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Virtua Fighter 5

EMAIL PRINTxbox360

7.6 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 36 critic reviews
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Based on 44 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Sega

Developer: Sega - AM2

Genre(s): Fighting, Action

Players: 2

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: October 30, 2007

Summary

Virtua Fighter 5 features an all-star cast of 17 fighters, including characters from the previous iterations along with two new characters named El Blaze and Eileen. El Blaze is a Mexican fighting champion who defeats opponents with his quick Lucha Libre fighting style. Eileen, originally from China, uses a Monkey Kung-Fu fighting style that she learned from her grandfather, a former Kung-Fu master. Players are able to customize their characters by selecting from four uniquely patterned costumes and a wide range of attachable items that can be placed onto each fighter’s various body parts. Virtua Fighter 5 delivers fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping action as players head into battle, taking on a host of popular characters. Players not only achieve victory by defeating highly-skilled opponents, but also by competing for prizes which earn them in-game money allowing them to buy many items at in-game shop. These items allow players to customize their ultimate warrior and become the top Virtua Fighter. In addition, the game introduces "Offensive Move", a new maneuver that allows players to easily approach opponents from the side, adding a more strategic element to the battle. [Sega]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Virtua Fighter 4 Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central GameFAQs

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

1UP

If you love fighting games and want to play a fighter that continually unveils new wrinkles day in and day out and rewards dedication like no other, this is the game to get. Virtua Fighter 5 may not have kangaroos or weapons or bridges to fall off of, but it has unmatched playability as its calling card, and that's the only thing that counts.

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100

GameSpy

There's never a strong sense of "oh, you picked the crutch character" that there are in other fighters. Instead, it's a pure fighting experience that gamers who've only played Tekken, Dead or Alive, or Soul Calibur will be able to jump in and appreciate.

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100

GamerNode

If the most important aspect of a 3D fighting game is the depth and balanced nature of the gameplay, then Virtua Fighter 5 has no rival.

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Destructoid

I can't possibly recommend this game any higher. Assuming you don't have some unnatural slant against fighting games, VF5 Online is neck and neck with "The Orange Box" in the race for finest game on the system. If you have ever enjoyed a fighting title, punching someone, or ninjas in general, you'll be a fan.

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Game Over Online

Overall, I’d say that Virtua Fighter 5 Online is a remarkable game with a few missteps, but no fatal flaws. The intricate gameplay is better than ever, while the addition of online play adds an incredible amount of replay value to the game, even if it does need some improvement.

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Kombo

Virtua Fighter 5 isn't a perfect fighting game, but its damn close. It's easily the best fighting game available on the Xbox 360. Fans of the genre owe it to themselves to pick this game up, along with an arcade stick.

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Games Master UK

Looks, skill, depth, balance. Virtua Fighter 5 has got it all. [Dec 2007, p.85]

Gaming Age

A great experience.

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GameShark

A must buy for fans of the series and a serious look for those that have always wondered why the series is regarded by many as the best fighting game out there.

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Gaming Nexus

Not only are the graphics as good as they can be, but the game sports some of the most compelling game modes found in a fighting game.

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GameDaily

Despite a few corny audio samples, Virtua Fighter 5 offers hard-hitting fighting perfection that no one should miss.

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Official Xbox Magazine

But here it is: the finest version of the finest fighting game series, and with spot-on Xbox Live play. [Holiday 2007, p.64]

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Cheat Code Central

It can not be debated that this is a hardcore gamers' fighting game, but even those looking to just pick up and play will find more than enough to enjoy in this title.

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Worth Playing

Virtua Fighter 5 continues the success of the VF franchise by adding an online mode and providing enough single-player modes to keep even the most avid fighting fan enthralled for quite a while.

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GameCritics

Virtua Fighter has been successful as long as it has by catering to an audience that could serve as the definition of the word hardcore.

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Game Informer

Not only does this Xbox 360 edition of Virtua Fighter 5 have the online multiplayer support that was sadly missing from the PlayStation 3 iteration released earlier this year, it also features the latest arcade code, so it is the most balanced home edition you can play.

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IGN

A fantastic fighting game. The fighting system is deep, complex, and wonderful. If only the other elements surrounding VF5 were of equal measure.

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Official Xbox Magazine UK

Is the most ballanced, prettiest, deepest fighting game ever made perfection? No, but being the most balanced, prettiest and deepest fighting game is more than enough. [Nov 2007, p.94]

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X360 Magazine UK

The most accomplished, perfectly balanced and dazzlingly polished fighting game ever made - but watch out, it punishes infidels unwilling to invest the time to learn the 'art.' [Issue#25, p.88]

VideoGamer

Veterans and newbies alike will be impressed with how sumptuous the game looks. It's easily the best looking fighter on a console.

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360 Gamer Magazine UK

While not miles away from "VF4: Evolution," the new features, characters and possibilities here propel this to the top of the genre with style, poise and unending potential. Once you get a taste, you’ll never want to go back to the simplicity of DOA or the retro charms of the XBLA fighters – the finest fighter known to man is here in one definitive 360 package.

Eurogamer

With an online mode that actually works and a wealth of new goodies to round up (not to mention the lure of Gamerpoints making us more likely to push for the higher ranks or actually play through arcade mode for once), we love it even more. Best fighting game on the 360, easily. Best fighting game of this generation, easily. Best version of this sterling beat-'em-up, easily.

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GameZone

Even on the Xbox 360, Virtua Fighter 5’s controls work beautifully and proving that the series remains to be the best fighting series in the next-generation of consoles as well.

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GameTap

And this is where the 360 version has a distinct edge over the PlayStation 3 version; you can actually show off your customized creation in online fighting, which gives players an all-new reason to play the quest mode religiously.

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Planet Xbox 360

There are a few weak points, such as clumsy menu navigation, great but lacking online support, and reliance on the Microsoft D-pad, but overall VF5 is a very strong title, and fans of fighting games are going to love this game.

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MS Xbox World

There's a lot to do in VF5, which will keep offline players entertained for quite some time, and is always good to break out if you have friends round. The game does have a lot of depth for those who wish to devote much time to learning and mastering characters, but at the same time, beginners can button mash and be reasonably successful - or by learning a few simple moves.

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Game Positive

If you're a fighting game fan, you'll find it hard not fall in love with the depth of control and fantastic presentation of Virtua Fighter 5 Online.

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Xbox World 360 Magazine UK

Virtua Fighter 5 runs effortlessly on Xbox. But it's definitely an acquired taste. [Christmas 2007, p.74]

Team Xbox

Silky smooth graphics accompany spot-on controls.

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Gamer 2.0

With all that being said Virtua Fighter 5 Online for the Xbox 360 is most definitely a buy. That is of course, if you didn’t buy it for the PS3 already. It’s arguable though. The added content and online functionality may be the push you need to make up your mind.

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GameSpot

To answer your two questions: Yes, this is a solid port of Virtua Fighter 5, and yes, the online play works just fine.

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Extreme Gamer

Virtua Fighter 5 is a great game overall, and one of the finest fighters available. This is a game that will take time and patience to become decent at. The mechanics of this fighter is extensively complicated and deep, yet it offers extreme satisfaction once one has learned the ropes.

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Console Monster

Overall, VF5 would've been a completely average fighter, but with the inclusion of a good online mode, it's brilliant.

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PTGamers

There’s no doubt that Virtua Fighter is an excellent fighting game, very solid, but leaves something to be desired in terms of contents.

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GamingExcellence

Fans of the Virtua Fighter arcade series take for granted that playing a real person is necessary to truly take in the experience.

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Game Revolution

This is essentially the same game they’ve been making for years with a couple new characters and updated graphics.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.6 (out of 10) based on 44 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

red son gave it an8:
I'm still playing this game after more than 70hrs in the quest arcades (Completed Vanessa, 70% in Brads) and double that online.. VF5 is not a game for non-fighting people tho and this is not a glowing "go buy this game now" review.. Its not a button masher at all, powerful moves and combos can be difficult to pull off with the 360's dpad and the counter/sabaki/reversal system is NOT intuitive or easy to implement.. despite the updates i still feel like the online implementation is broken, especially when compared to DOA4.. there are no lobbies and changing fighters requires creating a new room and starting a new fight.. lag is definitely an issue for advanced users but new or mid level players probably wont notice until its obvious or unplayable.. if you're not a fan of the series or the fighting game genre Virtua Fighter 5 is not the game for you.. go play DOA4; DOA is much more arcady, button mash friendly and has a much better online setup.. Virtua Fighter 5 has a deeper combat system and requires much more commitment but the rewards are totally worth it.. Put it this way; i bought Virtua Fighter 5 twice.. after cracking my first disc by accident (games belong in cases, not on floors) i had to pick up a used copy.. i traded DOA4 for store credit towards my second copy.

Gamer A gave it an8:
What I'm failing to understand here is why everybody is comparing this to DOA or any other game. Stop comparing and look at the game for the game. Yes purists and franchise followers will be pleased with the return of old characters and two ample additions. People that have played more than one iteration of a franchise will appreciate the return of their favorite characters, just the same was as Kasumi and Hitome from DOA. The only reason this game does not get a 9 or ten from me is not the lag, that is as common as oxygen in the air and will always exist in one way or another. The framerate is fairly consistent, and is not a gripe. Is DOA didn't have the best graphics it would be near worthless. The levels represent the only critical flaw. To fight somebody person to person you really don't care if you are on a beach, or a dojo, because it is 1v1. If you would use weapons or the environment it takes away from the core function of combat against another person. But the random square takes away from the realism and could have just as well been on even flat ground. So in all the game is fairly good and the characters are all well presented in their own right, with perhaps a retooled level and stage mechanic this game could be a great fighter. Also as others have said, shun the FPS MASTER that compares a fighting game to DOA. Thank you.

FPS Master gave it a5:
This game looks and feels generic like lots of other Sega games The graphics are not that great and pale in comparison to the 2 year old DOA4 being too colorful and arcadey looking. The environments look ok, but the characters look like plastic, are very generic and uninteresting and the animations are very clunky and are missing tons of frames. The movement is slow and the fighting is just absolutely boring. There are not very many moves for any of the characters and the rest are just plain old kicks, punches and throws and the ones that are there are the same old ones they've rehashed since the first Virtua Fighter. These moves need to be more dramatic and flashy because it just looks and feels generic and outdated. And it needs to play faster. These moves are waaaaay too slow for a fighting game in 2008. The arenas are no differnt than the ones in the Saturn versions, meaning they're just small, plain, lifeless squares. Compare this to DOA4 where the graphcis are top-notch still after 2 years, have animations that are smooth as butter, multi-tierd arenas that are destructable and full of life and tons and tons more moves that all look different and catch they eye to boot. I don't care what anyone else says, DOA4 is tons deeper and more interesting than this franchise as it has everything in order all-around from graphics, to characters, to moves, to gameplay, to environments.The VF series has become nothing more than one that is trying to be a generic clone of DOA and Tekken and succeeds at neither. Strictly generic in every way.

Matt B. gave it a9:
This game stands aside the original Soul Calibur on DC as my favourite ever arcade fighting game. VF5 doesn't try to reinvent the wheel in any way. What it DOES do is absolutely nail the established arcade fighter formula and provide what is in my opinion the best arcade fighting experience to date. An incredibly deep and rewarding fighting system and the best graphics in a fighting game ever. Great training mode (the Dojo). Online play. Plenty of Japanese cheese. Best played against another human!

Mark Vestibule gave it a9:
A fantastic fighting game, and easily the best 3d fighter in the past five years at least. And to the chowderhead that called Virtua Fighter a rip-off of Dead or Alive: Virtua Fighter predates Dead or Alive by three years. Get your facts straight, idiot.

David H. gave it an8:
I have been a VF purist since the first game hit arcades. I have read other user reviews and have this to say: 1) DOA1 was copied from VF1 (using the same hardware even), not vice-versa. They have gone different directions since then, but both are good in their own right. 2) Because VF3tb didn't sell well Sega removed the only "new" thing since this series' inception - varied terrain height. Honestly going back to the roots works, but with the exception of some new fighters and online play, you HAVE played this before, in VF1, VF2, and VF4. I LOVE VF and this game is excellent. If you aren't familiar with the series, you need to take some TIME to learn the inticacies of the controls. HOWEVER I had to dock some points for: 1) Texture clipping, body parts pass through one another. 2) Animations, while good, are not varied enough 3) Online play lag, common to all twitch fighting games, pick a faster fighter to help overcome timing issues, but breaks gameplay balance. 4) Rings? While I always liked ring-outs, the level designs consist of a pretty background behind a square ring. This is one place where 3tb actually improved on the level design, and one place where DOA really shines with tiered levels that you actually feel like you are INSIDE of, rather than pasted on top of.

Max M. gave it a6:
This game is a bit overrated. It's a cheap coppy of Dead or Alive. They did a good job of balancing the characters but the gameplay is a bit too slow for me.

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Virtua Fighter 5

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Summary

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