izigame.me

So yes, I’ve bought REVO on day one which is a practice I usually tend to avoid. There are patches, discounts and content updates waiting down the line and there is definitely no need to hurry myself into an early release. This time the situation was different though.

See, I’ve been waiting for this game for approximately 30 years now. As a PC gamer, I’ve been a Virtua Fighter 2 kid. Tekkens flashed those colorful flares each time an attack connected. In comparison, VF2 felt real. The motion capture was breathtaking too. I still remember Shun performing his drunk kata in the intro somewhere around 1997. And I’ve spammed those cheap Lion combos long before Eddy Gordo (as well as a rather significant number of Eddy players) even came into existence. Truth be told, VF2 was one of the few 3D games that would run - low details, no shadows, 320x200 - on my computer at the time and Toshiden kinda sucked.
Round 1.
REVO is a 20-year-old game with a thin layer of polish on top. Consequently, the graphics are visibly dated. The models, shadows and textures (despite the upscaling) are unimpressive and the facial expressions on close-ups look awkward. The stages make a better impression. They are colorful and decently varied. Despite the age, it is visible that back in the day VF5 was not an unsightly game and the quality of the port is not terrible. The music is also serviceable but nothing to particularly marvel at. Apart from the Shun’s stage track.
Round 2.
The core game is tremendously enjoyable. Virtua Fighter’s mechanics are quirky and unique enough to stand out even in 2025. There is a satisfying feeling of momentum and weight present during the fights. The sound effects are very reminiscent of classic kung fu movies. The pace of the battles is breakneck, and the matches are concluded in seconds. There is much to be liked here.
Ring out.

There is absolutely no content for one-person, local game. VF5 was released back when the extensive story modes in fighting games were not yet a thing and consequently its single player offers only the training and arcade modes. In addition to that, on my first attempt, I finished arcade in 3 minutes and 15 seconds (the summarized timer of fights, excluding the short cut-scenes introducing the players is displayed). There is not even a single screen or animation following the completion of arcade and watching the ending credits (3:33 according to YouTube) takes longer than beating the game itself. And there’s not even one new single-player mode introduced for the current release. Not even a volleyball minigame.
I have no doubt that from the multiplayer perspective, VF5 is, at least for the fans, a worthy deal. It offers a reasonable roster of 19 characters, ranked matches and there is a tournament coming. I also realize the fact that it costs a fraction of what the other developers ask for a modern 3D fighter. It is not a modern fighter though. But on the other hand, it’s not a bad game either.
Consequently, I’ve had a difficult time deciding against giving REVO a recommendation. At it’s heart, Virtua Fighter is an unique and solid game, and furthermore the quality of Steam port is rather acceptable. Finally, hardly anyone will probably be buying this game with single player in their mind. And yet, I’ve felt that REVO deserved a finger down, I’ve just needed a justification. And you know what? SEGA obliged.
From what I was able to find online, the original VF5 had quite vast character customization options that now have been significantly trimmed down so that REVO could be introduced to Steam accompanied by day one costume DLCs. Moreover, the cost of all three packs surpasses the price of the base game. So, I guess I need to thank SEGA for solving this for me.
To sum up, perhaps I have approached this game with unrealistic expectations caused by my fond memories. It is also possible that I am judging REVO too harshly for the lack of even the most rudimentary story included. While I won’t be refunding, it is only for the old times’ sake that I want to have a VF game in my library. Still, as I finish writing this, I can’t fight the feeling that Virtua Fighter should have stayed exactly where it had been for the last ten years or so. A minigame for the Yakuza series.
As always, do with this what you will and, as always
Try to have a wonderful life.