Having debuted on the PlayStation 3 as a console exclusive, Xbox 360 owners felt left out when Sega released Virtua Fighter 5. Sure, there are some great fighting games already available (like Dead or Alive 4, among others) but the Virtua Fighter franchise has always held a special place in the hearts of hardcore fighting game fans. Thankfully for Xbox 360 owners, Sega has brought its fourth and best fighting game and also adding a great online multiplayer component. Virtua Fighter 5 for the Xbox 360 is not only a blast on Xbox Live but also one of the most solid fighting games you will play this year.

Those who haunt their local arcades know the Virtua Fighter series well and the fifth installment still seems to draw a healthy crowd. Considered a perfect port with a number of console exclusives, Virtua Fighter 5 sees new fighters to the lineup like Mexican luchador El Blaze and the young Eileen (who already mastered the art of Kou-Ken) and, as I mentioned above, online multiplayer via the Xbox Live service. You’ll still find your old favorite fighters like Akira Yuki and ninja Kage-Maru and the father-daughter rivalry of Lou Chan and Pai Chan. The 17 available fighters, each with their own fighting styles and specialty moves, will keep you busy in the three main game modes.

If you’re new to the series, your first stop should most definitely be DOJO Mode, a sort of deep training mode that not only allows you to hone each fighters’ skills but also set your own skill levels as gamers learn to pull off moves as the commands flash on the screen in real-time. You can also post your clear time on the online Leaderboards but this is all mainly for bragging rights. Those who feel comfortable with their skills can jump right into Arcade Mode … which is basically much like the, well, arcade version. You basically play through seven stages. VS. is the game’s multiplayer mode that allows you to play against a friend offline but the best addition comes in playing online via Xbox Live. Online, the game does run beautifully, hardly running into any lag.

The real meat of the game is Quest Mode, a deep game mode that has you playing through several arcade-styled competitions you can select via a map screen. It is here that the game rewards your skills with points used as money (to purchase extras like different outfits and a large number of accessories) but also a few other juicy rewards used to customize the character you pick for the mode. In fact, you can customize all 17 of the game’s fighters, changing everything from their ring names to the color of their hair. Quest Mode is also the place to go to go up against ranked fighters and climbs the ranks that take you from the dan-level and beyond. It’s a lengthy game mode that will certainly keep you busy.

As far as the controls are concerned, the game handles all the moves well enough. Beginning gamers can pick up the controller and start playing but all the advanced moves require plenty of practice (or a few turns in the DOJO) because there are a number of throw moves, reversals and a number of quick attack and defense moves. Each character has his or her own style that is reflected well throughout the game and thus makes fighting a wonderful challenge for veterans and newcomers alike. For those who want a more arcade experience will want the Hori control but it’s not necessary since the Xbox 360 controller does a great job of laying out all the basic control buttons. Even the opponent AI is smart enough to make some counter moves of their own but they aren’t good substitutes for actual players.

Graphically speaking, Virtua Fighter 5 sports some sharp and detailed graphics that make the fighter models look so much like the arcade version so you will want to play this game using an HDTV screen for the full effect. The fighters move realistically and not just in the cinematic intros and victory animations. The backgrounds are also detailed and while some of it is actually destructible, the beauty is best admired from afar. Sadly, there’s nothing admirable about the soundtrack with the cheesy rock riff guitars and then there’s the voice acting that makes the English speaking fighters sound so annoying. Equally annoying is the optional play-by-play that doesn’t do a great job of covering the fight.

As awesome as it was on the PS3, Virtua Fighter 5 for the Xbox 360 is simply a great overall package and one of the best fighting games on Microsoft’s console. With gameplay that’s near flawless, sharp graphics and a smooth online multiplayer mode, Sega’s fighting franchise feels right at home on the Xbox 360. While I might be preaching to the converted, Virtua Fighter 5 is a real 'Must Have' title for fighting game fans that are new to the series or already loyal fans who followed this series for a long time.

Gameplay: 9.2
Even on the Xbox 360, Virtua Fighter 5’s controls work beautifully and proving that the series remains to be the best fighting series in the next-generation of consoles as well. The 17 or so fighters have their own unique moves and mastering them all is not an easy task. The various game modes are a blast to play and online the game moves as swiftly as a roundhouse kick.

Graphics: 9.0
The gorgeous drool-worthy visuals will not fail to impress those gamers who appreciate good eye candy when they see it. With sharp character models that look great in action and dazzling environments simply do justice to the Xbox 360’s graphical capabilities.

Sound: 7.0
The game’s music is a sore spot that seems to bring back the cheesy heavy rock guitar riffs of past games and the bad voice acting is not only harmful to the ears but also annoyingly repetitive at times. There are some decent sound effects, though, but the optional play-by-play is just way too funny but not in an intentional way.

Difficulty: Medium
Quest Mode’s higher-ranking matches will provide quite a challenge fit for veteran Virtua Fighter fans as well as gamers new to the fighting series. Some fighters are more skilled than others and will put up quite a fight especially when it comes to ranked matches.

Concept: 9.0
No longer a PS3 only game, the Xbox 360 version gets online play with ranked matches. The single-player portion has plenty to offer including various unlockable options to edit each character and some juicy game modes fight fans will be playing for a long while.

Multiplayer: 9.0
Online, the game flows smoothly enough with very little lag and whether you pick to play a ranked or unranked match, you’ll find fellow gamers just waiting to take you on. I see this game becoming an online tournament favorite.

Overall: 9.0
Welcome to one of the best fighting games to grace the Xbox 360 so far and the reason you’ll be putting in a lot of hours on the fighting arena. Virtua Fighter 5 for the Xbox 360 delivers one of the best-looking and amazing fighting experiences you’ll get to play so buying this one is really a no-brainer. If you played this one on the PS3, the online component is a major plus but if you missed it on Sony’s console you’re going to love this game.