Tag Tournament 2 takes Tekken series to new heights
Fast, up-close, and personal combat has always been the hallmark of the Tekken series and the brutality has been taken up a notch in the latest instalment, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (TTT2).
Namco Bandai Games
Fast, up-close, and personal combat has always been the hallmark of the series and the brutality has been taken up a notch in the latest instalment, .
Fighting game fans have long admired the series because players are required to gain an understanding of their characters' moves and their opponents' capabilities. The gameplay is also quite varied and players can either have fun by themselves or with up to three friends. There are multiplayer options including a two-on-two tag-team battle, plus one-on-one or one-on-two matches. There's even an option for up to four players to each control a character in a match.
In , the fun really starts when players learn how to use combination attacks and chain them to tag moves to inflict serious damage. The game expands on the previous tag mechanics and adds new team throw techniques that make it feel like a souped-up wrestling game.
also retains the "bound" system from that allows players to slam their opponents into the ground and inflict an indefensible barrage of hits as the stunned victim bounces back up. It also follows the classic wrestling tag-team rule for a match to end and a victory be declared when one member of a team is defeated.
If this sounds complicated, players new to the series can get in shape in the game's "fight lab". In this arena, the player takes on the persona of Combot, and can customise its appearance and even its moves. To make this tutorial mode a little more fun and engaging, a story element has been introduced, along with visual gags - such as the female character Lili getting her clothes blasted off by powerful strikes and blows.
All of 's past and present characters are included, so long-term fans will not be disappointed, but there are also new fighters including the masked female wrestler Jaycee, and even Lili's butler, Sebastian.
With deep fighting mechanics that allow for a vast array of attacks, combos and tag-team play, is one of the best additions to the series to date. And when you're ready to step up to the next level, take the fight online for some smooth and responsive gameplay.
