Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. is the first official port of the franchise to Steam, and it has big shoes to fill. Given its launch state, it could either end up being a disappointing experience or something that holds its own against the wide range of fighting games available on PC/Steam. For me, this was my first proper introduction to the Virtua Fighter franchise, especially when it comes to playing competitively online, but my overall experience with the game has been mixed.
Since I’m not very familiar with Virtua Fighter 5’s gameplay mechanics but have played most of the other major fighting games out there, my first step was to dive into the tutorial mode. Honestly, it’s not the best way to learn the game because it can be pretty confusing. The tutorial covers the general gameplay mechanics, teaching the basics like sidesteps, combos, and blocking, which are the foundation of Virtua Fighter 5. However, it’s not as intuitive as some modern fighting games, so there were moments where I wasn’t sure what to do next. I actually had to leave the tutorial and come back to it later because some of the instructions weren’t clear enough for someone new to the game.
Another letdown is the lack of single-player modes. I was surprised to see that the single-player content has been stripped away for some reason. All that’s left is an Arcade mode, which feels pretty pointless most of the time. There’s no proper story mode, aside from a cool cinematic opening. The other modes are mostly online-focused, like Tournament, Ranked, and Room matches. Offline, you’re pretty much limited to Versus mode or the Tutorial mode for practicing the basics.
When it comes to gameplay, Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. stands out as one of the few fighting games that are played in 3D. Right now, Tekken 8 is the most popular 3D fighting game, and it’s been fantastic overall. While Virtua Fighter 5 might feel a bit dated in terms of visuals or gameplay systems, it’s still a lot of fun to play. The game is highly technical, meaning you can’t just button mash your way through, even in the lower ranks. You really need to understand concepts like punishes, whiff punishes, and sidestepping to gain an edge over your opponent. The rollback netcode in this PC release is surprisingly good, especially for such an old game. Matchmaking times can be a bit long, but the matches I played ran smoothly without any issues. Sure, there’s some added delay depending on your ping to the opponent, but the rollback netcode handles it well.
The biggest problem with the game right now is the lack of single-player content and the reduced customization options. The original PS4 version had a lot of customization features, but the developers have cut them from the PC release. If you want customization now, you’ll have to spend extra money to unlock it. This decision has understandably upset the community, and there’s been a fair amount of backlash. Personally, I’ve never been too bothered by customization in fighting games, even in Tekken 8 or Street Fighter 6, so it didn’t affect me much.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. uses a simple combo system with two attack buttons and a block button. You can also combine these buttons with directional inputs to pull off different moves. While it sounds straightforward, there’s a lot of technical depth to it. Mashing the same combos might work offline against certain opponents, but online ranked matches are a whole different story. Whiff punishes, where you need to carefully manage spacing and capitalize on enemy mistakes, play a huge role, as do sidesteps. These mechanics require practice and experience against other players to master. Despite the long matchmaking times, I still had a good time with the ranked mode.
Another thing worth mentioning is how well-optimized the Steam port is for low to mid-range hardware. I get that it’s an older game and not very demanding, but being able to play it at a smooth 60 FPS on the Steam Deck made me really happy. It runs at 60 FPS right out of the box, so no tweaks are needed. As my first introduction to the franchise, I really enjoyed Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O., and now I’m excited to see what the developers do with the upcoming new game, which is rumored to be a reboot.
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. Game Information
- Price: $19.99
- Publisher: SEGA
- Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Platform: PC (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
