Virtua Fighter 5 is the fifth installment in the Virtua Fighter series and features 17 fighters, including newcomers Eileen and El Blaze. The tournament is being funded by J6, an organization that was previously defeated by the first version of their Dural fighting program. In a previous game, Vanessa's data was captured and used to create V-Dural, but she managed to escape and has returned with her fighting skills intact. The new Virtua Fighter 5 aims to reveal the insider who helped Vanessa escape and test their new program against the world's best fighters.
The gameplay of Virtua Fighter 5 is similar to previous installments, but with a few key changes. The ranking system has been revised, throw speed has been reduced, and a new offensive move allows for sidestepping to dodge attacks and make more strategic strikes. The clash system also makes it possible to cancel out an attack with a throw. Additionally, character customization has been deepened, giving players more options to tailor their fighters to their preferred style.