Leave the flip-flops and the swim trunks at home; updated rules for Street Fighter V at Evolution 2016 have banned the Kanzuki Beach stage from play, due (of course) to the obscuring effect of the ocean waves on characters’ feet and grounded objects, such as Birdie’s cans and banana peels. Looks like this stage is for casual play only.
Additionally, the diametrically opposite stage The Grid–the basic training stage–is also not a legal selection at this year’s Evo, either. While this will improve the spectator experience, especially considering ESPN2’s upcoming televised coverage of the SFV event, it also removes the clear spacing indicators that many players like to rely on in high-level matches.
The full list of current rules for all of the games at Evo 2016 can be viewed here.
Do fighting games have a place on pocket-sized devices? It’s a question that developers have been trying to answer for over a decade now. Earlier this year, Lab Zero Games decided to try their hand at answering that question with the Playstation Vita version of Skullgirls 2nd Encore. However, with the advent of Mobile Gaming, games played on a Smart Phone, developers have begun shifting their attention to such platforms. Core-A-Gaming did a whole video on the feasibility of fighting on a touchscreen, dissecting what existed and what was good as far as enjoying a game on a touchscreen. Well, today, Lab Zero Games offers up yet another way to enjoy a Fighting Game on the go, and they are attempting to redefine what it means to play a fighting game with your Mobile Phone.
No, we aren’t talking about Skullgirls 2: Deadly Airport. Skullgirls is making it’s way to mobile devices sometime this year with the help of developer Hidden Variable Studios. What we’re being shown isn’t exactly the picture we have in mind when thinking of a fighting game. Even still, it sounds like Hidden Variable Studios is attempting to take as much from the genre as possible, while not bogging down the experience with unresponsive controls and impossible complex inputs. This title is said to be very different from Marvel: Contest of Champions and the Injustice: Gods Among Us mobile game, with real time combat. There is blocking and combos that appear to require timing, leading to the possibility of dropping combos, making this a potentially very interesting experience.
Having worked on this game for the past two years, there is quite a bit of content. All assets are taken directly from Skullgirls 2nd Encore, and worked into an expansive collectible deck/team building adventure. The game’s first season is said to take place before the initial events of Skullgirls, and leveling up certain characters appears to unlock attacks that you can use between other versions of that same character. While there are heavy RPG elements in the game, there seems to be actual fighting taking place, with players able to do combos using their actions, with cooldown limits placed on their specials, and with meter for finishing attacks. This game is coming to iOS and Android, and there is going to be a beta for players to sign up early and play, while also getting the chance to give early feedback on the game.
Longtime gamer and professional photographer, Bartosz Hołoszkiewicz, aka Renton Holmes, has been working on quite a few projects surrounding the Street Fighter community. Over the last year, Holmes has been working with writer and fighting game player Nicholas “Majin Tenshinhan” Taylor to create a story surrounding the FGC.
With Holmes from Poland and Taylor from Sweden, the tag team duo has begun their work in Europe with hopes of reaching Asia and the United States. “We want to cover not only competitions but also more private lives of players,” said Holmes.
Holmes has created two stories already in Japan, one of which was published in 2014 by Technology-based magazine and website, Wired Japan. The second story is waiting to be published. Most recently, Mr. Holmes began a portrait series as a side project while at Capcom Pro Tour Premier, DreamHack Summer 2016. Videogame website Kotaku wrote an article about the photographer and his stellar photos.
We reached out to Holmes to have him describe his experience shooting photographs of the event and the players themselves.
“Even though it was a Premier event, it felt very intimate,” said Holmes. “No huge stage, everyone was sitting together, playing together, with no visible boundary between pros and casuals in the audience.”
Holmes appreciated the atmosphere provided at the tournament and felt it created a strong sense of unity within the community. “You could walk to Phenom, Tokido, well anyone, and ask for a game if they weren’t waiting for their match. I loved it.”
Holmes feels that the fighting game community offers something truly unique in the world of competitive gaming.
“…In my opinion, the fighting game scene is very different when compared to other big eSport games. You get big events but they are still much more open to everyone. Most competitions are open, even the biggest ones, anyone can sign up.”
Holmes attributed his success in creating his portraits to the openness and the welcoming nature of the fighting game community itself. “That’s what I like and want to show. That’s why I was able to do these portraits.” The longtime gamer and professional photographer continues to show his passion for the industry and community through his works.
For more on Mr. Hołoszkiewicz’ works, here’s a link to his professional website.
If you’re a dedicated console user, the wait for Rivals of Aether is almost over, as it comes to Xbox Game Preview on July 13th. The Xbox version will be exactly the same as the PC edition, complete with all the characters and online features, along with the extensive training mode players can use to lab out combos and test certain situations for DI mixups and so on. Similar to Steam Early Access, buying Rivals of Aether in Game Preview will give you access to all future updates, as well as the full game on launch.
However, unlike Steam Early Access, there will be a short delay on updates for the Xbox version, as updates have to go through certification before they are officially released. At present, the only major thing the Xbox version is missing is Ranked Leaderboards, but they should be added in a future update around mid-August. The current Xbox build that is releasing is at patch 0.1.4.2, same as the PC version so there are no balance differences between the two versions at this time.
The major downside of playing Rivals on the Xbox is that you cannot use a Gamecube controller, which seeing as Rivals is a platform fighter in the same vein as Super Smash Bros., it may deter some players from making the jump. However, most players who would play it on the GCC have it already on PC, so it’s not the biggest of deal breakers. Rivals of Aether is priced at $14.99, which is the same as the PC version so there are no fears of console players getting a raw deal.
Ready to get your Boxer into fighting shape? Just one day after his release Balrog is already looking like a heavy hitter in Street Fighter V, and we’ve got some tech to help you start putting some weight behind those punches.
As usual Desk has provided a dazzling combo video showcasing Balrog’s impressive damage and juggle potential. Videos uploaded by Mickdo8640, show how Balrog can can maximize his damage from crush counters and V-Trigger. We’ve also got some day one meaty setups from D’Nyce, SomeFreshGuys and Digital Demolition to help keep the pressure on.
More and more tech will be popping up over the weekend, but you can follow this Youtube playlist to see the latest videos as soon as we do.
Leo Whitefang comes equipped with a series of attacks that at first glance have much in common with Guile, right down to the charge motions on his projectile and dragon punch. Of course, this is Guilty Gear–underneath Leo’s simple exterior lies a more nuanced depth.
Gamer-abroad and overall Guilty Gear enthusiast Jiyuna has begun releasing a series of videos designed to help players get a grip on handling Leo as a character, starting with a basic beginner’s video that illustrates the mindset and overall gameplan of a good Leo player. This includes the importance of Leo’s backturned stance, important bread and butter combos, and key normals to remember during your neutral game.
The second installment includes advice for the more intermediate player, including considerations for spending your hard-earned meter, more advanced okizeme utilizing his fireballs, and using Leo’s throw-invincible 6K to create throw-resistant pressure.
Head over to Jiyuna’s YouTube page to stay up to date on more Leo goodness and other Guilty Gear Xrd-related media.
The folks at Dell Alienware Japan are proud to announce that Naoki “Nemo” Nemoto will be flying their flag for future Street Fighter V competition.
Nemo is a well-rounded competitor with obvious skill in a number of fighting titles, but is perhaps best known (in recent memory, anyway) for his Rolento play in Ultra Street Fighter IV. His take on the baton-twirling mercenary involved rolls, wall dives and dashes aplenty; he seemed to never stand still. If you caught him on the right day, he also seemed never to block, instead opting to use superior movement to overwhelm his opponents and force them to defend or die–often both.
Nemo, an engineer by day, will be saving nights and weekends to throw down as the new face for Alienware Japan. He hopes to send a message that anything is possible, and skill in fighting games isn’t tied directly to the hours played, but the way played time is spent.
While Nemo has picked up Vega in Street Fighter V and has made his way to a handful of events, one can only assume that we’ll be seeing much more of his Spanish Ninjutsu in coming months thanks to this sponsorship.
We at Shoryuken wish both Nemo and Dell Alienware Japan the best with their partnership.
We now have an official release of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 straight from Bandai Namco. The title will release in North America on October 25 and in Europe on October 28 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One home consoles. The PC version will be made available internationally through Steam on October 28 as well.
To commemorate Anime Expo 2016, Bandai Namco also released a brand new trailer for the game, showcasing more of the story, environments, and gameplay mechanics.
Bandai Namco also announced that DJ Steve Aoki will remix a variety of fan favorite songs for the new game, including “Cha-La Head-Cha-La” and “We Got Power,” just to name a couple. The DJ can also be found within the game as a non-playable-character.
For those more interested to see how the game plays on its own, here is a video showcasing the versus mode by IGN.
Today is a monumental day for Street Fighter V, as the title received its largest update of new content. In addition to the much-anticipated Cinematic Story Expansion, “A Shadow Falls,” the title’s in-game Shop, and improvements to online matchmaking, we’ve also seen not one, but two new characters added the roster, giving us a total of 20 World Warriors to choose from.
“The Shinobi Of The Summer Breeze,” Ibuki, will finally be joining the playable cast, but she’ll also be bringing the fourth of Shadaloo’s Heavenly Kings, “The Destroyer Of Rules,” Balrog, along with her.
While these characters should be familiar to veterans of the series, Capcom has released a pair of official character introduction videos to get players acquainted with how these New Challengers have changed since their previous appearances, wile also offering a bit of information on their personal backgrounds and why they believe players should choose them in battle.
Hailing from the Street Fighter III series, Ibuki is described by Capcom UK Community Manager Matt Edwards as, “An offensive powerhouse, with dizzying damage potential. She forces her opponent to respect her pressure the instant she drops the bomb.”
Her V-Skill, Tenrai, “Is a short-ranged ki blast that negates projectiles and works similarly to Karin’s as it can be Charged,” says Edwards. Her V-Trigger, Isshaku Horokudama, allows her to throw a bomb on the screen with three varying fuse lengths, depending on the direction Ibuki holds during the release. “It can be used for fiendish setups and explosive combos.”
Lastly, Edwards touches upon her kunai knives, which are indicated by a special gauge next to her Variable Meter. She can now hold up to six at a time, but must reload her belt once she runs out of them. “They can be used to make her buttons safe, juggle into V-Trigger and juggle the opponent for extended combos,” Edwards noted.
One of the original World Warriors, Balrog is obsessed with money, women and bourbon, willing to fight on behalf of Shadaloo if they continuously supply him with more and more of his vices, regardless of what M. Bison may be plotting. Boxers are traditionally known for their fancy footwork in the ring, and in SFV, Balrog will be no exception. His V-Skill, KKB, allows him to bob and weave through an enemy’s projectiles, while being able to retaliate by canceling the weave into either his Buffalo Swing, which hits overhead, or his Buffalo Pressure, presenting him with a new layer of mixup opportunities, not seen in earlier incarnations. He can also cancel his Dash Straight and Dash Grand Blow, which retain their traditional charge inputs, and even his Turn Punch, into KKB, to close the gap between his foes like never before. His V-Trigger, Crazy Rush, allows the greedy pugilist to chain his special moves together for increased pressure and damage, in addition to being able to ignore charge inputs, similar to Necalli’s The Disc’s Guidance when he is in Torrent of Power.
With his trademark Buffalo Headbutt being relegated to a V-Reversal, and his only invincible move being his Critical Art, Gigaton Blow, which makes its triumphant return to his arsenal from Alpha 3, the boxer’s Wakeup game and defensive options are extremely limited. However, Edwards feels he more than makes up for it, “with his mixup-centric playstyle. He can also apply pressure somewhat liberally with his Turn Punch and EX Dash Grand Blow, as they are both safe on block.”
As is tradition with any Community Effort event, the crew over at CEO Gaming have released a recap video of last weekend’s antics, documenting some of the big events that occurred over the course of CEO 2016. From Infiltration’s quad grab in the corner against Tokido, to the exhibition between Xavier Woods and Kenny Omega, to the crowning of CEO 2016’s Street Fighter V champion, there is a whole host of memorable moments that have been spliced together to sum up one of the best weekends in the fighting game calendar.
To top it all off, this video captures the essence of pure hype, with LI Joe’s reaction to seeing Urien on the big stage after the Street Fighter V finals. That short clip of absolute joy is the perfect way to showcase what it’s like to watch and play fighting games; it’s for those moments when you lose your mind in the thrill of the fight. Here’s to CEO 2017.
