Review of Virtua Fighter R.E.V.O World Stage – The return of a pioneer

The Virtua Fighter saga is ready to return and starts to warm up with a truly special remaster.

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To me, it’s hard to believe, and I’ve checked the information several times, but Virtua Fighter 5 was released 20 years ago! The saga has been in a state of limbo since then, and when it seemed like there was no room for a new installment, Sega announced that Ryu Ga Gotoku, the masterminds behind the Yakuza/Like a Dragon saga, would take the reins of the franchise for a new installment that aims to put the IP back at the top of the fighting game genre, a place that, in my opinion, it never should have lost.

The story of Virtua Fighter 5 is, at the very least, curious. The title received not one, but two versions this year, with Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage being the latest and the star of this analysis. This edition brings the PC launch to Xbox Series with several additional elements, the main one being the World Stage mode, which adds a lot of content to the single-player campaign.

This R.E.V.O World Stage edition is, therefore, an improved version of Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown, the first remaster of the game, which was rebuilt using the Dragon Engine from RGG.

Other notable features include the addition of crossplay between PC and consoles and the ability to customize items from previous versions of the title. Yes, it also includes a new character, but that requires a trip to the cash register.

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Technical Section

Graphically, this new version of the game looks even more spectacular than its 2021 predecessor. The facial expressions and character and stage designs are, without a doubt, the best in the saga to date. However, when it comes to sound, things change, and it’s more a matter of opinion, which I’ll explain below.

The game’s sounds are reminiscent of a classic Sega arcade, and personally, I love this and have no complaints, but I know it’s not for everyone, and it’s where the remastering is weakest. The English voices sound forced, not like the Japanese voices, and the combination makes the flaws more noticeable.

The title is fully localized in Spanish for all on-screen text, while the voices remain in English and Japanese.

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Gameplay

Those who have never approached the saga can get to know it in-depth with the article we prepared, which describes the installments and delves into the behind-the-scenes of the franchise. However, to briefly introduce this fifth numbered installment, it’s worth noting that the franchise has always maintained a simple structure since its controls: just three buttons, one for punching, one for kicking, and a third for blocking. The magic of combining these buttons to create a wide range of options lies with the player and their skill with each of the selectable characters.

In this installment, there are 20 options available, each with a different fighting style, making each variant very different from the others. Some fighters will have more elegant punch and kick combinations, while others, like Jeffry, will be more brutal but slower, and names like Aoi propose more defensive variants that aim for counterattacks, not to mention the free fighters who already have more visually impressive attacks that are a visual spectacle when executed correctly.

Compared to other 3D fighting games like the latest Dead or Alive or Tekken installments, Virtua Fighter 5 promotes a more “realistic” style in several aspects and is much faster, whether due to the life consumption when hitting or the short energy bar. The secondary effect of this is that a fight can turn around at any moment, making all combats very interesting until the final blow. All this without mentioning that you can also win (or lose) the match by pushing the opponent out of the fighting area.

The star of this edition is, as I mentioned earlier, the World Stage mode, which is essentially a continuation of the Quest mode from Virtua Fighter 4. In World Stage, the player must travel to different locations to face various opponents controlled by the AI, and the difficulty will vary, even adopting the playing style of real players in most cases.

The mode starts very simply and will gradually become more challenging, also offering proposals to change characters and try other character options through challenges that provide cosmetic items to adorn your favorite fighter. In this line, the mode adds a new costume for each participant.

Additionally, those who want to play solo matches can do so through the traditional arcade mode, and to master the characters, the training mode can be used.

For those who enjoy online competitions, this installment includes crossplay, allowing players from all platforms to face each other without restrictions, with the added incentive that the title also features the famous rollback netcode for more fluid matches. The title also includes a local multiplayer mode to play with friends without shame.

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Duration

All Virtua Fighters have been known for being games with quick matches, and this one is no exception. However, I think more content could have been added, although the World Stage mode undoubtedly adds a lot of material to the game. A non-ranking online mode would not have been out of place, really.

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Conclusion

Without a doubt, this is the best version of Virtua Fighter 5, and for me, the most accomplished in the entire franchise. Sega and RGG paid attention to the online game with the rollback netcode and managed to perfect the visual aspect to the maximum. The downside is the lack of more content, but considering its 20 years of age, the game has aged impeccably, and the additions have done it a lot of good.