Based on the arcade release of Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion, Tekken 6 is a well-balanced three-dimensional fighting game with a massive cast of forty playable characters. The fighting mechanics are very similar to previous installments in the series, with canned combos being executed by inputting a series of button presses, with each of the controller’s four face buttons corresponding to your chosen fighters four limbs, and the majority of combat damage being dealt during juggles that carry your opponent through the air. The differences come in the form of the two new mechanics introduced: Rage and Bound. The Rage system is quite simple: whenever a fighter drops below five percent of his or her starting life total, they receive a significant boost in attack power. For those who have had the pleasure of playing Tekken Tag Tournament, Rage is functionally similar to Netsu Power. However, in addition to the character’s life bar glowing red, the characters themselves now also glow red. The glow itself is minimal, and hardly ever a distraction, and when combined with Tekken 6’s new motion blur effect, can look pretty cool when seen on darker levels.

The second new mechanic, Bound, has a much greater impact on the way the game is played. With the Bound system in place, players can smash their opponents against the ground with certain moves that will result in their opponents bouncing upon impact, making them vulnerable to additional hits. The bounce itself is brief, so players need to act fast in order to take advantage of it, but if they succeed, the result could lead to massive damage. The more advanced combos in the game rely on Bound in order to maximize damage potential and to carry opponents further in walled levels. On a walled level, bouncing your opponent off the ground directly in front of a wall will often lead to an inescapable wall combo, which is guaranteed to make opponent wince. Thankfully, the release of Bloodline Rebellion addressed the lethality of Bound combos, which in the original arcade release could be used to kill an opponent in one juggle, making them much more balanced. Most Bound juggles deal damage on par with the standard juggles from Tekken 5: Resurrection. Unfortunately, while this keeps juggle damage within the realm of reason, it also forces players to learn more demanding juggle strings in order to remain competitive.

The console release also benefits from the addition of a few console-exclusive features: Scenario Campaign and Online Mode. Scenario Campaign is similar to the Tekken Force beat-’em-up modes seen in previous console releases of Tekken titles, but with a greater story component and a world map complete with branching paths. The default story is based around the two new Tekken 6 characters, Lars and Alisa, and is told through several real-time cutscenes that occur before and after missions. The story itself is pretty campy, at best, and far from Oscar material, but it gets the job done, and for players not interested in sitting through the cutscenes, they can be skipped. As players progress through Scenario Campaign, they’ll unlock other characters to use in this mode, and by defeating enemies, earn spending money and some items for their chosen character. Here’s where Scenario Campaign gets interesting, as the items earned in this way have special properties exclusive to this mode. You may find a pair of gloves that will engulf your enemies in flames when struck, or a pair of sunglasses that greatly increases the amount of money earned during each mission. Players can equip each costume of their fighter with five special attribute slots, something that may be necessary in order to complete the later missions in the game. Unfortunately, Scenario Campaign is not without its flaws. The controls are awkward and frustrating, and the graphics appear to be rendered in a lower resolution than the rest of the game. The characters and the environments look generic, and several of the resources are reused throughout the experience. Sadly, players that want to customize most or all of the characters in the game will need to spend a lot of time in this mode, as it’s the fastest way to earn money and items.

Though taking your favourite combatant online certainly has its rewards as well. Defeating higher ranked players can result in a nice payout, and even losing a Ranked Match will earn you a little scratch. The online mode offers both Ranked and Player Matches for players to participate in, which has become the convention for most console games in this online age. The Ranked Matches will earn you both cash and rank, and for those players that seek fame, a spot on the leaderboards. The Player Matches offer rooms for players to fight without the added pressure of losing a rank, have customizable settings, such as time and rounds needed to win, and allow other players to spectate. For the most part, the online play is enjoyable, but in our experience with the game, suffered from intermittent lag problems. As Tekken 6 is a game of precise timing and execution, the lag can be a little discouraging for serious play, but will hardly get in the way of a casual match or two with some friends.

However, there’s more to the Online Mode in Tekken 6 than beating up friends and strangers. Players can download replays of matches in order to study tips and combos, or even submit their own. The replays are ranked by popularity, but can be filtered to find matches involving specific characters or players, and can be saved for later viewing on your hard drive. Another feature, and probably our favourite of Tekken 6’s online offerings, allows players to upload a Ghost of their character, or download ghosts made by others, including friends. Ghosts are AI representations of your character that attempt to emulate your style of play by using your most commonly executed moves and combos. The science isn’t perfect, but it can be surprisingly accurate at times. Whenever a new Ghost is downloaded to your system, it is placed in the database of random AI players that can be encountered during the offline Ghost Battle and Arcade Modes. Players can store up to one hundred downloaded Ghosts on their system, and may upload one for each character that they use. Encountering an AI opponent that attempts to mimic a friend of yours is pretty exciting, and I hope we see more of this in other fighting games.

One of the best reasons to upload a Ghost of your character is that it actually retains its customized appearance when encountered in another player’s game. The customization options in Tekken 6 are quite expansive, so a great deal of variety is guaranteed to be seen. Furthermore, the customizations have much better character model integration this time around. Fewer items look as though they’re floating near the character, and each character has dozens of purchasable items instead of just a handful with palette swaps.

Though as great as the customizations are, the visual presentation of Tekken 6 is a little lacking. The game suffers from some serious aliasing issues, as well as an upscaled resolution that can make some of the characters and environments look a little muddy at times. It’s hardly a deal breaker, as Liz Lemon would say, but it’s certainly noticeable, especially when compared to another Namco Bandai fighting game, Soul Calibur IV. However, Soul Calibur IV was without an arcade release, meaning that it was designed for both consoles from the ground up. To make matters worse, Tekken 6 also suffers from some lengthy load times, which can make loading a match take as long as thirty seconds. Thankfully, the load times can be significantly reduced by taking advantage of the optional install, which we’d strongly recommend doing. The aliasing issues can also be fixed by turning off the game’s Motion Blur feature, which allows the system to use anti-aliasing instead. Overall, we found that the game looked better with the Motion Blur disabled, but that’s a matter of opinion, of course.

The sound design is also a mixed bag. Most of the voices and sound effects have been recycled from previous Tekken games, sounding a touch stale, and the stage themes, in most cases, are less memorable than those heard in previous installments. However, there is the odd gem that can really help engross you in the battle, or put a smile on your face as you and your adversary take turns kicking sheep. Yeah, you read that correctly. Sheep.

Overall, the Tekken 6 experience is a very solid one, especially if you’re a hardcore fan of the franchise. The offline fighting is just as great as ever, perhaps even at its best with the largest character pool in franchise history, a more expansive move lists, and the benefit of two years of balancing. However, the additions made to make the console release more unique, Scenario Campaign and Online Mode, are too hit and miss for their own good. Throw in the dated visual presentation and the poor load times, and you get a game that to some, may feel like it came out two years too late. Regardless, as a die-hard Tekken fanatic, I have little trouble viewing this game as a success based on the merits of the offline versus mode alone, but if you’re new to the franchise, or hoping to get a little extra out of your fighting games, you may leave the Tournament a little disappointed.

The first thing we noticed is how great Tekken 6 looked running on the PlayStation 3. We’ve sunk hundreds of hours into the PlayStation Store release of Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection, which is a great looking game in its own right, and were expecting only a marginal leap in graphically quality. Instead, we were treated to to a blazing fast visual feast, running at what seemed like 60 frames per second in 720p. The character textures saw a great deal of improvement, with each character featuring more realistic facial expressions and more believable clothing, and the environments are quite breathtaking. There was one level in which I kept getting distracted during the fight as fighter jets would fly over us, causing the air to distort and ripple with the heat of their afterburners. But no need to worry, GameNorthians, as I still managed to win that fight.

The environments themselves are more interactive now as well. Some levels feature multiple tiers, similar to those found in the Dead or Alive franchise (I know, I know, this comparison is blasphemous!), but in our experience, can only be accessed by smashing your opponent against the floor with exceptional force. When the floor collapses, both fighters will tumble to the tier below, but the victim of the original attack will still be at a disadvantage, taking more damage from the fall and being prone to Bound.

The Bound System is a new addition to the Tekken 6 that sees opponents bounce slightly after hitting the ground. This bounce gives skilled players a chance to lift their opponent back off the ground with miniature juggles, leading to more damage. When we first heard of the Bound System, we were worried that it would be too abusive, and although we haven’t spent enough time with the game to learn how to take advantage of it properly, our fears were absolved. Juggling damage (damage done to an opponent while they are in the air, for those that haven’t dropped a million quarters into Tekken machines) has been greatly reduced, leading to a less effective juggling game overall. This was a nice discovery, as it means that getting juggled twice by Bryan was no longer an automatic loss, but it does force players to take advantage of the Bound System during their juggles if they wish to make the most of their opponents’ mistakes. The Bound System also has great potential for carrying opponents to the wall on walled levels, which could be a problem in its own right. Time spent obsessing over impossible combos and frame data will tell.

Another new addition to Tekken 6 is the Rage System. The Rage System kicks in when your character’s face gets kicked in, dropping them to below 5% of their starting health total. When a character enters Rage, they begin glowing red and benefit from a boost of attack power. Like the Bound System, we were uneasy about the addition of the Rage System in our beloved franchise, but soon discovered that it rarely became a factor. We engaged in several dozen matches over the course of the afternoon, and only two of the many rounds were won as a result of Rage. It still seems a little unnecessary, but it forces the dominant player in a given match to play more intelligently. Will another juggle finish them off or leave them in Rage? Perhaps you should poke them a bit more first. Furthermore, the Rage system is functionally identical to the Netsu Power system found in Tekken Tag Tournament, save for the Rage System’s signature red glow. Those that are worried about the Rage system need only recall that Tekken Tag Tournament was considered one of the most balanced fighting games of its time, and perhaps the most balanced release in the Tekken franchise.

But enough about the system, the cornerstone of every fighting game lies within its cast of characters, and Tekken 6 certainly has that covered. When we launched the game to engage in our first versus match, we were greeted with a character selection screen that featured more than forty characters to choose from. The number of characters were so overwhelming that we had difficulty finding our favourites at first. Old favourites, such as Armor King and Baek Doo San (my arch-nemesis) have returned, as well as six new characters: Alisa Bosconovitch, Bob, Lars Alexandersson, Leo, Miguel Caballero Rojo, and Zafina. Alisa is the robotic daughter of Dr. Bosconovitch, Bob is quite literally the largest Karate master in the world, Lars appears to have mysterious ties with the Mishima Zaibatsu (but who doesn’t these days), Leo seems beginner-friendly and is, much to my surprise, actually a girl, Miguel is a bull-fighter that looks like he’s seen better days, and Zafina is just plain creepy. Seriously, just fighting her made me uncomfortable, and she gave me a vibe similar to Voldo from Soul Calibur.

All of these characters are fully customizable, and the customization options are much more extensive than those found in Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection. When we entered the character customization screen for Nina Williams, we were given the opportunity to customize several slots, including clothing for her torso, legs, feet, individual arms, hands, head wear, masks and facial wear, four different hair slots (front, back, left side and right side), auras, and even Rage colours. Better yet, Namco Bandai included a preview option for purchases, which will help us spend our hard-earned money more wisely than we did in Dark Resurrection. As with the rest of the game, the customizations looked great, and unlike some of the items found in Tekken 5, were seamlessly integrated with the character model.

And the fastest way to earn some scratch for these items is Scenario Campaign, the console-exclusive adventure mode found in Tekken 6. We spent some time with it at the Holiday Preview Event, and it was pretty much what you’d expect: an updated version of the Tekken Force modes found in previous Tekken games. You run around in the three-dimensional environment and get attacked by wave after wave of generic bad guys, just like any other self-respecting beat-’em-up. Namco Bandai went out of their way to make Scenario Campaign a little more involved, however, by adding a detailed story, beautiful cinematics, and, of course, online co-operative play. That’s right, you can now clean up the mean streets of the Tekken universe with a friend online, and earn truckloads of cash for customizations in the process.

When we first read about Tekken 6, we were admittedly apprehensive. Tekken resembles the winning formula of gameplay and character design for many hardcore fighting game enthusiasts, and with each change made to that formula, Namco Bandai risks losing the delicate balance that makes it so great. However, with each release, the masters at Namco Bandai prove time and time again that the series is in good hands (let’s not talk about Tekken 4). And with the console release of Tekken 6 just around the corner, we can’t wait to return to the King of the Iron Fist Tournament.

Today’s five minutes of fame go to the British boxer and estranged son of Nina Williams, Steve Fox. Fox first appeared in Tekken 4 and has been punching faces (and feet) ever since. A feared foe in Tekken 5, Namco was forced to tone him down for the release of Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection. Will Tekken 6 be his return to glory? Will he ever get the chance to sit down for tea with his estranged, assassinating mother? We’ll find out this Fall! In the meantime, “you wanna try me, guv?”

Click here to watch the video

Unfortunately, for the aforementioned arcade purists, bringing that arcade feel to a home console can often mean importing a rather expensive arcade stick from Japan. Attempting to uppercut two birds with one stone for the release of Tekken 6, Namco Bandai have announced the Tekken 6 Arcade Stick Edition. Including the console version of Tekken 6, a wireless arcade stick produced by Japanese arcade stick specialists Hori, and a one-hundred page art book, the Tekken 6 Arcade Stick Edition will save arcade gamers the trouble of importing a Hori stick for the latest King of the Iron Fist Tournament.

The bundle will retail for $149.99 USD ($172 CAD at time of posting) and will be available alongside the standalone release of Tekken 6 on October 27, 2009. Check out the arcade stick design for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game below.

However, the last screenshot more than makes up for it.

Is Namco Bandai trying to recreate the final minutes of Se7en in Tekken 6? We think so.

Marshall Law: “What’s in the box? What’s in the boooox?!”

No additional information has been released regarding the reveal of this image, so it is not yet known if the Cardboard Tube Samurai will be a full character or an unlockable costume for the Tekken franchise’s wacky samurai, Yoshimitsu.

We fully expect to hear more about the Cardboard Tube Samurai and the role that he’ll play in Tekken 6 at this year’s Penny Arcade Expo. Could this also mean that Tekken 6 will be one of the games in this year’s Omegathon?

Panda food, perhaps?

Choosing from the cast of over 40 playable Tekken characters, players may proceed through the levels alone or together with a friend online. Together you can amass wealth and collect items to customize your favourite characters. Scenario campaign lets you abuse thugs and minions with your character’s signature moves, and will also provide you with an arsenal of swords, staffs, machine guns, flame throwers, and even giant robots. Sorry, Yoshimitsu, you’re just not that special anymore.

To demonstrate some of the technical upgrades to the Tekken game engine, as well as show off the new Scenario Campaign mode, Namco Bandai have sent us this juicy new trailer. Enjoy!

Click here to watch the video

New to the series is the introduction of destructible environments and a “Super Rising” manoeuvre. The destructible environments will provide rocks and other obstacles to smash opponents into, increasing their damage count and turning the tide of battle. The “Super Rising” manoeuvre brings more variety to the battle stages and enables players to explore new areas of the Dragon Ball universe.

Dragon Ball: Raging Blast is set for release in fall of 2009.

In the age of anti-aliasing and bloom lighting, THX and 7.1 sound systems, the first thing you’ll notice is the rather poor production values of this niche title. This sequel to the PS2 cult classic has improved graphics and sound quality, and even though everything is clean, it is just not on par with what is the standard for games in the current age. They added atrocious voice-acting to Saga, which is quite a downgrade from the text-only dialogue in the previous game. I’m pretty sure my computer can generate some voice samples less irritating than the voices you hear during the cutscenes.

Luckily, most of the time you won’t be too worried about the poor animations or the voice acting.  You’ll be too immersed in deciding what spells to cast and whether to attack with a creature. To get an idea of the gameplay, think Monopoly, except that when you land on someone’s property, you have the option of trying to take control of it by battling the creature that is occupying the property. You win when the sum of your money in hand and the worth of your land adds up to the target amount, which is different for each map.  You can even level up the land you own, much like buying houses and hotels, but that carries its own risk since it’ll make that land a target. The most interesting part is that before each match, you choose a deck of spells, items, and creatures that will be available for you to use during the match. At any point, you will have a hand of six or fewer cards to choose from, so there are some decisions to be made about whether you keep cards to use later.

There is some luck entwined with the strategy, too. Much like CCGs, what cards you draw into your hand affect the outcome.  Even the most well designed deck can run into some bad luck.  From the board game side, dice rolls determine how far you can move, and since the lap bonuses scale according to the number of laps you’ve completed around the board, a string of good luck with the dice can often become a huge advantage.

Another trait it inherits from its parents (card games would wear the pants in that relationship) is that Culdcept is best enjoyed with other people. The multiplayer setup provides a range of options such as splitting off into teams, choosing random decks, and even how the colours of the squares on the board is arranged. Imagine if you could play with Board Walk beside Indiana, and you’ll get a sense of how this works. You can set the target goal when the game ends, or set a turn limit. And if you’re worried that people are going to stall the game until you run out of patience and quit, there is the option to set a time limit for each individual turn.  The victor(s) of these stressful battles receive more random cards added to their collection, which they can then use in their various decks.  CCG veterans will be familiar with the concept of card rarities, which helps you to keep playing until you have enough copies of the cards you want in your deck.

If you’re not into the multiplayer aspect of games, the single player mode has plenty to offer as well. The AI is sufficiently challenging until the quality of the cards in your collection becomes fairly good. It suffers all the stupidities you’d expect from AI, but you can choose to handicap yourself by facing a team of two opponents.  In addition to the story mode, there are also special achievements that you can get, which will award unique cards. For example, collecting all the cards of any colour will award you a special card of that colour. I would drop the dollar value to $25 CAD though if you’re not going to try the multiplayer.

Culdcept Saga is not a fast-paced game by any means.  In fact, my biggest complaint is that you can’t skip the animations that you’ll be forced to watch hundreds of times. However, Culdcept Saga is a great game if you’re looking for a game that relies solely on your mental faculties and a bit of luck, and not on reflexes.