Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown

Virtua Fighter 5 has aged like fine wine, and while some modern games feel more fluid or look prettier, Sega's classic cannot be replaced.

So, while this offering is missing options relating to customization and the netcode is just acceptable rather than industry leading, this is still a fighting game that has absolutely stood the test of time. It feels as fresh now as it ever has, and while it may not be Virtua Fighter 6, having an active Virtua Fighter online scene in the modern era is absolutely priceless.

All that to say that this surprise re-release of Virtua Fighter 5 is a welcome one, especially for PS+ members who get it for free. The series still has a special place amongst all of the other fighting franchises out there, so hopefully enough interest is generated with this re-release to warrant a full blown sequel in the future. In the meantime, AM2 and Ryu ga Gotoku Studios have done a fine job with Ultimate Showdown, such that any fan of the series or fighting games in general should check it out.

Mechanically Virtua Fighter 5 still is an outstanding Vs-fighting-game that looks better than ever. But it lacks singleplayer content as well as a modern netcode.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown offers a robust fighting system that runs silky smooth, with plenty of variety in fighters and move-sets.

Simply put, Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown is one of the greatest 3D fighters ever made. Although the game lacks the variety of modes that modern titles possess, the core combat is flawless. Those who played the original will fall in love again whilst newcomers will be enamored by this masterpiece. Firmly re-establishing itself as the king of fighters, the future is looking good for the franchise.

Your enjoyment of Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown is going to depend on a few factors. If you're more of a competitive online fighter, then you'll appreciate the focus on that scene. With the game's inclusion on PS Plus and PS Now, there's an even better chance for the online community to last for some time, since so many people will have access to the game. Those who enjoy local versus play won't find any mechanical differences, but at least they don't have to worry about wearing out their PS3 system or controllers every time they want to sneak in a few rounds. Single-player fighting game enthusiasts will feel the sting the most, since Ultimate Showdown takes away a few modes. Overall, the game is just as solid as it was back in the PS3/Xbox 360 era, and the hope is that this title will go multiplatform and spark enough interest that the publisher will start looking at doing a proper sixth game in the series.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown is a revamped and remastered version of a brilliant game released over a decade ago. Despite the simple 3-button setup, the battle system is surprisingly deep. This game is easy to access but hard to master. Every fighter has his unique fighting style and everyone can find is perfect fitting. SEGA obviously wants to push the online experience since offline modes are very limited. Expect regular free updates for netcode and new contents in the next months.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown may not be the big massive new game everyone hoped for, but Virtua Fighter is very much back and this fresh coat of paint does enough to complement the superb animations and core gameplay to make it a great package.

Geared primarily for the online, esports crowd, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown is an excellent way to get back into the franchise that started 3D Fighting. AM2 and Ryu-Go-Gotaka has given the fifteen-year-old game a successful visual facelift without sacrificing the sublime gameplay for window dressing. However, more love for offline and single players would have been appreciated.

One of the best fighters ever made is back, very focused on the online modes –so much that the single player modes feel a bit abandoned.

The package itself may be no frills but Virtua Fighter 5 is still one of the best fighting games ever made and deserves to be appreciated by a wider audience.

If you have PlayStation Plus, there’s no reason not to check out Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown. Even if it fails to hook you, free is a good price. If you don’t have Plus, there’s very little reason to get it, however. This is especially true since Plus is required to play online, and there’s almost nothing to do if you aren’t playing online. While it is a shame that so much content from past games isn’t here, this is still one of the best playing fighting games ever made. That’s no small accomplishment. For those who don’t love facing live opponents over and over, though, this may be more of a curiosity than a new passion. Still, I’m just glad to see Virtua Fighter back in the fight. Hopefully, the next time the series makes a return, it will be with a new title.

Fans of the previous title will find more of what they loved in this installment. The franchise's return on the PlayStation 4 with a visual update and a burgeoning suite of online updates and options creates an enticing package for both newcomers and returning fans alike. Launching on PS Plus further ensures a low barrier of entry for newcomers to the series. With Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown, Sega bypassed reinventing the wheel and opted to instead replace the spokes with a much-needed tune-up and paint job for a faithful recreation of a fighting game classic.

Ultimate Showdown is a great release, if one of mixed intent. Seemingly for each of its advancements, there is a odd retraction. The new visuals are great, but the customization is weak. The lobby and online options are absolutely superb, but there’s very little here for offline engagement. The product leans heavily on PvP gameplay, but re-uses decade-old netcode. Thankfully, despite these mismatched visions, the quality of Virtua Fighter 5 as a fighting game shines through brilliantly, while the budget price/PlayStation Plus angle makes the title’s negatives far easier to parry.

While the game itself is basically the same Virtua Fighter 5 bolstered with a graphical makeover, it’s hard to fault it when the core fighting system is just so meticulously polished. Regardless of what the future may hold for the franchise, Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown is a welcome return of a 3D fighting legend, one that looks and plays better than it ever has before. The major caveat here is that the wealth of online multiplayer options are potentially held back by the netcode.

While there isn't much of an incentive to play the game outside its online modes, Virtua Fighter 5 still does what it does quite well, and with a much-needed updated version now available to a newer generation, more players can now appreciate this stellar classic.

As a game, Ultimate Showdown does little to convince you to choose it over the newest Tekken, Dead or Alive, or Mortal Kombat game. But given how well its core gameplay holds up with its various enhancements, it’s certainly worth a look for fighting game fans looking for something a little different.

Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown is solid and deep, but the outdated netcode needed way more improvement.

Mechanically Virtua Fighter 5 is still one of the greats, and being able to play it again is definitely a pleasure for any fighting game aficionado. Unfortunately, a weak netcode in a primarily online based fighting game is a terrible sin.

The three button setup of Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown has stood the test of time, providing an incredible amount of depth with a strong emphasis on the fundamentals. It’s just a shame that the spotty netcode drags down the overall experience; those looking to seek out new challengers best come with a bit of patience.

It might be a lean offering, but it’s great to 7 see Virtua Fighter return, with mechanics that have aged surprisingly well – if matches play properly. [Issue#3, p.151]

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown's one goal was to update this old-school and finely aged fighter for a modern platform. In that, it excels. This is a classic fighting game that holds up to this day. Despite that, though, it's a shame that so many single player offerings had to be cut in order to achieve this vision. Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown is a perfect competitive fighter for the modern world, but for someone looking to mess around with it offline, your options are disappointingly limited compared to previous versions of the game.

Virtua Fighter is still a great game, no doubt about it. And Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown fully re-proposes the old-but-gold original combat system, enhanced by a Training mode that explains in depth everything there is to know about it. What’s inexplicable in this operation is the poor care paid to the multiplayer, penalized by an old and poorly performing netcode, which heavily limits a game designed to be SEGA’s first step towards esports.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown is a welcome addition to the PS4 and PS5, especially since there hasn’t been a VF game in years. Mostly, this remastered release serves to whet our appetites for the prospect of an actual full-on sequel in Virtua Fighter 6, but it’s well worth playing for its pure, responsive fighting.

Considering the overall quality of Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown's combat it's easy to recommend giving it a shot if you're curious. If you can handle some iffy random connections and a dearth of single-player content, you will find an immensely satisfying fighting game experience that only gets better the more time you invest in it. However, I can't help but feel like a little more time to cook would have benefitted this release. Sega wants this game to be an ongoing thing, so updates are likely to add features, customization items, game adjustments, and gameplay modes. For right now, though, Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown remains a good--if flawed--return to the spotlight for one of gaming's greatest fighters.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown isn’t quite as ultimate as the title suggests. It is, however, a solid fighting game that should keep players entertained for tens of hours – providing the online community remains buoyant and matches play out without any hitches. It’s just a shame that more offline, single-player offerings haven’t been provided to round out the package.

Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown is more of the same, and for fans of SEGA’s long-running fighting franchise, that should be enough. For those shy of online encounters, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown doesn’t offer much by way of single-player content.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown seems lacking for a game having the word “ultimate” in its title. On one hand the fighting system is every bit as great as fans of the series remember and with regular online matches and the Room Matches players who love taking the fight online can have countless hours of fun. Unfortunately, players looking for some solo time with it are left out in the cold. Restoring the Quest mode from the original Virtua Fighter 5 would have helped make this feel like the definitive Virtua Fighter 5 experience. Instead we have a budget game that feels like a budget game which is a shame because what’s included is fantastic, but still seems incomplete. Unfortunately, the Arcade mode is only enjoyable for so long and without other offline options the amount of time someone wants to fight online is the main determining factor on how much mileage a player will get from Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown.

Virtua Fighter is a nostalgic trip to the arcades in the 21st century. If you want to quickly kick a friend's ass during a friendly meeting, this is definitely a good choice. If you expect discovering deep mechanics or an extraordinary experience from the game, too bad, because you won’t find them.