The Dark Resurrection edition enriches Tekken 5 with Lili, Dragunov and an online Ghost Mode. Thirty-two fighters, 3D visuals among the PSP's best; Namco Bandai delivers one of the most technically impressive portable fighters.
Your verdict
Category
Fighting2 players12+
Description
The King of Iron Fist Tournament fighters clash in this enriched version of Tekken 5 with new characters and modes. Published by Namco Bandai, released in the USA in July 2006. Thirty-two characters including DR-exclusive Lili and Dragunov, online Ghost Mode, 3D visuals among the PSP's finest. Multilingual version.
Tekken - Dark Resurrection review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Fighters modelled with polished realism, spectacular arenas and worked-over light: Namco's fighting game tends as much to impact as to beauty. The richness of the settings and the fluidity of the animation elevate every clash. This visual finesse, sleek and snappy, confirms the series' technical excellence.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Juggling blows mapped to a specific limb, sidesteps and long juggle strings makes for 3D combat of astonishing density for a handheld. The colossal roster and careful balance offer near-bottomless room to grow. Technically dazzling at launch, this port has aged so well it remains one of the best fighting games ever released on the machine.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
3D fighting in all its fluidity, brought to handheld with no compromise whatsoever: a bursting roster, sumptuous animations and a movement system that rewards mastery. Landing your first combos delivers instant pleasure, while the tactical depth is savoured for years. Spectacular, snappy and generous, one of the best fighting games on the console.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Picking your fighter, memorizing his strings and landing the right counter sets up a brisk 3D versus where every round won calls for a rematch. Ghost mode, the challenges and the many unlockables chain short goals and rewards. The technique demands commitment, but the legibility of the bouts and the rich roster keep a stubborn hold on the go.
A portable update of Tekken 5 by Namco, bringing a stunningly fluid 3D versus to PSP with extra characters and arenas, held as a benchmark of fighting on the go. Widely distributed in the West, its appeal stays measured but buoyed by this technical feat and a loyal community. Its interest lies in this recognized quality rather than scarcity.
Better with friends
A remarkably fluid 3D fighter, welcoming to newcomers while rewarding mastery of strings and sidesteps. The competition lives on the snappy face-off, where reading your opponent and landing the right counter decides the rounds. Versus runs through two linked consoles, but once set up, the immediate fun and the system's depth chain rematches without ever tiring.
Is Tekken - Dark Resurrection still worth playing in 2026?
Tekken - Dark Resurrection enriches Tekken 5 with Lili, Dragunov and an online Ghost Mode. Thirty-two fighters, 3D graphics among the PSP's best, Namco Bandai signs one of the most technically impressive portable fighters. Tekken arcade spirit preserved, precise combat pacing and generous content. An absolute PSP peak today.
