The legendary franchise we know as Tekken is back, Namco Bandai have produced another console based game, this time a follow up to an old title, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (Xbox 360). Released on 14th September, it’s a pure fighting game at heart but the question is how can it improve on other recent offerings in this genre, will the tag element be enough?
Whenever I’ve played any fighting game in recent years it’s been a real struggle to be any match for the hardcore gamers who have mastered the art of defence and attack, in all honesty it’s been no contest. Luckily this offers possibly the most in-depth tutorial in the form of a mini story, where it puts you in the shoes of a Combot. After another bot is destroyed it’s up to you to start from scratch and re-learn all the moves necessary to become a successful fighter. Featuring various boss battles and training bots you learn the difference between high attacks, low attacks, guarding and counters, all to be used at appropriate times. I’m not entirely sure if it goes into the tag mechanics as I genuinely got stuck halfway through the guarding bosses, might be a glitch in my game but even after playing all the other modes extensively I still cannot complete this stage. To me that says its set a little bit too tough, especially for a newcomer. If you fancy a more conventional way to teach yourself then practice mode is still alive and kicking to try out all your favourite characters moves.
Before I go any further let me explain how the whole tag element works, it’s not your usual one vs one affair. Basically you choose two competitors for your team and face off in various modes against other teams or even solo opposition. With two health bars to manage it’s up to you to decide when to bring in your partner and how, with tag combos and throws it can make for a heavy beat-down. My tag of choice is the throw, as a wrestling fan nothing beats seeing two fighters in this game working together on a double DDT or double Rock Bottom. Although I struggled a bit with the tag combos, seem quite tricky compared to another tag based game I played (Marvel vs Capcom 3).
I must say it’s a bit disappointing to see the lack of depth in the offline modes (all pretty basic and over quick) but there’s plenty of enjoyment to be had within them. Firstly Arcade, battling solo (as in only picking one character, not recommended) or a team vs a series of opponents, keep winning to eventually reach a rather odd boss who gives one hell of a beating even on easy. Then we have Ghost Battle where it’s almost like a simulation of playing against real people, preparing you for the wonders online. Time Attack; win all the fights as quick as you can, probably my least favourite mode. Survival; almost an exact opposite of time attack, you must last as long as you can with deteriorating health, defence is key is lasting the longest. Team Battle is something I’ve experienced before, choose a team of 1 to 8 characters to face a team of the same amount. Then as one tag partner K.O.s another can step in to take their place till there’s no back up’s left to call upon. If you have friends round then this will suit, as will Pair Play (both on the same team) and Vs Battle (vs your friend). I don’t think much can beat a session with a few mates, the old winner stays on routine and this is geared up perfectly for such fun.
Venturing online was a terrifying experience, jumping into a player match I thought I had become more than adequate at the game to ruffle some feathers, only to be instantly hit with a series of combos and wall rebounds that had me helpless. With just two modes (Player and Ranked) it’s a bit short on substance, however with so many players worldwide, that’s plenty of hours of beatings to keep you busy. A nice addition is the team aspect; you can join a team online with your friends via the World Tekken Federation website and fight to increase the prestige of your teams.
Onto probably the most important part of the game, without these it’d be incredibly dull, characters. With a whopping 50 characters unlocked from the start and four unused slots (surprises?) I had a real delight in trying them all out and seeing which ones I could remember moves for from the previous Tekken games. Turns out I can still bust a few moves with Eddy, the rest I think a practice mode session is in order. It does seem formidable when trying to get used to a character but that’s the beauty if you ask me, building a relationship with a character in which you have moves for all situations. The large cast of characters gives endless hours of trial and error find that perfect tag team match-up.
Environments are a little bit destructible now with chances to crush the enemy through to floor or through a balcony. Ranging from vibrant colours in Netherlands to the rather darker United Kingdom or Japan, there is a pleasant selection to choose from along with the beats (background music) to go with them, a few of which that get you all pumped up for a fight. Very well made arenas, beautifully crafted and a pleasure to see when you get the chance in between combos.
Customization is a real joy to see, having many items and costumes to use for each fighter, all unlockable via game progress and then bought with in-game credits. You really can see Kuma the angry bear wearing sunglasses and a hat, some of the creations look hilarious. It allows items to be given to fighters; one I used most was a knife with Jin that I could throw at opponents.
I cannot argue with the amount of enjoyment you can get from Tekken Tag Tournament 2, the mass character selection certainly helps this. The major issue I have with it is that someone who either hasn’t played Tekken ever or even just for a little while (like me), despite the tutorial it’s tough to get into and doing moves is as tricky as it can probably be. For fighting veterans they will surely love the variety and online competition along with the fact that button bashing will not win you matches. It’s all about learning the art and skill of each fighter.
8/10