Summary
Just like VF3, but much, much better
The Good
Virtua Fighter has always been the 3D fighter that caters to the hardcore gaming audience - you know, the kind of people who spend months memorizing frame data for their favorite character. If you're that kind of dedicated fighting game fan, rest assured that VF4 does not disappoint, with a deeper and more balanced game than it's ever been. Note that although almost all the moves are easy to pull off compared to other games, you will need a good deal of hand-eye coordination to pull off advanced defensive techniques like evade-double throw escape-guard.
Speaking of which, the extra modes in VF4 blew me completely away. This game features the best training mode in any fighting game ever made: frame data, recording and playing back multiple strings at different frequencies, and a "trial mode" that takes you from the basic mechanics to the aforementioned evade-double throw escape-guard quickly and painlessly. Kumite mode gives you a never-ending stream of opponents with unique AIs and increasing skill levels, while allowing you to gain ranks and items for your character. In fact, there are so many extra goodies that by the time you've achieved the highest ranking (600-900 matches depending on skill level) you'll still have some items left to acquire.
The AI is better than most fighters and all previous VFs, with an ability to actually perform combos, mixups and mindgames on you. Of course, it wears thin after a couple weeks, but at least you haven't owned it on the highest level by then. In fact, it will continue kicking your butt for a couple months unless you're already good at 3D fighters.
The two new characters do not disappoint, and old characters have been significantly revised so that none is more than remotely like another. Even brother and sister Jacky and Sarah, both using Jeet Kune Do, have completely different play styles. The new techroll, stance and sabaki systems make the game a lot less abuseable at mid to high levels, and are fairly easy to learn.
The Bad
AI mode, although a great idea in theory and loads of fun to watch and show off against your friends, is poorly documented and lacking in key areas like movement (you can't even set your AI preference for a forward dash, much less complicated escape maneuvers).
The voices continue to subtract from the characters: for example, while Lion would have been an instant favorite in a Tekken game, his nasal badly-pronounced English voice makes you wish you were playing somebody else with the same moves. Although even the Chinese characters speak Japanese, this happens in every fighting game, so it's not too big of a deal.
VF4 is, quite simply, way too hard for the average gamer. If you're looking for something to pick up casually until Soul Calibur 2 comes out, you've come to the wrong place, as even the higher-level CPU will laugh you out of the ring. If you haven't memorized the three best throws for every character and the number of frames at which Kage is at a disadvantage after his double punch-helix is blocked, forget about becoming a good VF4 player. The game's emphasis on player advantage and punishing mistakes, while very realistic, means that newbies get owned with impunity by CPU Akira, much less another human.
The Bottom Line
This game is good enough that I'd advise you to drop the rest of your social and gaming life for a month or two and learn to play the game at a high level. Of course, if you're not ready for that kind of commitment, you'll have a lot more fun with something low-key like Tekken 4.
