Tekken 6 isn’t the series’ best soundtrack. I don’t think Namco are ever going to touch the awesomness that was Tekken 3’s soundtrack. But 6 is certainly the most varied of the bunch sonically. Each piece is completely different in style and tone to the last. Many of them you wouldn’t associate with a Tekken game at all.

Amongst the various styles that the Namco sound team play with, “Fallen colony” is my pick of the bunch. It’s just a bad ass piece of music. Distinctly Japanesey, yet with many musical styles thrown into the mix. Live drums, kickin’ guitar solos, strings, chants, trumpets, percussions, drum ‘n bass, synths and several bars of awesome.

Dishing out cans of whoop ass to this song feels incredibly gratifying. More so if you manage to smash your sucker of a victim through the glass floor of the stage this music features on, and then juggle their arse up off the floor. Good times…good times.

Listen: Fallen colony

Tekken 6 OST
© 2007 Namco Bandai

For the mp3 players: Fallen colony

Tekken used to be known for its awesome soundtracks. Take note of the words ‘used to’. Tekken 1 and 2 had great soundtracks. Tekken 3’s was a bloody masterpiece. And then shit went horrendously wrong with Tekken 4. I’m not sure whether key players of the Tekken 3 soundtrack were fired, or if they had mid life crisis’ which head shot their creativity. But something went seriously wrong with Tekken 4’s soundtrack. Game 5 brought things back a little. It was still far from the greatness of what Namco had brought to the table before – but the soundtrack did yield some gems.

One song in particular caught my ear in Tekken 5’s soundtrack, and that was the theme for the Moonlit wilderness stage. It was funky, it was epic and full of awesome. One of the most grandiose and melodic pieces to grace a Tekken game. Fitting, given that it featured on what I felt was one of the series’ best and most ominous looking stages.

I have my fingers crossed that Tekken 6’s soundtrack see’s the audio on top form. I’ve played the game in arcade, but I can barely hear anything. You lot know what it’s like.

Listen: Moonlit wilderness

Tekken 5
© 2004 Namco

For the mp3 players: Moonlit wilderness

The fine people over at Playstation Universe have been generous enough to offer the general public the in-depth storyline for Tekken 6.

“The King of Iron Fist tournament 5 came to a close. The final battle was against the sponsor of the tournament, Jinpachi Mishima, from which Jin Kazama came away the victor.

Becoming the president of the Mishima Zaibatsu, Jin immediately began various programs within the company and converted the Tekkenshu into a spy project. People began to suspect a darkness in Jin, leading to increased tension, infighting and finally a full-scale war. The whole world was drawn in, and when the nations began losing power, the Zaibatsu, able to gain a profit from the potential of war, announced its independence and declared war on the entire world.

Initially the Mishima Zaibatsu was a formidable enemy, but then G Corporation rose to the position of the main opposition to the Zaibatsu. The world saw the rival company as the savior, and endorsed them completely in their drive to suppress the Zaibatsu. Eventually, G-Corporation announced that the president of the Mishima Zaibatsu was the root cause of the war and promises an immense amount of money to anyone who can capture Jin Kazama alive.

But almost as if anticipating this move, the Mishima Zaibatsu announced the opening of the King of Iron Fist Tournament 6. People may enter to gain fame, money and (unintelligible). In the midst of this chaos, the curtains rise on the King of Iron Fist Tournament 6.”

Eh, all of that totally went one ear and out the other for me. Sure, the storyline’s okay and such but I’m pretty sure some of us play Tekken for something other than the storyline. Nevertheless, the director for the last Tekken did a damn good job with it. I’d expect nothing less out of the next one, guess if there is… *shakes fist*

[Playstation Universe]