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PS2 | Fighting | Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution

Boxart for Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution 60 screen shots
  • GRAPHICS: 4.5
  • SOUND: 4.0
  • CONTROL: 5.0
  • FUN FACTOR 5.0
  • AVG USER SCORE 4.4
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE 4.8
Winner of the GamePro Editor's Choice Award

Hands-On: Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution

Hands-On by TOKYODRIFTER | 06/11/2003 | 17:03:45 PM PST

Hands-on impressions of the US version of Virtua Fighter 4 Evolutions plus a gaggle of screens.

For PS2-owning fighting fans who missed out on the original Virtua Fighter 4 last year, there?s no excuse to miss it this time since it?s being released as a Greatest Hits title. In case you?re very, very cheap and still want to know if VF4:E is worth $20, read on.

The US version features all the upgraded graphics and modes that the recent Japanese version sported. Comparing VF4 and VF4: E side-by-side, it?s readily apparent how much cleaner the visuals are in the latter. Evolution comes on a DVD this time, so load times between stages are quicker.

The gameplay is still the meat of the experience and there?s plenty of tweaks here too that help balance out all the characters. The two new fighters, Brad and Goh feature styles very different from the current roster. You?ll be doing the majority of your matches in the lengthy Quest Mode, where you go around from arcade to arcade entering tournaments while earning money, items, and respect. All the fighters you face are based on the Ai of real VF players from around the world, so it?s about the closest you could get to the game actually being online. One omission in the U.S. version is the banter of your opponent before and after a match. This element may yet make it back in, but at this point, it?s not likely.

Make sure you check out the screens for the coolest bonus. In VF4, you could unlock all the characters with polygon models from the original Virtua Fighter. Evolution goes a step further and creates a 10th anniversary edition of the original complete with recreations of the classic stages and the music.

Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution is currently scheduled for an August 2003 release.