Catch some Blake footage and full movelist rundown from the BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle tournaments at KSB 2018

KSB (KVO x TSB) 2018 took place in Japan last weekend, a fusion of Japanese and American efforts in the fighting game scene, and one of the main attractions was the latest build of BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. It featured a few fighters from one of the Character Packs — Kanji, Platinum, and Orie, along with the RWBY member Blake.

Although we’ve seen a gameplay overview of Blake, we haven’t really had a chance to get many impressions of her. Thankfully, KSB attendee, Rurouni, was there to experiment with the character. Their BBTAG Blake overview is a fairly in-depth guide of her abilities and normal attacks. She has some very good pokes, and her jC attack is very interesting: it’s a type of a teleport, blink-strike (which, story-wise, is consistent with her skills, which also include shadow clones). Some of her special attacks, translated as “Shadow Kick,” “Shadow Pounce,” and “Shadow Trick,” have multiple follow-ups which can be done even on whiff. She can also make three types of clones, Stone, Shadow, and Fire. The first one blocks an attack, the second masks her movements a little (some properties may not be discovered yet) and the last one is an explosive EX version of the move.

Check out a picture captured by St1ckBuG of Blake’s movelist, and review the action below from KSB to see Blake as well as other fighters in action. The BBTAG beta starts on Wednesday for those who pre-order the game from PSN.

blakemovelist


Watch KSB2018 BLAZBLUE CROSS TAG BATTLE from kvojapan2018 on www.twitch.tv
Sources: KSB 2018; St1ckBuG; Rurouni (Google Docs)

Director Toshinobu Kondo talks about upcoming crossover fighter Blade Strangers with Nintendo Everything

Among this year’s crop of upcoming fighting games, Blade Strangers for Nintendo Switch may be the one that most fighting game fans are least familiar with. This crossover fighter, featuring characters from a number of Studio Saizensen and Nicalis’s games, pretty much came out of nowhere when it was announced last year.

In a recent interview, the game’s director Toshinobu Kondo got a chance to talk to Nintendo Everything about all things Blade Strangers. The interview covers a lot of ground, from basic development questions — such as character choice — to questions of why they decided to make the game in the first place. In fact, the question of why Studio Saizensen and Nicalis decided to make a fighting game is one of the first questions asked. The answer is simply that this came from the idea that fighting games are competitions based on all-stars that represent different fighting styles or countries.

In addition to this, he also talks about the game’s approach to art assets. Similar to a few other games, Blade Strangers starts with 3D models that are then rotoscoped into traditional sprites, albeit Studio Saizensen’s work with this technique tends to involve more automation and manual tweaking by artists. In fact, Kondo states that their work on Blade Strangers is the culmination of this technique, with the sprites requiring very little touch up from artists at all.

As for the game’s simplified execution requirements (special attacks are done with dedicated button presses), he states that they did this based on feedback from their previous games, where there was complaint about how the commands made the games more difficult to play. The concept then, according to Kondo, was to make a fighting game that more advanced players would still enjoy, without alienating beginners. Speaking of which, they do still care about high level play, at least when it comes to the game’s balance. Kondo stated that they have had the game tested by high-level players in Japan and are tweaking the balance based on their feedback.

Of course, this is just part of what they talk about in the interview. They also talk about the game’s cast, the features they’re adding to it, post launch support, and much more. You can check out the full interview over at Nintendo Everything.

Source: Nintendo Everything

– Next Day Headed for Release on May 21st

The Next Day team has sent word that its survival MMO is scheduled for release on May 21st and to prepare, a huge new update has launched. Players will find new locations added including the Dead Marshes that is said to be packed with quests (to be added in a future update), weapons, armor, new enemies and bosses. In addition, the new “exoskeleton armor” allows players to turn “into a true war machine” with increased firepower and defense rate.

Dragon Ball FighterZ: New features and balance patch coming May 9th, patch notes released

Is Dragon Ball FighterZ about to surpass its limits?

dbfz may patch graphic

We knew the balance patch was on the way — and Bandai Namco have now verified when we’ll see the patch go live, and what it will contain. The update rolls out on May 9, on all three platforms (PlayStation 4/Xbox One/PC). The changelist has been posted to Bandai Namco’s Facebook page; the new features to be added are:

• FIGHTERZ CUP: a monthly competition where players can fight and collect points for their respective Z-Union
• PARTY BATTLE: Co-op fights where 3 players can join forces to defeat fearsome bosses
(More information will be revealed soon for the events linked to these new features)

And here is the full list of balance changes they have posted. Check to see how it will affect your team members!

MODES:

• REPLAY CHANNEL: To enable implementation of the below gameplay adjustments (see “GAMEPLAY” section), recorded data from Replay Channel will be erased
• COMBO CHALLENGE: Fixed an issue where there was a gap between when the timer starts counting and the game starts allowing some inputs when performing position reset in a combo challenge

TRAINING MODE:
• Fixed an issue where the training dummy doesn’t guard/unguard properly with Enemy Settings set to Guard First Only
• Fixed an issue where the training dummy doesn’t properly playback movements that are recorded in advance when using Ginyu’s Body Change after performing Dragon Rush (Forced Switch) and not resetting the positions in-between these two actions.
• Fixed an issue where the combo damage is not displayed when an attack is counteracted by an armor move . An adjustment has also been made to prevent immediate health recovery when an attack is counteracted by an armor move.
• Fixed an issue where “OK!” is displayed on the Assist character icons even when they are crossed out with Assist Cooldown Setting set to Quick Recovery
• Fixed an issue where the training dummy fails to recover its health with some specific unconnected strings of moves
• Fixed an issue where the training dummy fails to guard in some cases even when the Guard Follow-ups option is selected
• Self-damaging moves will no longer affect the Combo Damage displayed
• Fixed an issue where the training dummy fails to guard attacks with some specific strings when the Guard Settings is set to Guard Follow-ups

STORY MODE:
• Fixed an issue where the defense-up skills are taking effects only the half of what they are supposed to

GAMEPLAY:

GOKU (Super Saiyan):
• Fixed an issue where the dust effect displayed for Goku (Super Saiyan)’s Kamehameha and Warp Kamehameha continues to be displayed while the game is paused by an opponent’s Super Attack

VEGETA (SSGSS):
• Fixed an issue where the Vegeta (SSGSS)’s Big Bang Attack does not explode when blocked by a Z Assist with an armor property (such as Android 18’s Z Assist)
• Fixed an issue where player cannot perform Vanish move when Vegeta (SSGSS)’s Big Bang Attack hits armor property objects (such as Broly’s Powered Shell)
• Modified the damage scaling of Vegeta(SSGSS) several Ki-Blast moves to match with a normal Ki Blast
• Modified the amount of the damage that’s done with the first attack of Vegeta(SSGSS)’s Niagara Pummel
• Adjusted Vegeta (SSGSS)’s On a Scale of One to Ten, I’ll Give You a Three! so that it’s easier now to grab an opponent and follow up with Z assists
• Fixed an issue where the move sometimes hits an opponent even after they’re K.O.-ed
• Fixed an issue where Vegeta (SSGSS)’s invincibility is disabled at the wrong timing when executing Final Flash Attack

BROLY:
• Fixed an issue where the energy ball goes up in the air when Broly’s Gigantic Meteor is clash canceled
• Fixed an issue where Broly’s Jumping Heavy Attack doesn’t clash cancel
• Fixed an issue where the Powered Shell effect appears for a split second when Broly gets K.O-ed
• Fixed an issue where an opponent wall bounces when a player hits the opponent with Broly’s Gigantic Strike with corner on the back
• Fixed an issue where hit count doesn’t increase when hitting an opponent with Broly’s Jump Heavy Attack, the medium and the heavy versions of Lariat Express
• Matched the number of times Broly’s Jumping Down Heavy attack can endure hits with other moves to allow an opponent to counter it with a Crouching Heavy attack
• Fixed an issue where Broly’s Powered Shell disappears when hit by certain ranged Special Moves
• Fixed an issue where Broly is able to cancel into his Super Attack at the moment he catches an opponent with his Eraser Blow the medium and the heavy versions of the Lariat Express, Gigantic Claw and Gigantic Strike
• Fixed an issue where Broly’s barrier effect is out of sync when canceling into Sparking Blast 1 frame after the start of a Super Dash

BEERUS:
• Fixed an issue where Beerus’ Standing Unique Attack, Jumping Unique Attack and Sphere of Destruction disappear before they destroy what is in the background when reflected
• Fixed an issue where the lower energy ball of the two created by Beerus’s heavy version of Sphere of Destruction cannot be repelled by Beerus’ attacks when it bounced back without hitting an opponent
• Fixed an issue where Beerus is able to keep shooting Ki-blasts without an end after hitting an opponent with his Beerus Ball in a certain way
• Fixed an issue where Sphere of Destruction keeps flashing and making sounds when it takes hits during a pause
• Reduced the recovery frame of Beerus’ down medium attack to match with other moves

TIEN:
• Fixed an issue with character displays that’s observed when Tien hits an opponent who is positioned at the backside of Tien

KRILLIN:
• Now Krillin’s Z assist will always throw a rock unless a player is inputting left when he appears on the screen
• Increased the duration of hit stun and the time an opponent isn’t able to recover for Krillin’s Z Assist

NAPPA:
• Adjusted the knock back distance of an opponent so that Nappa’s Jumping Down Heavy attack is more likely to hit twice
• Mitigated the damage scaling of Nappa’s Too Bad to balance out with other invincible moves
• Adjusted damage scaling of Saibaman’s explosive attacks

YAMCHA:
• Fixed an issue with appearances when a player defeats the last character of an opponent with Yamcha’s Ultimate Wolf Fang Fist

CAPTAIN GINYU:
• Fixed an issue where the Z Assist Character is displayed while performing Ginyu’s Body Change
• Fixed an issue where Ginyu’s Jumping Heavy attack can put an opponent in the sliding knockdown state in a different timing than other characters

HIT:
• Fixed an issue where Z assist characters remain on the screen in the case Hit’s I Keep Improving hits an opponent while the characters are in their hit stun

FRIEZA:
• Fixed an issue where Frieza’s Death Saucer doesn’t vanish after clashing with Broly’s Powered Shell
• Extended the inner part of the hit box for Frieza’s Crouching Heavy
• Fixed an issue where damage scaling isn’t properly processed when executing Frieza’s You might not survive this time and connecting it with following Death Ball.
• Fixed an issue where Frieza’s Death Saucer flies in a wrong path when clashed once
• Fixed an issue where Frieza’s You must Die by my Hand! cannot be executed when getting a hard knock-down by certain moves (Nappa’s Arm Break, etc.)
• Adjusted the damage and the damage scaling for Frieza’s You might not Survive this Time

PICCOLO:
• Fixed an issue where Piccolo’s Z Assist doesn’t fire the energy blast when used right after a Super Attack
• Fixed an issue where a player can’t block Piccolo’s Z Assist unless the player is inputting the direction away from an opponent when the opponent switches the positioning of the player’s main character and the opponent’s main character while Piccolo’s Z Assist Homing Energy Blast is still on the screen

ANDROID 18:
• Modified the light version of Android 18’s Back Grapple’s so that the hit count increases when an opponent is smashed into the ground
• Also modified the damage value and the damage scaling in accordance with the above modification

ANDROID 16:
• Now players will be able to recover from the ground when hit by Android 16’s Dynamite Driver
• Removed the invincibility to ranged attacks from Android 16’s Standing Heavy, Jumping Heavy and Crouching Heavy

VEGETA (Super Saiyan):
• Reduced the duration of block stun for Vegeta (Super Saiyan)’s Z assist

GOHAN (Adult):
• Modified the property of Gohan (Adult)’s down light attack to match with other light attacks
• Modified Gohan (Adult)’s heavy version of mid-air Ultimate Back Attack so that opponents are now able to ground recover when hit
• Reduced the frame advantage of Gohan (Adult)’s heavy version of Machine Gun Kick when it’s blocked by an opponent

KID BUU:
• Fixed an issue where Kid Buu’s Candy Beam sometimes hits an opponent for several times
• Made a modification to Kid Buu’s Pearl Flash so that the damage scaling of Super Attacks is now applied

ANDROID 21:
• Fixed an issue where the move property of Android 21’s Solar Flare which becomes available after absorbing an opponent isn’t ranged attack
• Android 21’s Total Detonation Ball has been adjusted so that it now disappears when hit by Broly’s Powered Shell
• Fixed an issue where a sound effect isn’t played when Android 21 executes a mid-air version of her special move Sticky Energy Blast
• Fixed an issue where Android 21’s hurt box isn’t consistent depending on which mid-air damaged motion is triggered

GOHAN (Teen):
• Fixed an issue where wrong down state is applied to a character when getting hit by the medium version of Gohan (Teen)’s Flying Kick high up in the air
• Fixed the timing when Gohan (Teen)’s 5-Hit Combo disappears
• Fixed an issue where the effect was out of synch during Son Gohan (Adult)’s Jet Upper and Z Assist
• Fixed an issue where characters’ appearances become strange while they’re falling when Son Gohan (Adult) hits an opponent high up in the air with his ground version of the Ultimate Back Attack (after Potential Unleashed)

GOTENKS:
• Fixed an issue where the hitbox of Gotenks’ Z Assist remains even after he has left the screen
• Fixed an issue where Gotenks’ Jumping Heavy can put an opponent in the sliding knockdown state in a different timing than other characters
• Fixed an issue where Gotenks’ Z Assist can forcibly put an already mid-air opponent’s position back to the ground

CELL:
• Cell’s Psychokinesis Crash has been adjusted so that the attack no longer appears behind an opponent character

TRUNKS:
• Fixed an issue where Trunks sometimes doesn’t execute follow up attacks after hitting an opponent with his Shining Slash

GOKU BLACK:
• Made an adjustment so that Goku Black’s medium and heavy versions of the Fierce God Kick no longer locks down even a knocked out opponent

OTHERS:
• Fixed an issue where some characters don’t instantly transition to their down motion but keeps performing their super armor moves until the end in the case the character loses all its health by an opponent’s move that has a property to lock down an enemy
• Fixed an issue where a character reacts and turns back to an opponent after the Vanish attack while they are performing certain Special Moves or Super Attacks such as Goku (Super Saiyan)’s Kamehameha
• Fixed an issue where a character floats in the air for a short period when getting a sliding knock down by particular moves such as Goku Black’s Holy Light Grenade
• Fixed an issue where Z Assist characters fly high up in the air when they are forced to leave the screen by certain moves such as Goku Black’s God Slicer Dance
• Fixed an issue where a player’s character loses its ability to move properly when the player performs Z reflect against some specific moves such as Android 16’s Hell Flash
• Fixed an issue where a player’s normal Jumping Heavy Attack works in the same way as an auto combo finisher when an opponent’s Z Assist character leaves the screen while the player is performing a combo
• Fixed an issue where scaling that should have been applied to non-recovery frame to prevent a combo loop isn’t applied when starting a combo with certain moves
• Fixed an issue where a character slides horizontally with facing downward when triggering Super Dash under specific conditions
• Fixed an issue where certain voices aren’t played in certain situations
• Fixed KO voices so that the appropriate voices that are corresponding to certain characters will be played
• Increased the duration of throw invincibility for both air and ground back dash
• Made some adjustments to make it harder to execute the Z reflect for the second time in succession
• Fixed an issue where the invincibility of Z assist characters aren’t properly disabled when leaving the screen due to the main character getting a hit
• Fixed an issue where a player’s main character is able to cancel moves to an another move even when they are whiffing in the case the player team’s fireballs got reflected by an opponent’s Z-reflect or Super dash.

DBFZ Shenron

Source: Bandai Namco (Facebook) via Bandai Namco US (Twitter)

Core-A Gaming tackles the intricacies of salt and fairness in their latest video

Everyone knows the feeling of being salty at a fighting game. This genre, which takes winning and losing to their most basic video game expression, can have some of the the highest levels of stress, frustration, and dejection involved in those losses.

Gerald Lee from Core-A Gaming delves straight into one of the toughest subjects to break down in the FGC in his latest video. Discussing the science behind frustration and feelings of unfairness, he discusses how developers look to try to prevent these types of situations in games, while still allowing both sides to play.

He closes with a game catching popularity that flies seemingly against all modern definitions of fairness in fighting games — Sailor Moon S.

Source: Core-A Gaming

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle Collector’s Edition is now available to pre-order exclusively through Arc System Works

If you’re set on BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, get your wallets ready. For those who appreciate physical goodies, the Collector’s Edition of the game is now officially available to pre-order. This special edition is available exclusively through Arc System Works’ store for now, and later it will also be available through the Rooster Teeth store.

Here’s what this PlayStation 4 special edition of BBTAG comes with:

  • 4 acrylic figures featuring BlazBlue’s Ragna, Persona’s Yu, Under Night In-Birth’s Hyde, and RWBY‘s Ruby.
  • Full color, 52-page art book
  • 15 song soundtrack
  • BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle steel game case
  • Collector’s Edition Box

Note: The Collector’s Edition does not include additional DLC or characters packs that will be available later.

This edition stands at $99.99, and it’s not available at other stores such as Amazon. This edition is available for pre-ordering only (unless somehow ASW doesn’t sell their full stock). Unfortunately, this version doesn’t count as a PSN pre-order, so that means that the BBTAG beta will start for these players on May 12th and the demo will be a more limited version post the beta period.

The Nintendo Switch version of BBTAG is also available for pre-order; both Collector’s Editions are the same. The game is still on track to release on June 5th in America and May 29th in Japan.

Source: Arc System Works store

Pop Culture Shock has a massive (and expensive) Shao Khan figure up for pre-order

Pop Culture Shock is now strange to big and expensive collectibles — last year, they shocked the world with their amazing Street Fighter V Chun-Li statue. Now the company is back with another monster of a figure, this time from Mortal Kombat: the emperor of Outworld himself, Shao Khan.

Standing (or more precisely sitting, as he is on his throne) at 35 inches tall, Pop Culture Shock’s Shao Khan statue is one of the biggest collectibles out there, and at $1,499 it’s also one of the most expensive. For the price, the 1:3 scale statue comes with mixed media for Shao Khan’s clothing, LED lighting, as well as swappable head and hand pieces, with the latter having the option of showing Shao Khan hold Onaga’s severed head.

Pre-orders for the statue are now open over on Pop Culture Shock’s site, with the figure expected to ship between June and August of 2019. Multiple payment plans are available for those who aren’t willing to drop the full amount of the statue, however those who do will be able to avail of a 15% discount.

Click to view slideshow.

Source: Pop Culture Shock

Enjoy your first look at Labrys, Sho, Ultimax and Catherine DLC costumes for Persona’s dancing games

Its time for another showdown with Sho… on the dance floor!?

It appears that recently-announced Virtua Fighter costumes won’t be the only fighting game tie-ins coming to ATLUS’ Persona 3: Dancing Star Night and Persona 5: Dancing Moon Night. A recent Famitsu scan provides us with our first look at upcoming DLC characters Labrys and Sho Minazuki, as “Yasogami’s Steel Council President” and “The Rule-Smashing Pun Machine” trade in the battlefield for the dance floor, complete with Sho’s Ultimax stage recreated as a dance backdrop. Ayana Taketatsu and Kenichi Suzumura will both reprise their roles. The pair will be available in both P3D and P5D.

In addition, Mitsuru Kirijo, Aegis, Akihiko Sanada, Ken Amada, Junpei Iori, and Fuuka Yamagishi will be receiving their updated designs from Persona 4 Arena and Ultimax, as DLC costumes, with all playable characters, including Elzabeth, Labrys and Sho also receiving their “Player 2 Colors” as yet another alternative outfit to cut a rug in.

Finally, the cast of Persona 5: DSN will be getting DLC costumes from another ATLUS title and FGC favorite: Catherine. Ann Takamaki and Makoto Niijima take the outfits of Catherine and Katherine McBride, respectively, while protagonist Ren Amamiya portrays Vincent Brooks. The remaining Phantom Thieves cosplay as Vincent’s friends, with Ryuji Sakamoto taking the role of Orlando Haddick, Yusuke Kitagawa dressing like Jonny Ariga, Futaba Sakura donning the mechanic outfit of Tobias Nebbins, and Haru Okumura rocking Erica Anderson’s waitress uniform. Morgna gains a Sheep costume.

You can see the Famitsu scans and additional images below.

Click to view slideshow.

Persona 3: Dancing Moon Night and Persona 5: Dancing Star Night will both be released on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in Japan on Thursday, May 24th. Details on DLC release dates and pricing, as well as localized releases have not yet been revealed.

Source: Persona Central (2); Persona_Central (Twitter) via Famitsu 

Koihime Enbu’s latest arcade update, Koihime Enbu RyoRaiRai, will be coming to PC & PlayStation 4 this summer

Announced yesterday during the conclusion of its tournament at Japanese major KSB 2018, Koihime Enbu‘s latest arcade update, Koihime Enbu RyoRaiRai (恋姫演武~遼来来), will be coming to Steam and the PlayStation 4 console this summer.

While final dates and prices are not set in stone, (nor has this announcement made it onto the official Koihime site yet), the early estimate release of summer is good for news Koihime players, whom have been unable to try the new Arcade characters and balance changes for over a year. Less good news is the revelation that the game will be a separate title and not an update patch, but its low price point (4000 yen, the price it’s estimated to be under, is roughly $36) hopefully won’t break any anime banks.

SRK will be sure to update once more information becomes available on Koihime Enbu RyoRaiRai.

Source: HellaBrett