Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online
- August 22, 2007 10:56 AM PST
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We go hands-on with the online-enabled Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online. How bad is the lag? Read on!
Last night, we had a chance to actually play Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online, the online-enabled expansion pack for the downloadable PS3 fighter. Online fighters are a notoriously tricky business: lag is a terrible burden for fighting games, as they rely on lightning-fast reaction times. For this reason alone, online fighters are frustratingly hit-or-miss (literally!).
But we've got some good news -- Tekken 5: DR Online seems to be a remarkably playable online fighter. During our hands-on time with a pre-release version of the game, we played several dozen online matches with a Namco-Bandai employee who was located in Santa Clara, California. And though we can't give a final verdict on the game's online performance until we play it over a real-world internet connection, we can say this: Tekken 5: DR Online is probably the most playable, responsive online fighter we've played.
During our online matches, we noticed a slight amount of lag...enough to throw off your timing during the first round or two. But your brain will begin to adapt to the slight delay, and once that happens, you'll barely notice the lag. We were able to execute several complex, multi-hit air juggles that required precise timing. Whether this is due to some sort of programming wizardry at Namco-Bandai, a super-fast Fiber Optics internet connection, Tekken's rather strategic gameplay, or a mix of all three, we don't yet know. But we can confirm that our first experience with Tekken 5: DR Online was a good one, and that the lag is quite tolerable. We've got our fingers crossed -- will Tekken 5: DR Online really be the first great online fighter?
Beyond the lag issue, it's clear that Namco-Bandai didn't hastily slap an online mode into Tekken 5: DR to make a few bucks. The online mode is seamlessly integrated into the game, with slick menus and online lobbies (you wait in line to play the winner, much like in an arcade). We found the new online spectator mode to be particularly interesting because it lets you study an opponent's tactics before you step up to the plate. This is a particularly nice way to organize an online fighter, and though you will have to wait a bit longer between matches, Namco-Bandai should be commended for trying to bring the arcade culture to online community.
So far, so good! That was our experience with Tekken 5: DR Online in a nutshell. Word is that the game could go live in the next "several weeks," but final details are still in the works between Sony and Namco-Bandai. We'll have more in-depth coverage, including more impressions and a full review, as the game approaches it online release.
