After taking a break from creating Tekken content, Level Up Your Game’s MYK returns with a breakdown and analysis video focusing on Tekken 7‘s pre-order DLC character, Eliza! Though the narcoleptic vampire first appeared in Tekken Revolution (which Bandai Namco Entertainment ended support for in March), she will be making a proper comeback to the series in its latest installment. Since these two Tekken titles play very differently–and she was created to be a gateway for fans of 2D fighters to try out the series–MYK has taken what we know about her so far and begun to speculate on how she will play, in comparison to her previous appearance.
After introducing the character and speaking about her sleeping mechanics–which allowed her to partially heal back lost health in Revolution, in exchange for being unable to block while she is asleep–MYK moves on to her moveset differences. Noting that she now has a normal jump, some type of command jump or divekick, additional specials (some of which are cancelable), and a meter gauge, similar to Akuma’s. Her “Blood Gauge” sports a unique design and contains a maximum of two stocks, giving her access to EX moves and what appears to be an additional super, separate from her Rage Art–it likely replaces her Rage Drive, as is the case with Akuma.
Next, MYK covers what look to be some new combo strings, such as a new extension off of her d/f2, that he believes is possibly a launch-punishable d/f23 natural-combo launcher. Eliza’s F1+2, which was a homing move in Revolution, is now her Power Crush, likely without its former counter hit properties. She also has a pair of new moves coming out of her F4; her unique forward dash, Moon Glide, provides her with new mixup opportunities. She also appears to have a fake-out version of her Dark Wave projectile, to further discourage evasive foes. Eliza can even special cancel her normals like Akuma, going into a Shoryuken-style uppercut from her S1, as well as a seemingly-new B4.
Finally, MYK spotlights her jump-in normals, which are very reminiscent of 2D air control, as well as what seems to be a projectile super that will be tied to her meter. From MYK:
My final thoughts on this character is that she seems a lot more interesting now, compared to her Tekken Revolution counterpart. She’s definitely a cool take on a Tekken character that’s been evolved in a way that makes her like a Street Fighter hybrid. I’m pretty excited for this new iteration of Eliza, and I can’t wait to try her out.
You can catch the full video below, and we’d love to hear your thoughts on Eliza in the comments!
Tekken 7 will be released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam on June 2nd.
Yahoo! Esports’ Michael Martin has returned with the latest episode of his “I Got Next” series. This episode, he questions if perhaps Street Fighter V, in its second Season, has possibly left Team Razer’s Infiltration behind.
The Korean Evo champion’s struggles following his victory (and famous “Download Complete” moment) have been well-documented, both as players began adapting to his self-proclaimed “run-and-gun style” of tactics with Nash, in addition to the meta dramatically shifting following his 25th place finish at Capcom Cup 2016, with the arrival of Season 2. In fact, his last taste of victory on a major scale following the Evo crown was at the Capcom Pro Tour Asia Last Chance Qualifier during Season 1, where he marched through losers bracket with Nash, Rashid, Balrog, and Vega, before resetting the bracket on Red Bull’s Bonchan for the victory. Most recently, he announced the cancellation of his flight to Norcal Regionals 2017, stating that he’s simply not ready to attend Capcom Pro Tour events at this point in time.
After he declared Nash “dead” in Season 2, Martin questions Infiltration’s desire to switch around from these many different characters–particularly Juri, who despite her buffs in Season 2, has only taken him to a victory at the Aninori Tournament in Korea, and a 4th place finish in Group A of ELEAGUE (alongside Rashid). Feeling he should perhaps simply return to a stronger character, like Balrog, especially since he is only getting a slight health nerf in the upcoming patch, he questions if the Korean warrior is still finding his footing in the game. “It’s surprising to say that, because he was so dominant, with Nash, early in Season 1, but when everyone adapted to him, and to Nash, I’m not sure he adapted to everyone else, if he adapted to the meta.”
Martin next brings attention to Red Bull Bonchan’s 4th-place finish at Northern California Regionals this past weekend, showing that the Paradoxical Avenger may be more “alive” then some first thought. Martin wonders if he’s simply in a different place in life now, with his upcoming wedding on June 3rd, as well as the “pro gamer lifestyle of branding himself and earning these endorsements” perhaps getting to him–or maybe Infiltration feels he simply needs a break before coming back stronger later in the season, following the upcoming balance update? You can see the full video below and decide for yourself.
Wager on swagger over substance. BlazBlue: Central Fiction certainly has enough flexibility in its combo system to show off a little more; Kagura Mutsuki, who first appeared in Chronophantasma, may have fallen from graces a bit–thus, he’s a rarely used character. However, dedicated Kagura players from the Discord community came together to–if nothing else–display their prowess with the character.
Below you can see “The Black Knight Project”$$ the editing is quite impressive in this one, too, so it’s very much worth a watch. Kagura’s Drive lets him combo with various stance attacks, and activating Overdrive frees him from all restrictions, even letting him dash-cancel those moves. Therefore, it’s easy to see how complex and creative his combos can get, thanks to good mobility in his Drive moves, like cross-ups and slides.
Enjoy the video below, and kudos to the Kagura Discord community for an awesome combo video.
This is region parity like we rarely ever get to see: European publisher of several Arc System Works confirmed that the latest entry in the Guilty Gear series, Xrd REV 2, is simultaneously releasing on consoles in Europe and North America. PQube has announced May 26th as a release date.
A new European Guilty Gear website has popped up, detailing new features in REV 2–such as added stages, Baiken and Answer, rebalancing of the cast, more story content, and so on. The site points to Amazon to preorder Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2, though the copies seem “out of stock” at press time. European players also have an option to purchase a Limited Edition of REV 2.
Expect to see REV 2 in stores on May 26th in both North American and Europe, while Japan gets the game on May 25th. There is also a yet unannounced REV 2 demo coming–most likely as a pre-order bonus.
When you think of Taiwan and Street Fighter, there’s usually just one name that comes to mind, ZOWIE’s Bruce “GamerBee” Hsiang. GamerBee was at the recently-concluded NCR 2017, and Mark “BornFree” Sheridan took the time to talk to the Taiwanese pro.
In the interview below, GamerBee discusses his character choices: why he picked Necalli in the first place, as well as having Cammy as a secondary character. In addition to this, they also talks a lot about the game’s balance, including GamerBee’s thoughts on character tiers, as well as the upcoming balance changes.
Of course, they also talk about a myriad of other things, including his thoughts on tournament formats and if he prefers the best of 5 format over best of 3, the recent ELEAGUE, and a whole lot more.
In late March, Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 was released into the wild of Japanese arcades. Since then, the Guilty Gear community has feverishly been labbing up the new characters for REV 2: Baiken and Answer. Legendary Guilty Gear veteran and I-no pioneer, Koichi, took the time to write on strategy for these characters, going into REV 2’s release. Koichi has recently transitioned into a strong leadership role in the Japanese FGC: from helping run events, to writing articles, to doing commentary for a variety of scenes. He is a member of the Goziline team, a website where he and his colleagues write about a variety of games. In order to give you a head start on Baiken in REV 2, this article will translate his ideas, strategy, and thoughts on aspects of her playstyle. This write-up is based on his original article published on Goziline, here.
Koichi’s fight card from the 2016 Arc System Works Fighting Game Awards. “I will show you the culmination of my 34 years of life as a man of games. Burn the spectacle of my life into your eyes.”
Please consider following Ruu and Kedako (who also streams on twitch.tv), two veteran GG players and community leaders from West Japan. These two are responsible for many valuable resources, such as the Answer and Baiken frame data (which you can access here, from Ruu’s blog). Thanks to Donyea, we even have an English translated version of the Baiken frame data, available here.
With that out of the way, let’s take a look at Koichi’s thoughts on Baiken going into early REV 2.
Baiken’s Primary Attacks
5K – A quick, horizontal kick that you can put out in a carefree manner in the midrange. This attack gatlings into sweep, and is hit confirm-able into Suzuran~Kuchinashi (63214K~P)
2S – A small strike using Baiken’s mace. Has decent reach and although the return is low, if canceled into Suzuran~Rokkonsogi, it will connect on counter-hit.
2S is great for space control in the mid range.
2HS – A low profile, low hitting, and crouching sword slash with long startup, but is cancelable. Can be connected into from S buttons. Use this to cancel into Suzuran~Rokkonsogi (63214K+HS) for a push to the corner.
This new 2HS looks familiar, no? Ukyo Tachibana would be proud…
Suzuran~Rokkonsogi (63214K + HS) – Forward moving slash that floats the opponent on counter-hit, allowing for further pursuit. Slightly disadvantageous on block, so use Suzuran or Azami to cover yourself after!
Suzuran~Rokkonsogi is an important tool!
IAD Tatami Gaeshi (236+K) – Use air Tatami with IAD backdash to counter their pursuit. On hit, it floats the opponent, giving this attack high return. Inputting 2369N6+K will give you air tatami, but beware it is a little slow!
Try to use the above attacks during neutral, combined with anti-air 6P and 2HS strikes. When opponents are content to stay away, poke with her new projectile, Suzuran~Yashagatana. She shoots a small rocket along the screen at a low altitude. Although the startup is low and the attack level is suspected to be low, when combined with YRC, this likely presents a strong offensive option. Jump P is the default air to air button, and her Jump S is the preferred air to ground normal because of its reach and angle.
For Yashagatana, Baiken shoots a rocket from underneath her Kimono! Good for zoning and can be used with YRC to cover your offensive approach!
Day One Baiken Strats
First, we have to establish that in this game, Baiken is significantly weaker on defense. Guard Cancel? Nope. Reversal Tsurane? Too slow. Consider even her new walking animation; this is not the Baiken we once knew.
Thus, if you want to win, we have to find new ways to attack. We can make our horizontal push in neutral using Suzuran~Rokkonsogi and 2HS canceled into Rokkonsogi. Even on guard, it is difficult to punish, so in most cases you can use Azami stance afterwards. At first, you may be fine to rely on Rokkonsogi, but it is a good idea to mix your offensive front up with Kabari (41236+HS) and Suzuran~Yashagatana (63214+K～D). If the opponent is trying to escape through the air, using the S version of Kabari to grab them out of the sky is a good answer. Just as always, you can cancel into Kabari with your pokes. Using Suzuran and the Rokkonsogi or Kuchinashi follow-ups is the most practical approach. Try to use these in your offense!
Neutral Summary:
Make use of aerial Tatami Gaeshi, while checking aerial approaches from opponents with 6P.
Poke with 2S and 2HS, and cancel into Rokkonsogi!
From your pressure with Rokkonsogi, use Azami!
Okizeme
Koichi thinks Baiken will generally take knockdowns on the ground through Suzuran~Rokkonsogi and Suzuran~Kuchinashi.
Since Rokkonsogi leaves Baiken only slightly advantageous and close to the knocked down opponent, it is best to run a simple okizeme plan. Crush throw attempts with meaty 6K and neutral jump HS. Through these attacks, we can emphasize building guard bar while running okizeme. For more expensive okizeme using YRC, we can use meaty Tatami gaeshi > YRC > Mawarikomi (63214+K～K) for crossups, but Koichi recommends going for 5D > YRC (before the ball comes out) > and then going for throws or lows. Though simple, this kind of okizeme can also be strong.
After using Baiken’s throw invincible 6K, use HS Kagari!
Kuchinashi knockdown has more frame advantage, so you can run air Tatami gaeshi okizeme. For example, you can do Kuchinashi ender knockdown > whiff ascending Jump P > falling air Tatami Gaeshi (236+K) > YRC > airdash Jump S or land and sweep (the whiff ascending jump P helps for timing).
Although this kind of okizeme beats many defensive options, it is weak to blitz shield. Thus, you should actively try to read for blitz attempts and mix in backdashes after the tatami. Even if you don’t have meter for YRC, you can always go for Youzansen (9623+S) for an overhead strike after tatami. Thus, even with no gauge, this kind of oki is powerful.
We can use meaty Tatami oki from Suzuran~Kuchinashi (P follow-up) (pictured here). Use rising jump P after the hit to help time for the meaty.
Azami
Azami is done by pressing S+HS at the same time, and will put Baiken in Azami stance. You can hold either button to keep her in the stance. Standing Azami can counters mids and highs, but crouching Azami can counter lows as well as mids. Thus, on the ground, let’s primarily use crouching Azami. While you absorb hits in Azami stance, you can guard against chip damage, as well as use any of her Azami follow-ups. The return she gets on counter-hit Kuchinashi, the P follow-up, is terrific. This will be the primary follow-up we use. To make best use of this, we can mash P when she goes into stance. Rokkonsogi, the HS follow-up, is slightly disadvantageous on block,
It is also possible to deal with opponents’ projectiles using this stance. We can score knockdowns using Kuchinashi (P follow-up) at close range interceptions, and Rokkonsogi (HS follow-up) at long range. Since stance has 1 frame start-up, we can use it on reversal against projectile based setplay (Like Ky or Sol, for example).
Air Azami is also an option that you can use to tag opponents if you read an anti-air or in air-to-air situations. You can use air Azami as you rise, and again when you fall. This is a strong defensive option. During guard recovery, she can also use Azami, but using it in this situation changes the parry window, slowing it down by 2-3 frames. Since this makes sequences like Millia mashing 5K repeatedly become difficult to parry, it doesn’t appear to be something worth trying a lot in this kind of situation.
Combos
1)【2K→Close S→Sweep】xx Suzuran～Kuchinashi (63214K～P) There aren’t too many combos you can do from from tatami after sweep, so take the knockdown you get from Kuchinashi and focus on oki!
2)【5K→5HS】xx Suzuran～Rokkonsogi (63214K～HS) HS series buttons and 2S (if you are close) can be canceled into Rokkonsogi. Make sure to do the follow-up command input with appropriate speed depending on how far or near you are to the opponent!
3) 6P［Jump Cancel］Jump【S→P→K】［Jump Cancel］Jump【S→P→K】xx Youzansen Baiken’s classic anti-air combo. You can also use JS→JD but he feels the situation after is less desirable than sticking to the SPK series.
4) (Corner) Throw→ Sweep［Super Jump Cancel］Super Jump【S→D】→ Airdash→ Jump【S→D】→ Land 5HS xx Suzuran～Kuchinashi (63214K～P)
You have lots of options for throw combos in the corner, but this one is consistent in ending in knockdown and deals strong damage. For lightweights, omit the last 5HS and go straight into Kuchinashi.
5) 2HS xx Suzuran～Rokkonsogi (63214K～HS) ［RRC］Dash 5HS xx Suzuran～Kuchinashi (63214K～P)→5P→Jump【P→S→P→K】→Jump Cancel Jump【S→D】→Jump D Use this combo for strong return off of mid-screen 2HS. Note that dash inertia carries over into the Kuchinashi. Once you are close, you can freestyle into this combo.
6) (Corner) Sweep xx Tatami Gaeshi (236＋K) or (ascending) Youzansen [RRC]→ 6HS xx Suzuran～Kuchinashi (63214K～P)→5K[Jump Cancel] Super Jump【S→D】→Airdash Jump【S→D】→5HS xx Suzuran～Kuchinashi (63214K～P) The “Falling Demon” combo. Though difficult to get the knockdown, this combo can erase half an opponent’s HP from low or overhead options you can use from your tatami oki. If you think the 5K won’t connect, you can substitute it for 5P -> j.P
7) 5HS(hitting with the tip of the blade) [RRC] Airdash→Jump【S→P→P→K】→S Kabari～Tetsuzansen (41236+S～S)→Jump【S→D】
For tall opponents, use this high return, 50% meter combo when you connect with 5HS. It has strong corner carry, but the S Kabari is difficult to connect with, so he doesn’t recommend using it.
This was simply a quick look at Baiken core strategies. By carrying to the wall after taking your knockdown from Kuchinashi, while employing meaty air tatami oki into lows/highs/throws, we can see she has explosive power. It is more difficult for her to convert to knockdown mid-screen, so it seems it will be important for her to focus on corner carry. Given her new changes, attributes, and attacks, Baiken has a fresh feeling to her that players old and new should enjoy.
This concludes Koichi’s article on day one Baiken prep. Although it comes with losing sometimes, exploring new characters in fighting games is a fun, exciting experience. Arc System Works titles usually makes their characters highly nuanced, so there is a lot to explore! Work together with folks in the community to discover new techniques and strategies for your character! Enjoy the process of learning!
While we wait for Rev2’s console release, try watching some live footage from Mikado, and look out for Baiken players like Sharon, Kakkou, and Umecha. Watch footage of them and try to see how they apply the concepts discussed in this article!
A closer look at some of Toronto’s top Street Fighter players and personalities.
In my prior set of interviews casting a spotlight on Canadian fighting game fanatics, I spoke with members of the Montréal FGC–the MTLSF scene. But right next door to Montréal is the domain of their longtime rivals: Toronto. Perhaps an even a fiercer scene resides in Ontario’s capital, and these two cities combined form a maelstrom of serious Street Fighter competition in Canada. Toronto is also presently playing host to its own Red Bull Proving Grounds regional qualifier: Fight For The 6ix.
To get a look into what makes Toronto’s scene what it is, I reached out to conduct written interviews with six fighters from Canada’s largest city. Today we’ll begin with SetToDestroyX‘s Matthew “BlitzMan” Lam, local competitor SJ (celebrating in the feature image, above), and streamer StarmieGee. Responses have been edited for clarity.
mushin_Z: Where are you from, and how long have you been involved with the Toronto fighting game scene?
BlitzMan: Richmond Hill, a small suburb not too far from Toronto. I’ve been playing in arcades since I was nine, but I started joining tournaments for maybe twelve years now.
StarmieGee: GTA–“Greater Toronto Area”$$ I live in Brampton. My first Toronto Major was at A&C for Toryuken in 2015.
SJ: I’ve been in the Toronto FGC for five years. Originally I started with The King of Fighters XIII and BlazBlue as my first serious fighters, but I started playing Street Fighter competitively when Ultra Street Fighter IV came out.
mushin_Z: How long have you played Street Fighter games? How did you get started?
BlitzMan: I remember playing when I was five at the video rental stores, and I’m now turning thirty very soon… I remember joining the 3rd Strike community very late, and people were so far ahead in skill, so when Street Fighter IV came out I was just good from the start, I was lucky.
StarmieGee: Since October 2014. I forced a friend to play a [different] game on Twitch, and then he forced me to try Street Fighter.
[photo courtesy of Tommy Maclean]
SJ: I’ve been playing Street Fighter since I was in grade school. My dad would bring me and my brother to the arcade on a random Sunday, and we would play nothing but Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike and Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Obviously we were mashing but we had so much fun. I followed the scene and started getting more into fighters in high school when Street Fighter IV, BlazBlue and Tekken 6 came out on consoles. I didn’t enjoy playing SFIV that much, but I did enjoy watching the high-level play. I discovered the local scene years later when I searched “Toronto fighting game tournaments” and found Toryuken (Toronto’s yearly major). Shout-outs to Google.
mushin_Z: What is your favorite game in the Street Fighter series, and why?
BlitzMan: I still think Street Fighter III: 3rd strike is the best, because the system is so complex, combos are hard, it’s truly the hardest Street Fighter to master and I love challenging or flashy combos!
StarmieGee: USFIV was fun. Just a lot of character selection, and by the time I joined, Street Fighter IV was on its last year and it felt like a clean game.
SJ: I would have to say Super Street Fighter II Turbo. It’s a very fast-paced fighter that rewards matchup knowledge and solid play. I play Vega and I frequently play the game on FightCade.
mushin_Z: Do you prefer a fightstick, pad, or hitbox?
SJ: Fightstick all day. I was a pad player until I started learning Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 in 2013. I find a stick much easier then a pad when it comes to execution.
BlitzMan: Fightstick, just because I’ve been playing on it for most of my life.
StarmieGee: I started on pad for a few months, and then switched to a fightstick.
mushin_Z: Who do you main, and why? Is there a character you wish was selectable in Street Fighter V, but isn’t (yet)?
SJ: I main Rashid in Street Fighter V. Mobility is one of the key things I look for when I choose my characters. I got super hype when I first saw Rashid run around and throw tornadoes on people. His playstyle also reminds me of a Marvel Versus. character, which I’m a big fan of. I want Capcom to put in Rufus from Street Fighter IV!! He was my main when I played USFIV. While I didn’t enjoy the SFIV series that much, I definitely loved playing Rufus.
StarmieGee: Juri and F.A.N.G. Characters with a higher difficulty in skill interest me, and keep me going. F.A.N.G is hilarious, I find him fun to play; Juri is just sexy. Nobody else would want it… but bring back Honda. I miss my hubby.
BlitzMan: I’m a huge Yun and Ken fan, but currently in SFV I’m playing Karin/Ken/Laura. For SFV: Yun please! You can make him low tier! He makes porkbuns! No meat buns no life!
mushin_Z: What’s your best matchup, in your opinion? Worst?
BlitzMan: At the moment I think I’m strong against playing Balrog and Urien, Worst, I’d say Chun-Li, or 50/50 grapplers.
StarmieGee: I mean… I main F.A.N.G. I honestly don’t even have to say more. Is F.A.N.G still in this game? [laughs] In all seriousness, I don’t think I have a “worst.” I hate grapplers. I press so many buttons, it doesn’t do me any good. Best? I would say Chun-Li, and not because of my character, but because my partner plays her and I get good exposure.
SJ: Best matchup: I would say any character that has a hard time getting out of Rashid’s pressure. Alex, Nash and F.A.N.G come to mind. His worst matchup I would say is Cammy. I feel like she is a better version of Rashid, with more consistent damage. It’s a hard matchup, but still winnable.
mushin_Z: Where do you usually play?
BlitzMan: There’s a couple of places–online is so bad, especially with Canadian internet service providers, I play sometimes at A&C Games downtown, Toronto Street Fighter Headquarters in Scarborough, and a manga cafe–Akiba Kissa–in Markham. At A&C they hold weekly tournaments, so our version of NLBC or WNF is held there. Fridays there is TOSFHQ, or Akiba Kissa. TOSFHQ is run by some of the players from Toronto, and is often a place for high-level competition. Akiba Kissa is a great manga cafe with custom-built arcade cabinets, great environment and great drinks.
SJ: I usually play at A&C or TOSFHQ when I have the time to do so. I haven’t been going to either venue as of late due to work, so now I usually play at home. A&C is a gaming store located in downtown Toronto that also runs fighting game tournaments hosted by TorontoTopTiers. TOSFHQ is located at a storage unit east of Toronto where some of the best players in Toronto play every Friday. HQ also runs really hype BBQ events for the FGC in the summer. If you are in Toronto and you play fighting games, make sure you check both places out!
StarmieGee: At home online. Once in a blue moon I go to Toronto’s weekly. I played a bit in almost every city in the GTA, and I would have to say A&C is the most consistent in turnout, and gives you great chances to expose yourself to different matchups.
mushin_Z: Your thoughts on online competition?
BlitzMan: I played a lot of online during the beta, weird because the servers were in better condition. I currently have two accounts both sitting at Ultra Platinum back when there was only like 50 or less Diamond players, but nonetheless online is a terrible experience here in Toronto. Maybe it’s just my internet, or the speeds that Canadian Internet service providers offer, but competition online is usually unplayable. In SFIV I learned a lot about matchup knowledge, which is what I usually use online for, however SFV match up knowledge isn’t as critical to know compared to older iterations of the games, in my opinion, but the way SFV netcode is combined with my country’s bad internet infrastructure… I don’t want to put myself through a headache. Last time I tried searching for a Ranked match it took 30 minutes to find one match, and play two games. Time well spent…
SJ: I do play online SFV but I mainly use it for matchup experience. I do think online competition is good especially if you have no local competition, but the experience will never be as good as offline play.
StarmieGee: I almost always play online against stream viewers, instead of Ranked. Ranked is great to see where you are at, and climbing the ladder is great, but I like to play against a variety of ranks, vs. playing with a bunch of people my skill level (which is bad). With friends/viewers I get to compete against better players, which I think pays off. I do lag here and there, so I prefer offline overall.
mushin_Z: In your opinion, who are the players to watch in the Toronto community?
BlitzMan: There’s so many to list! I don’t even think I’m good at gauging skill in SFV, but in my opinion I’d say Mr. Trite (any game), CountBlack (Laura), OCV_LES (Bison), STDxVan (Nash/Urien), Rass (Balrog), General Luke (Cammy), GentleStep (Ibuki), Vastend (Vega), Italdan (Chun-Li), Solomon (Birdie/Balrog) SJ (Rashid) BM|OrangeMan (Rashid). There’s honestly too many.
StarmieGee: Italdan, BlitzMan, Van1up, OrangeMan. The reason I say these guys is because not only do they place well in tournaments, they actually travel and represent Toronto at other North American majors.
SJ: Italdan, BlitzMan, Shane Walker, LES, and Chokehold. Those players have been the most consistent so far in SFV. We also have strong talent outside of SF that you should be watching. We have players like Karn (KOF), Psykotik (BlazBlue), Rebelo (Killer Instinct) and the NRS brothers Biohazard and Honeybee.
mushin_Z: How has the Toronto FGC impacted your experience with the game? Has your own skill improved through interaction with the Toronto SF scene, and has involvement with the Toronto FGC increased your enjoyment of fighting games?
SJ: The Toronto FGC is like family to me. While we want to beat each other, we also want each other to improve. We do trash talk each other a lot, but most of us know not to take it to heart. I would say I owe most of my success in fighting games to my local scene. Playing with the top players helped me perform well in major tournaments.
StarmieGee: I never left a weekly without learning something different. It makes my experience with the game more diverse, and is a reminder that the FGC is so much more than just an online game. Roots is offline, and because I never grew up with Street Fighter, the scene is a reminder of how supportive people are and how competitive this game is. There’s only really two kinds of people: someone who encourages you, or just another person to compete with. But the Toronto FGC taught me to cheer for my own (any Canadian). [My skill has improved] a bit–I used to work on many of the days the weeklies were, so I haven’t gone as much as the regulars. After a good experience at Toryuken, I went to Evo and traveled around the world playing Street Fighter. My experience with the Toronto FGC made such a great impression on me for FG tournaments. I love fighting games a lot more now.
BlitzMan: It’s gotten worse for me, to be honest, with the release of Street Fighter V. The Toronto FGC lost so much talent and skillful players after the game’s release. The community is growing with new faces, and that makes me happy, but at the same time I’ve lost probably four of the strongest players in the community, and my closest training partners for the last eight years. I do really enjoy seeing the newbloods step up their game though, and that makes me really happy, but I’m also becoming an old man and I miss the rivalries and trash talk sometimes. =D Of course [my skill has improved]! I can’t play online like 90% of the time, so where else could I get better! Everyone of all skill levels from the community push me to become a better player. It’s kind of amazing how you can gain so many long-term friends from an offline interactive social video game. I don’t think I’d be playing fighting games at all if it wasn’t for the Toronto FGC. I’d probably be playing Dota2 or Overwatch.
mushin_Z: Has any particular player acted as a mentor, or a rival for you?
BlitzMan: Well, throughout Street Fighter IV I had a lot of mentors and rivalries. A group of us would get together probably every day in summer, or multiple times a week during school to play. There was JS_Master (Balrog), Eric Hai (Ryu), Spiralguy, and Mr. Trite. We’d all push each other to get better, think of strategies, practice matchups and often trash talk each other. None of us wanted to lose to the other in tournament, so we’d often practice together to always be one step ahead. Later on in the game’s lifespan, Riceata (Blanka) moved to Toronto and I played with him the most. I’d say all of these players impacted my life, and the way I play.
SJ: The two players that acted as a mentor for me were Mr. Trite and Drewface. Playing Trite in USFIV and UMvC3 improved my overall fighting game skillset. Drewface taught me proper fighting game mindset and mentality. I find both skillset and mindset equally as important when it comes to competitive play. A lot of players have been rivals to me. Shout-outs to Broshadian, Chokehold, Joker, Italdan, Pikachu-Salty, Shane Walker, and KS-Tali.
StarmieGee: Justin Wong actually invited me to my first major, in my own city. Justin Wong, K-Brad, Noel and Infiltration were actually the ones who got me to get out the house to play. Infiltration taught me so much about FGC culture regarding money matches, experiences with crowds, and competition. Justin has been there basically from the beginning. He’s been my support when things were a bit rough in the scene, and guided my way when I wanted to give up. As for gameplay, Gllty is my coach. I love her.
mushin_Z: What major tournaments have you attended? Have you traveled to tournaments outside of Canada?
BlitzMan: I recently got sponsored, so I get to travel to more events, but I mean there’s too many to list. I’d say older times I went to Season’s Beatings 5, or the older Toronto majors T-series (Which I want to bring back!), but if were talking about recently, CEO, Evo, SCR, Canada Cup obviously. I really want to go to Combo Breaker and DreamHack Texas this year.
StarmieGee: Inside Canada: Toryuken 4 & 5, EGLX, Red Bull, Canada Cup (two years), LAN ETS (Montréal). Outside Canada: Evo (last two years), Summer Jam, Final Round. Much more to come this year…
SJ: Toryuken was my first tournament ever, and I have been going there every year. I also attended Canada Cup, when they started hosting the series in Toronto. Outside of Canada I’ve been to Final Round, CEO, and a few big East Coast Tournaments. Make sure you guys come to Toryuken and Canada Cup this year!
mushin_Z: How well have you placed? How would you describe the experience of traveling to compete?
StarmieGee: Not well. That is all.
BlitzMan: I only made top 8 twice last year. As for the rest, there’s too many to count, but not as good as I’d like. [laughs] I’ve had some terrible experiences traveling to compete, mainly due to airlines/airports or cabs. Other than that It can get exhausting having week to week events go home, have to go to a tournament at home then fly out for another tournament in another city. But It’s also an amazing experience at the same time, meeting new people who share the same passion and seeing new cities!
StarmieGee: But traveling to places I never been with friends is the best thing since entering the FGC. I have made so many friends online that I met at the tournaments I travel to, and I definitely met friends in different countries I think I will have for life. I also played SF in France at Meltdown (probably my favorite traveling experience).
SJ: For SFV the best I’ve done so far was top 16 at Summer Jam and top 64 at Canada Cup last year. I’ve placed well at majors for Marvel vs. Capcom 3, making top 3 at Canada Cup and Frosty Faustings. As well as placing top 16 at Final Round, NEC and Summer Jam. I always find traveling and playing other players from around the world to be so thrilling. You encounter so many players and their unique style of play.
SJ with Daigo Umehara [left] and fellow Rashid main John Takeuchi [right].
mushin_Z: How often do you encounter players from other cities in Toronto? Do they fit in easily while visiting?
BlitzMan: Pretty often… I’d say the players that visit Toronto the most would be, EG|K-Brad, Dieminion, Beeball, and Riceata. Chi-Rithy, Snafoo and the MTLSF crew come whenever they can, too. The Toronto SF community is super welcoming to all. Anyone can easily fit in. The Canadian FGC in general such a diverse melting pot of ethnicities and cultures, it’s almost impossible to feel left out.
StarmieGee: Often. Quite a handful of people at A&C are not actually from Toronto, but the outskirts. Fitting in is not easy, in my opinion. The Toronto SF is aggressive in competition, and also closely-knit. When you go, you don’t feel like sitting and having a nice chat with people. I feel that people have a “let’s get to work” mentality. It’s not a very social environment.
SJ: Usually anytime a Toronto major happens. The Toronto scene is a very loud but welcoming scene. I find that the outside players really enjoy how hype we can get.
mushin_Z: Are there any players from outside Toronto you see/compete with regularly?
StarmieGee: Yes–because I almost always play online, and most of the viewers and friends are actually from the West Coast.
BlitzMan: Hmmm.. Maybe Chi-Rithy? I played a lot with Dieminion, Snafoo, Riceata, and K-Brad when they stayed at my house for Toryuken. Compete with “regularly,” not too sure… I know I lost to EG|Ricki Ortiz three times last season. Her Chun-Li is too strong!
SJ: I usually compete with Chi-Rithy and the MTLSF crew anytime they come to Toronto, or when I go to Montréal. Justin Wong, K-Brad, Noel Brown and RayRay are also players I encounter a lot, because they tend to go to our local majors.
mushin_Z: What games other than Street Fighter are you into, and why?
BlitzMan: I was really into Dota while I was playing 3rd Strike; I used to join foosball tournaments before Street Fighter tournaments, too! Foosball/table soccer was huge in Toronto arcades/pool halls. As of right now I watch a lot of CS:GO, and am trying to hit Masters in Overwatch. Too many Street Fighter IV players went to Overwatch!
StarmieGee: I grew up playing WoW, and actually play MOBAs like LoL and HotS. I currently love Overwatch. Games, to me, are great if the character kits are amazing and the graphics are good.
SJ: I play a lot of other fighting games other than Street Fighter. My favorite fighting game of all time is Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. It’s a crazy-fast fighter that requires you to play solid, or else your whole team dies. I am a big fan of the Versus series and I am very excited for Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. I also enjoy Guilty Gear and BlazBlue. Outside of fighters, I’ve been recently been getting into Counter Strike: Global Offensive. I’m not that much into shooters, but this game is very challenging and the competitive play is very intriguing. I’ve also been going back and playing GameCube games, because I never owned a GameCube [laughs]. Luigi’s Mansion so far is my favorite.
mushin_Z: What does Toronto offer a Street Fighter fan that can’t be found anywhere else?
BlitzMan: I’d say the Toronto FGC isn’t just a community to play games. We’re a big family across different races, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. We share our passion, while having a good time with community events such as fundraisers for charities and community BBQs! We’re all just having good fun and good times.
StarmieGee: Racial diversity. They used to do this thing on weekly tournaments where beside the player name would be the flag of his or her nationality. I thought it was awesome to showcase how diverse the community was. In general, I think Toronto is very similar to other FGCs around North America, which is great–because if you are from another community, it won’t feel so different.
SJ: I’ve traveled to many scenes around North America and I would say no one gets as hype as my own scene. We yell and trash talk so much especially when the outsiders come down to compete with us. I find our hype makes the tournaments much more exciting and interesting.
For some additional comments, I reached out again to Toronto-based streamer JakyoManor, who was previously included in Part 2 of my Montréal interview set; she has been branded a “traitor”–both affectionately and not–for her connections to both the Toronto and the Montréal scenes. She had this to offer:
The Montréal and Toronto FGC have a complex relationship. We are bitter rivals within our homes, and yet we are all love and support in International tournaments. We’ve been competing against each other since the arcade days. Toronto always had a strong 3rd Strike scene, and Montréal had the better CvS2 players. Toronto also had a strong showing for MvC2 and 3. Today, the FGC in both cities has evolved.
The Montréal scene is quiet and calculated–with the players playing in a venue that is akin to a lounge, where players reflect on where and how they can improve their playing. Toronto is a loud and vibrant community, with an almost rite-of-passage mindset to welcoming new players. They’re going to sweat you a bit to make sure you have the courage to stay and compete. Both cities have their OGs, and their new bloods. What makes the relationship between these adversaries so interesting is how intense the atmosphere becomes when they get together. Maybe it’s rooted in the deep-set past of French vs. English, or the constant struggle between the cities’ respective hockey teams? Whatever it is, it makes a tournament between these two cities electrifying! I have been to several tournaments and nothing, NOTHING, can get a crowd going like two players from these cities being pitted against each other. When the two FGCs meet up, it’s going extremely loud, it’s going to be funny, full of side bets, French cursing, and bitter grudge matches. It’s hard to believe just how much fun you can have winning (or losing) so much on side bets and how the cities really get together to champion their respective area.
The rivalry between Toronto and Montréal makes Canada strong. The competition is not one set in hate, but in constantly keeping ourselves in check, wanting more. It’s a great way to get the fire going, and to make players hungry from both cities. I love the Canadian FGC. I hope we start getting top 62 and 32, and eventually grab those top 8 spots! Patience. Work. Rivalries!
Tomorrow in Part 2, we’ll get to know more about Drewface and the 50/50 brand, as well as talk to Chokehold, and Brutus–one of the scene’s youngest rising stars.
Despite a number of changes coming into Season 2, R. Mika remains a relatively strong character in competitive Street Fighter V–as players like Liquid|NuckleDu and GRPT|Fuudo have demonstrated. Now, a recent discovery may shed light on one of the reasons why she’s remained such a force to be reckoned with.
The discovery has to do with R. Mika’s dash. Her dash has always been seen as good, and tends to catch people off guard, even those trying to poke it out. We now know why it is so good: as demonstrated in the tweet by TOOLASSISTED, her hurtbox retracts for about 6 frames during the start up of her dash.
Now, this apparently isn’t a new discovery, and players like NuckleDu have known about it since last season. However, it was only recently that it was brought to light due to a tweet from Japanese player WORLD_COMBO.
With the exposure of this property of R. Mika’s dash to the wider community, players such as Alioune and BX3|Phenom have started exploring it and figuring out what moves lose out to it.
Of course, the property has also sparked some discussion among the community on whether or not it should be retained or removed in a future balance patch. Javits Arias seems to side with the latter, stating on Twitter that while “people can definitely come up with ways to stop it in the meantime,” it’s also something that is unintentional and carries little risk of a counter hit.
Other players aren’t as quick to jump to gun on getting the property fixed. Speaking to Ian Walker over at Compete, David “UltraDavid” Graham has stated that he feels that it adds to the character, giving a character who has poor defensive options a defensive tool. More importantly, it gives the character–and the game–a bit more personality. “I like that it’s something else to factor in for both attacking and defending players,” states UltraDavid, “Some situations in Street Fighter V can feel repetitive because most characters have go-to mixups, regardless of who they’re playing against.”
Whether or not it eventually gets removed somewhere down the line, players are better off learning how to deal with it, for now.
After our Europe detour last week, we’re switching focus to North America once again. The Super Steam Xrd Exhibition League is set to provide more exciting sets between skilled players, with commentary. We have an I-no, Kum Haehyun, Dizzy Kiske, and Faust coming up.
The Daredevils this time are: Spectryn vs. Voguekun, and XAQshinor vs. Zinac. Let’s learn a little more about them.
Spectryn
On the match: “Well, my thoughts are simple, really: just to keep everything simple and keep a calm head. I don’t think it should be too hard to do.”
On his opponent: “Voguekun is an OK player, and he can do good, but the way he plays at least in my view seems too wild to master or achieve higher heights for a character like Haehyun. Personally, I’m not afraid or worried about much that he can do to stop me.”
On his own playstyle: “And as for my playstyle, I can’t really say, because it depends on the moment and character. I can be defensive or super aggressive. It mostly changes depending on what I feel like I can get away with during situations.
Besides doing good or bad potentially, I think it’s good for people to know that Connecticut does have a scene for anime, and that I will be helping, or at least trying to get them better. This is a chance to show them what type of player I am and give exposure to our scene here. But I have to heavily thank TSB/NY scene for helping me improve!
Voguekun
On the match: “I’m not sure who has an easier time in Kum vs. I-no. Haehyun is still relatively new with few players that main her, and I find my opinions on the character’s strengths shifting around all the time when there’s no established understanding of her match-ups. Kum has a lot of cheap ways to take rounds for free, all of which I take advantage of constantly. Against I-no there are a few specific ones I that saw Spectryn deal with relatively well, so I expect a set that goes to at least ten games. The move that will make or break this matchup for Spectryn is HCL (Horizontal Chemical Love), as it has to potential to absolutely dominate Kum in neutral if used wisely, or undo I-No completely if used carelessly.
On his opponent: “I don’t know Spectryn very well. I chose to accept his challenge because I have no reason not to, as it’s pointless to deny a set if it isn’t a hassle and both players are close in skill. If I had to guess, I think that he wants to fight me because I’m loud, flippant, and I pop-off. Regardless of how this perception affects my standing in the scene, I respect every player as a competitor and extend that respect to him. It’s fun to butt heads and rival with someone.”
On his own playstyle: “The US Guilty Gear scene likes to label me as wild and careless, and to some degree that’s true. But anyone who has played me in long sets, especially Dallas players whom I play weekly at our locals, can tell you that I’m more eager to trick you, something I picked up from years of Starcraft, than I am to press wake-up buttons. For the past 11 months, Kum has been the first and only character that I’ve used to learn Rev. It just so happens that Kum likes to coinflip with her high health and high damage, which has no doubt bled into my understanding of the game in a way that it might not have if I’d picked Sol or Ky to learn GG with.”
XAQshinor
On the match: “I think it will be an interesting match, both characters want to fill the screen with either projectiles or large/active normals, so I think some of those interactions and how we deal with them will be cool to see. Round start and before I can put things on the screen, Faust definitely has the edge, but it isn’t insurmountable and it’s actually a pretty fun matchup in my opinion.”
On his opponent: “I don’t know Zinac very well personally, but I know he’s a longtime GG and Faust player, and I know he has a strong grasp on the character. I also know he’s very knowledgeable about the game so I don’t expect him to be caught by surprise by anything weird that Dizzy may be capable of.”
On his own playstyle: “I guess I would describe my playstyle as calculated lame or guerrilla tactics style, hit-and-run, something along those lines. Dizzy is very momentum-based and her mobility is second to none. I try to use a playstyle that brings those strengths to the foreground, so I don’t like doing a lot of random or unsafe things. There is usually a purpose behind most things I do, and I typically try to play as safe as possible.”
Zinac
On the match: “I wanted to participate in this league for a while, because exhibitions are fun to watch and want people to see my style of Faust play.”
On his opponent: “XAQ was a really strong Dizzy in Accent Core. He may have even been the best in the US at some point. So I expect a challenging match from him. He’s experienced so won’t fall for simple tricks, and I have to expect he’s well prepared.”
On his own playstyle: “My style of Faust is definitely about creating momentum for myself. I look for any opportunity to swing a match in my favor. So I spend a lot of time planning out my strategy well ahead of a match.”
The stage is set for tonight’s Super Steam Xrd Exhibition League matches. As usual, tune in to Silva’s Twitch channel. The action begins at 9:00 PM ET/8:00 PM CST/6:00 PM PDT. Commentary will be provided by doren2k and Mynus–so expect a lot of insight on I-no.
One of the more surprising fighting game series from the last generation were the Persona 4 Arena games. Spin-off/sequels to Atlus’s cult-favorite Persona 4 JRPG, Persona 4 Arena and Persona 4 Arena Ultimax banked on the crossover appeal of the franchise, while also bringing fighting games to a new audience.
With a new game–Persona 5–just having been released, some may be wondering if Atlus will follow it up with its own fighting game spin-off. Well, it seems that they might be planning to do just that.
Atlus just recently registered a number of domain names for possible Persona 5 spin-offs. Now, all of these are domains are acronyms, and none of them give exact titles. However, some of these acronyms are similar to the ones used for past spin-offs of Persona 4. The first of these is P4AG.com, with the “A” part of the acronym meaning “Arena.” However, the “G” could also indicate a different spin-off.
The more-likely giveaway domain, however, is P4U.com. This acronym could likely refer to a “Persona 5 Ultimax,” matching up with Persona 4 Ultimax.
Of course, this is all just conjecture at this point–and, with all the number of domains that they registered, Atlus may just be may just be making sure they own those domains in case of future plans, and they might not actually make games for all–or any–of them.
