It worked for Darwin, and it works for Virtua Fighter 4

Ev-o-lu-tion: n. A gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form.

Bingo.

Perhaps the greatest compliment that I can give to this game is that I already owned Virtua Fighter 4 when I bought it. After hearing and reading about what Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution had to offer, I was willing to spend the $20 for this better, more evolved version.

From here on in, Virtua Fighter 4 and Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution will be called VF4 and VF4:E, respectively. Trust me, it'll save us both some time. Before covering the upgrades VF4:E received, setting it apart from VF4, I'll quickly run down the basics of the game (VF4 veterans, don't despair. I'll try to keep it brief). It's your standard fighter, with a collection of men and women, each with their various fighting styles, who, well, fight each other. Hence the term "fighting game." It would also explain why the word "Fighter" appears in the title. You choose your fighter, your friend (or CPU) chooses their fighter, and the two of you go at it until a winner is declared. This can occur by knockout, ringout (someone stepping out of the fighting ring), or when the time limit for the fight expires (in which case the player with the most energy is declared the winner).

What sets it apart from most fighting games, and the reason many consider it the greatest fighting series ever made, is the realism involved. Sure, some moves may seem a little ridiculous (I'm looking at you, Kage. Tossing people twenty feet in the air is not only unrealistic, it's not very nice), but for the most part, the fighting styles portrayed in the game are what you'd see in real life. Jeet kune do, ju-jutsu, judo, muay thai, and even drunken boxing and pro wrestling are included, as well as some styles that I've never heard of, but must be authentic, because they all sound very Asian (i.e. hakkyoku-ken, hagakure, tourou-ken). Contributing to the realism is the lack of projectile attacks. Never, EVER have I been to an actual martial arts tournament and seen someone win by yoga fire, sonic boom, or ha-do-ken. It's just hands and feet, baby...the way Darwin would've wanted it.

Now onto what most of you were waiting for -- what sets VF4:E apart from VF4, and why you should shell out another $20 for an "expansion pack," so to speak. Thing is, EVERYTHING has been improved (though unfortunately, Lion still sounds...y'know...like he's fighting for the other team. Not that there's anything wrong with that).

The arcade mode is still your standard go-through-everyone-so-you-can-get-your-butt-handed-to-you-by-Dural outing, except now, randomly, a challenge will pop up before a match. Such as, "Do a four-hit combo," or "Win a round without getting hit." If you succeed, your character might win money or an item.

Money or an item?

Here it is, the greatest reason why VF4:E is worth your hard-earned (or begged) $20. Kumite mode has been replaced by Quest mode. In VF4, Kumite mode allowed the player to fight opponents, much like in Arcade mode, except you could customize your fighter's appearance, and possibly unlock accessories, as well as advance in rank. You started as a lowly 10th kyu, then advanced to 9th kyu, 8th kyu, etc...until you reached 1st kyu. Then came 1st dan, 2nd dan, etc, up until 10th dan. Opponents were random, in that your opponent might've been a 10th kyu punching bag, and then after beating him, you'd get wrecked trying to fight a 9th dan fighting machine. In VF4:E's Quest mode, you start at an "arcade," where you can face opponents of roughly the same rank -- a less random version of Kumite. Each arcade has a tournament mode, which can be unlocked by meeting the arcade requirements (for example, reaching a certain rank, or defeating a certain amount of opponents). If you successfully win the tournament, you unlock the next arcade, with slightly more difficult opponents. And within each arcade is a decent selection of challenges, like the ones found in Arcade mode, which reward you for completing certain tasks, like winning 20 fights in a row, defeating an opponent without blocking, or beating a 5th dan or higher Wolf, for example. While fighting at these arcades, you can randomly win prizes just for beating your opponent; fans of VF4, take note -- VF4:E lets you know BEFORE the match begins if you'll win a prize by defeating your opponent, which I find much more motivating than VF4's "hey, maybe you will, maybe you won't" approach. Winning an item lets you dress up your fighter, while winning cash lets you buy items and extras in VF4:E's shop.

Quest mode alone will destroy your social life. For any given fighter, there are a ton of unlockable items, poses, and outfit colors. Unlocking every item for a particular fighter is a long, challenging, yet fun experience. Now multiply that by fifteen, the amount of fighters included in VF4:E. Mathematicians and VF4 fans alike will quickly note that fifteen is two more than VF4's thirteen fighters. Goh and Brad Burns are two new fighters, a Japanese judo assassin and a (despite a name like "Brad Burns") Italian kickboxer.

Graphics and sound have been slightly improved. If you've been playing VF4 all this time, the graphics of VF4:E will look more or less the same (yet still jaw-droppingly amazing), while you may notice a few new songs playing during the fights.

The only downside to the game, and you really have to dig to find it, is an exclusion of the "advice" mode. In VF4, while playing dress-up in Kumite mode, you could check out how your fighter was doing, and get advice on what you're doing right, wrong, what needs improvement, etc. In VF4:E's Quest mode, there's no more text-based advice; just percentages of successful/failed attacks. It's a minor flaw, but a flaw nonetheless.

One last thing. Those put off by VF4's difficulty in Kumite mode will be glad to know that VF4:E's Quest mode is easier when comparing ranks. In other words...a 4th dan Sarah in VF4 is NOT a 4th dan Sarah in VF4:E. In VF4, I had trouble beating anyone with a dan ranking, while in VF4:E, I can confidentally take on even a 10th dan fighter with relative ease (so long as I don't get TOO overconfident). To those looking for a challenge, fear not. In VF4:E, after 10th dan, there are new, even tougher rankings -- and these guys and gals will remind you what a good old fashioned beat-down is all about. Sentinels, Hunters, Warriors, Champions...these are the ranks that don't play around. To be honest, these ranks could also exist in VF4. I wouldn't know. I could never get past that 4th dan level.

Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution -- worth the $20 price tag? This is a question you should only be asking yourself if:

A) You already own Virtua Fighter 4
B) You dislike fighting games
C) You ain't got $20

And even if A or B is true, VF4:E is still a game to look into. I owned VF4, and still bought VF4:E. I don't regret it. This is THE best fighting game on the market, at least for those who appreciate "deep" fighters. While button-mashing will get you somewhere, true mastery of this game comes with hours of practice and intense study of a fighters moves. To those who enjoy this type of fighting game, VF4:E will keep you busy for the next year, easily. It'll takes weeks, perhaps months, to fully master a fighter, and unlock his/her unlockables.

Now do it another fourteen times.