Virtua Fighter 5 demo on Live

By Robert Purchese Published 12 October, 2007

Left, left, punch.

SEGA has whisked a demo for Virtua Fighter 5 onto Xbox Live.

It hops on the scales at 674MB, and lets you test out the latest instalment in the renowned fighting series.

While VF5 has been out on PS3 for some time, Microsoft hopes to win some die-hard fans by being the only version to offer online battles for the time being.

The 360 offering will also feature the latest arcade changes, optional analogue control, rumble support and improved AI. Quest mode has been brushed up, too, and now involves more people to punch-kick with meaning as well as more items to collect and emblems to plaster all over your character.

In addition there are now leaderboards, training move settings and various other improvements to the DOJO mode - hopefully allowing you to get to grips with the notoriously impervious gameplay more quickly.

Virtua Fighter 5 earned itself 9/10 back in March. It was unwelcoming and distinctly hardcore, but we felt complaining about what some interpret as its strengths was foolish.

Virtua Fighter 5 is due out for 360 on 26th October. Look out for our thoughts on this new and improved version soon.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (42) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • The_Inquisitor #1 4 years ago

    Yay! VF4Evo still stands as the pinacle of fighting games, I'll be interested to see how it's bettered.
    Edited by 3 at 08/06/10 @ 21:42

  • BBIAJ #2 4 years ago

    Prink...

    This looks fantastic, absolutely no jaggies what-so-ever!

  • rhinoxious #3 4 years ago

    Mmm I used to be a huge fan of VF games, but maybe a just lost my hardcore along the way.

    You really need people of a similar skill level to play against. Live may provide that, or it may just be full of die-hard VF ninjas waiting to kick my ass.

    I'm not rushing to part with £40 to find out.

  • Darren #4 4 years ago

    Wow, cool! We 360 owners have certainly been spoilt recently with all these demos. I'm finding that there's so many of 'em that I don't have time to play the full games! LOL

    I wish I could say the same thing about the UK PS3 Store... :(

  • Wayne #5 4 years ago

    360 > PS3

  • The_Inquisitor #6 4 years ago

    @ BBIAJ

    Seriously? No jagged lines at all? I'm so excited to play this, just wish it was released when there were no other games out. Give us time to perfect it (or at least try to).

  • Darren #7 4 years ago

    @BBIAJ - To be fair, there weren't all that many jagged edges in the PS3 version... ;)

  • BBIAJ #8 4 years ago

    Well, the 100 million inch Sony PS3 display stands showcased plenty of jaggies to my eyes in my local gamestation...

  • daymouse #9 4 years ago

    Anyone know what the demo is like?

    Can you play 2 player local on the demo?

    Fancy kickin my mates arse tonite while we have a few drinks before we head to town!!!

  • magicpocket #10 4 years ago

    yep, two player local play

  • Santino #11 4 years ago

    is akira a controllable character in the demo anyone? cant play it right now cos i'm at uni but am downloading. Need to try out my new arcade stick tonight!

  • Arwin #12 4 years ago

    Hopefully this version will be fairly playable using the 360's analog stick, because after playing some serious Lumines (11/12 achievements so far) I've come to the conclusion that the 360's dpad blows.

    If not, then it'll be a strictly stick-only affair, and only stick-ninjas will dominate Live online play I'm sure.

  • monkie_king #13 4 years ago

    The route to cheap peripherals is a 5 quid PlayStation pad convertor -- loads of good PS1/2 sticks going cheap these days. Definitely worth it if you like your fighters.

  • MisterKIKI #14 4 years ago

    Probably hoping in vain, but here's to SEGA making it possible for us to use the Virtua Stick High Grade on the 360. At least just for this game... please.

  • 1Dgaf #15 4 years ago

    monkie,

    Can you recommend a converter? I've got a Hori stick for my PS2 that I want to use on the 360. I did have a PS2 - Xbox converter, but there a tiny bit of lag on the stick, so useless for fighters.

  • drumm23 #16 4 years ago

    there's a guide online to fix the 360 dpad and it works really well, takes no time.

  • monkie_king #17 4 years ago

    IDgaf, actually I just assumed there'd be loads, like there were on previous generations, but looks like I may well be wrong - sorry.

    People seem to talk about the XFPS thing ing the job (also lets you use mouse+keys as dual-sticks in FPSes), but that's probably overkill (edit: it's 30 quid, may as well just get a new stick).

    Lik-sang used to stock loads of this sort of thing. I miss Lik-sang :-(
    Edited by 2 at 12/10/07 @ 13:28

  • Darren #18 4 years ago

    VF5 played brilliantly with the PS3's superb SIXAIS D-pad so it'll be interesting to see how it fares with analogue stick controls as there's no way in hell I'm using the 360's god-awful D-pad!!!

  • DFawkes #19 4 years ago

    "is akira a controllable character in the demo anyone? cant play it right now cos i'm at uni but am downloading. Need to try out my new arcade stick tonight!"

    Yep. Akira, Sarah Bryant, El Blaze and someone else I've not even tried - Aoi I think.

    I hate fighting games generally, but I gave this a go to see if I liked it better than 4. I do, mainly because I learned 2 combos (5 more than I'd usually bother with :p )

  • Kryon #20 4 years ago

    Just downloaded and I must say it does look slightly better/cleaner than the PS3 version (as expected). Jolly good!

    /pre-orders

  • drumm23 #21 4 years ago

    I'm looking for it bengali, got a new PC recently and didn't swap my bookmarks. It's definitely out there though.... and I think I was told about it on these forums to begin with.

  • drumm23 #22 4 years ago

    [link url=http://www.ufighterx.com/guides/videogame/360 dpadfix/360dpadfix.htm
    ]http://ww w.ufighterx.com/guides/videogam...[/link]

    sandpaper plenty and it works really, really well.

  • MrsPacMan #23 4 years ago

    try this

    http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=9ry1UDQYjkQ

  • Ryze #24 4 years ago

    rhinoxious

    +1

    It'll be tempting though - just as VF4 was for PS2.

    Didn't get it though... I'll want the demo as soon as I grab my Elite, however...

  • Kryon #25 4 years ago

    I don't know why ppl are worrying about joy-pads, the only 'proper' way to play VF is with a stick anyway. It just so happens that amazon sell a rather nice Hori VF5 stick for the 360. So no problems eh. VF5 was the one thing that made me want a PS3, I'm just so glad I waited for the real version instead of giving in to the temptations of the jaggy offline version.

  • FunkYellowMonkey #26 4 years ago

    wonder if ders a device to use the virtua high grade stick on the 360 now den?...

  • gelf #27 4 years ago

    The "proper way" may be with a stick but I'm shite at using them and prefer a regular pad. *Pines for the old Saturn d-pad as opposed to todays modern shite*
    Edited by 1 at 12/10/07 @ 15:47

  • Santino #28 4 years ago

    cheers for the info DFawkes

  • Caimbeul #29 4 years ago

    "Wow, cool! We 360 owners have certainly been spoilt recently with all these demos. I'm finding that there's so many of 'em that I don't have time to play the full games! LOL "

    - Nor room on our pathetic 13Gb HDD (Owners of Elites excluded of course)

  • Miths #30 4 years ago

    "I don't know why ppl are worrying about joy-pads, the only 'proper' way to play VF is with a stick anyway."

    Aren't those sticks shaped in a way where they really should be planted on an even surface like a table, and not in your lap or left hand?

    That would mean facing the same problem that means I'll stick to a joypad for XBox 360 racing games and settle for using a wheel when I'm playing PC racing sims.
    Granted, furniture shopping isn't one of my hobbies :), but it seems to me that it would be fairly hard to find a table that allows you to mount a wheel or work as surface for a fighting stick, and still allow you to lean back in a nice and cozy fashion in your couch?

    Which leaves you with either some sort of hideous custom built table thingie that might work in your home office or dedicated game room, but doesn't exactly do wonders for a living room - or alternatively, for some of us, excruciating back pains after ten minutes of leaning forward in the couch, in over the table.

    If anyone have alternative and better suggestions I'm all ears though :) - I wouldn't mind a 360 wheel (it might not be anywhere near a match for my PC G25, but better than a gamepad afterall) and one of those fighting sticks.

  • TheJuriel #31 4 years ago

    I was unimpressed. Did not look great, the characters' hitboxes are huge enough that you don't need to touch them to 'hit' them, everyone moves lazy and robotic...

    Not for me!

  • HelloWorld #32 4 years ago

    I agree with TheJurial. Collision detection is messed up. Also the "juggles" are annoyingly floaty, people bounce of the floor etc. Maybe it's the rose tinted glasses talking, but i don't think VF was always like this. Aesthetically i prefer VF3, although obviously that had fewer polygons and stuff.

    Also, the modes like pretending you are a guy at an arcade just constantly remind you that you're playing a game, as do the wacky "items". Shame because i reckon the guys that make this have the ability to make something i'd really love. :(

  • effinjamie #33 4 years ago

    it would have made sense to colour the keys to match the buttons on the joypad

  • mainaman #34 4 years ago


    VF5 may be the most complex fighter and my only game for PS3,but DOA 4 is the BEST bruiser ever!Oh,and Tekken IS shit!

    /awaiting the usual shitload of DOA bashing and ridiculing...

  • Kryon #35 4 years ago

    DoA is imo the most instantly fun brawler and in many ways my favourite. I don't know why others give it such a hard time tbh, it scores 8.5/10 based on 76 reviews, VF5 scores the same based on 46 reviews (according to Metacritic). Tekken is definitely not what I'd call 'shit' though...

  • captainrentboy #36 4 years ago

    ''- Nor room on our pathetic 13Gb HDD (Owners of Elites excluded of course) ''
    Bloody hell man, how many big assed demos do you leave on your HDD? I've had a premium since launch and never once thought ''Ohhh shit, I'm running out of space''
    I get rid once done with the demos, and have never dopped below 8GB of space left :/
    Ohh and as lovely as VF5 looks, it's all a bit too hardcore for me, in other words, I'm shit at it. Give me Soul Calibur any day:)

  • Electric #37 4 years ago

    DOA is brilliant. If you love mashing P.

    Also, I DISAGREE about the collision detection. It's spot on.

  • Kryon #38 4 years ago

    "DOA is brilliant. If you love mashing"

    Seriously, this is a common misconception. Play against a serious DoA vet or online against an SS quality opponent, trust me, you can mash the buttons all you like but you will fail miserably. DoA is 'instantly fun' because yeah, a novice can mash away and pull out some pretty cool moves and enjoy themselves against other novices or the arcade mode. Try it against a seasoned fighter and you will lose disgracefully.

    "I DISAGREE about the collision detection. It's spot on."

    Hmm, not so sure about that. Try Sarah or Jackys 'flip kick'...It does seem to hit an opponent even if it doesn't connect ...

  • gamestester #39 4 years ago

    Awesome demo. Awesome game. The 360 has a new best beat-em-up.

  • TheJuriel #40 4 years ago

    "DOA is brilliant. If you love mashing"

    It can be played by just mashing, and still makes for an enjoyable experience. But it's not at all about the mashing, or the experienced player wouldn't be able to trounce a mashing beginner every single time.

    "Also, I DISAGREE about the collision detection. It's spot on."

    I did a backward flip kick with the monkey stylist girl, that hit the Jeffry though my feet were an arm's distance away from any part of him. FAIL.

  • Gnort #41 4 years ago

    I don't want to get into a "DOA is for mashers" argument, but I do find that DOA plays faster and looser than VF, and I prefer the more structured approach of VF. So I'm definitely picking the full game when it comes out.

    That said, VF has the worst cast of characters in any of the fighting games available today. Hearing that midget El Blaze bellow that I should "start running NOW!", or that his "body has become the ultimate... weapon" is really cringe-worthy. And Lion's not even in the demo, so the full game is bound to be worse.

    And the collision detection is off - it always has been in VF. Certain combos have always worked, despite the fact that there's no actual contact between the two characters. Check Akira's df,df+P uppercut, I don't think he ever actually hits his opponent, but the move works nevertheless.

    Also, check when Jeffry picks El Blaze up off the floor - his hand just hovers about a foot above El Blaze's head, so there obviously not enough adjustment to the animations to take into account different characters' sizes.
    Edited by 1 at 14/10/07 @ 14:12

  • Kryon #42 4 years ago

    "And Lion's not even in the demo, so the full game is bound to be worse. "

    Lion is admittedly pretty bad but my favourite has to be Jacky doing his really slow multiple kick and then proceeding to shout "I'm faster than lighting" in a really gay voice, still makes me chuckle thinking about it :)