Video game review by ERIK LEIJON

Whether it's because of the myriad of dull Street Fighter clones, the pretentious and obsessive fanbase, or the unwritten rule that at least one character must be a Japanese schoolgirl, gamers don't get too excited about fighters anymore. That said, Namco's Tekken is still the premier 3D brawler for arcade-lovers (a dying breed), and coming off the heels of the much-maligned Tekken 4, the fifth "King of the Iron Fist" tournament is a return to former glory. This is the genre's best chance at regaining its rightful place.

It's highly doubtful that any PS2 title will be able to compete visually with Tekken 5 (PS2/Namco). The characters are beautifully animated, the backgrounds are colourful and imaginative, and Nina Williams is even more buxom than before. The game also supports 480p progressive scan and 16:9 widescreen, so perhaps you won't miss that cramped arcade stall.

Gameplay-wise, Tekken 5 is a return to simplicity. "Wall-humpers" will have a harder time beating you against the walls, while style changes and uneven surfaces have been removed. Tekken's best quality is its attempt to put 2D-style fighting into a 3D arena, and while they strayed from that goal before, Tekken 5 brings back the classic feel.

Unfortunately, this won't mean much to those who never liked the series in the first place. Common vices about Tekken are still present, and Virtua Fighter (Sega) geeks will roll their eyes, since the game speed is still unrealistically fast, button-mashing is still too effective while side-stepping isn't. But though Tekken is not the most technical fighter, its character balance makes it a great pick-up-and-play.

The current bane of my existence is the new boss Jinpachi Mishima, who doesn't look as good as the other characters and has an ultra-cheap energy-sucking move. His unblockable fireball will also wipe out your lifebar in two hits, but the frustration is worth it, since each character has an amazing CG-animated ending. Some are hilarious, like Marshall Law's, while Bryan Fury's proves that copying Predator never goes out of style. Rest assured that although Jinpachi may be stroke inducing, he's more imaginative than Inferno.

The hype surrounding Gran Turismo 4 (Sony) may have overshadowed Tekken 5, but Namco's fighter is the PS2 at its best. The game also adds a bevy of diversions, like emulated versions of Tekken 1 through 3, and the beat em' up mini-game The Devil Within, which I would recommend over the dreadful X-Men Legends (Activision).

Spring Training

In what will be the last season that both ESPN (2K Games) and MVP (EA) release fully-licensed baseball games, it's a shame that both feel like rehashes of last year's offerings.

MVP Baseball 2005 is especially guilty of this. Other than updated rosters and some hastily thrown together new modes, the game is essentially the same. The results still seem too arbitrary, since the AI can hit as well with a reserve outfielder as with the cleanup hitter. When it comes to MVP, stick to playing against people or simulating multiple seasons in dynasty mode.

ESPN MLB 2K5 is better than last year's, but the franchise is still skin and bones compared to MVP. Take the time to admire the presentation, which is an eerily accurate recreation of Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN. Play the game at your own peril, though.

Besides, what fun is hitting dingers with my created Barry Bonds if they're going to land in McCovey's texture blob anyway?

Now playing: Tekken 5 (PS2), Gran Turismo 4 (PS2), Street Fighter Anniversary Collection (Xbox) Wishlist: Lumines (PSP), Phantom Dust (Xbox)

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