-combos, I know for certain that it was NOT an accidental victory. It was skill, not luck. Full Review »
  3. RamiW.
    3
    I bloody gave this game to my cousin because it sucked hard. How on this earth would you be giving this game 10 or a 100 by the critics jesus everything sucks i cant bloody fight. I opened the manual and there was like 1000 moves for every character and i cant even do 1 there are no new characters to unlock and it was boring as soon as i put it in my damn ps2. I dont want to embarress this game anymore. Full Review »