Can the PSP version of Tekken 6 upset its bigger brother?
Optimized for the PSP system, TEKKEN 6 will not only contain all the explosive action of its home console brethren but also feature additional stages, content, items, and an ad-hoc multiplayer mode. Fighting amongst friends is encouraged as players can battle wirelessly against each other using original or fan favourite characters. Rounding out its list of impressive features is the return of the âGhostâ Infrastructure mode, which allows players to upload their âghostâ character data and download othersâ from the Internet onto their PSP. When players have reached the height of their TEKKEN fighting skills, they will be able to see how they stack up against others through the gameâs network support.
If you read my console review of Tekken 6 (Which I reviewed on the 360 to avoid any confusion) youâll know that I didnât exactly fall in love with it like I did SF IV. 2009 seems to be Capcomâs triumph for the fighting genre. Tekken 6 is a good game, but the campaign was just horrendous. Luckily, itâs been scrapped for the PSP version but what else does it offer?
Truth be toldâŚnot a lot. The PSP version is more or less the same as the console versionsâŚwhich isnât a bad thing, itâs actually quite impressive that theyâve managed to bring the same experience to a handheld with only a few sacrifices in terms of visuals and online which is MIA. I canât claim to be a fan of fighting games on a handheld, but the PSP version does a good job overall.
The PSP version contains all the fighters and modes from the consoles and best of all, that horrible campaign is gone. Itâs such a relief to see that itâs gone; I donât think I would have coped having to go through that âthingâ again. Instead itâs back to basics with a story mode and arcade mode. There isnât anything new here, but it does replicate the same experience.
Oh sure, the game doesnât look as good as on the consolesâŚbut I personally enjoyed it more. Why? Iâm not exactly sure; I guess that the controls are a bit easier and more forgiving overall when it comes to performing combos. The bad news is the lack of online which would have elevated the game beyond its console brethren. While the PSP version doesnât look as good, it does look pretty good for a game on the handheldâŚitâs actually quite impressive to look at.
The Verdict
While there is less content and no new features to be seen, Tekken 6 is actually more fun to play on the go than on the consolesâŚwhy? Itâs easier to play for a start and they got rid of the campaignâŚwhich truly makes it look like a better package. It may not have set the world on fire like some hoped, but itâs still a damn good fighter.
