The De-evolution of the 3D Fighting genre

It came as a huge shock whilst writing this piece that SEGA AM2 have finally decided to make that announcement we (Virtua Fighter Fans) have all been waiting for (for about 3 years). After a 500 page petition, countless emails, fan pages, and forum posts, Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown will be released as a stand alone downloadable title over XBLA and PSN in the summer of 2012. This announcement was made on the 24th of August 2011 and stunned Virtua Fighter fans worldwide (many who had lost hope in ever seeing this game on home consoles stateside and in Europe). For those of you who are not familiar with Virtua Fighter 5, Final Showdown is the latest revision to the Virtua Fighter 5 titles released on the PS3 and XBOX 360 respectively, and was only available in the Japanese arcades. This particular revision brings a multitude of changes to the game, which include: character balancing, new moves for each character, redesigned stages, new stage soundtracks and even two new playable characters (Taka-Arashi and Jean Kujo) . . . .Ok, Taka is a returning character from VF3, but we might as well consider him brand new. I have spent years watching YouTube videos of highly skilled Japanese players beat themselves silly, displaying skills and techniques I could only pull off after months of dedicated training. To know I can finally have the opportunity to show off my dusty techniques is a thing of joy :) . I'm still speechless and yet ecstatic. 

The reason reference was made to Virtua Fighter is because I was gearing up to deliver a stinking essay expressing my utmost discontent for SEGA and AM2's decision to ignore their Virtua Fighter fan-base outside Japan (this outburst fitted nicely in the piece).  The announcement however came right on time, and has seemingly changed the outlook of things. The core of the piece still remains unchanged. 

Now back to the subject at hand: Why the noticeable decline in variety of 3D fighting franchises over the last decade ? It seems as though the number of competing 3D fighting franchises fall under the respective umbrellas of Virtua Fighter, Tekken, and Soul Calibur. Other 3D fighting game franchises have now become fossils, and have not been fortunate enough to see our present generation of consoles. And there has been no effort what so ever to revive them. The same cannot be said for the 2D fighting franchises that are currently enjoying critical and commercial success. These include Street Fighter 4 (and all its permutations), Blaz Blue series, Guilty gear series, King of fighters series, Marvel vs Capcom 3 (and all its permutations), Skullgirls, Arcana Hearts 3, and even the Mortal Kombat (2011) Reboot (which I class as a 2D fighter seeing as the character models and stages are modeled in 3D, however the fighting takes place on the X & Y axes). 


Now don't get me wrong. I appreciate & like 2D fighters, but my heart belongs to the 3D fighting  genre  . . . . I can't seem to shake of the Z axis and the potential depth it offers with regards to gameplay. Ok, I know perfect execution of super attacks, forward rolls, counters, jumps and back dashes (to name a few) all exist in 2D fighters, and I fully acknowledge mastering such tactical maneuvers are essential to winning a match. However the Z axis takes this idea to a whole new level. An excellent example is in the Virtua fighter series, where pressing the up or down on the directional pad just when your opponent launches an attack causes you to evade to the corresponding direction. Till date, the Virtua Fighter series is the only 3D fighting game series to successfully implement such an excellent fighting maneuver. You have to see it in action to really appreciate it because it truly takes the fighting to a level beyond mere blocking and countering. Check out this Virtua Fighter 5: R Video (Lau Chan vs Pai Chan)  . . . . Tell me if you can spot what has just been discussed. Observe very closely.

We also have the bound mechanic implemented in Tekken 6 as well, which exists to extend character combos and has also radically altered the ideology of air only juggles. It has really changed the way Tekken players approach the game, and adds more depth to the fighting system. It forces players to think outside the box, with highly skilled players choosing to implement the bound close to the walls for maximum damage. With all that has been said, I am confident there is room for innovation in the 3D fighting arena. The DE-evolution of 3D fighting games could possibly be due to the fact that the major 3D fighting franchises have pretty much solidified themselves in a seemingly shrinking market, therefore developers considering introducing new 3D fighting franchises find it too risky to go up against the well established heavy weights. The fear of being labelled copycats maybe ?


Virtua Fighter 5 sold poorly on the home consoles (I blame this on SEGA for releasing radically different versions of the game on both the PS3 and XBOX 360). Many even doubted the future of the series till the recent announcement. Tekken is a long running 3D fighting series from Namco that allows highly skilled players and beginners access the game for different levels of play (buttons are mapped to each limb, which is very logical and intuitive). That alone makes Tekken more accessible to a wider audience, which as a result makes it more popular. Virtua Fighter on the other hand cannot boast the same accessibility. Although the character commands in Virtua Fighter revolve around P,K, and G (Punch, Kick and Guard), progressing down the move list will make you break more than a sweat. It can be quite unforgiving. Virtua Fighter requires a certain level of discipline and dedication (especially with the command inputs), and sadly, not every one has the time & will power to dedicate to such a strict, yet rewarding system. This alone has hampered the reception and popularity of the series over time. Hopefully Final Showdown can attract more players to what I believe is the deepest 3D fighting game till date. 


And we have the character customisations. So it doesn't seem as though I am praising Virtua Fighter 5 a bit too much, head over to YouTube, watch a few Virtua Fighter 5: R and Final Showdown videos and marvel at the incredibly diverse character customisation options available for each character. It's pretty much insane. Till date, I am yet to see a 2D fighter that even comes anywhere close to offering the wealth of items and customisations a 3D fighting game like Virtua Fighter offers. Once again, I'm not attacking 2D fighters . . . Im just giving reasons why I love 3D fighting games, pointing out the noticeable decline in variety of 3D fighting franchises and also highlighting what makes 3D fighters unique.

Below is a table I have taken the time to construct and it shows 3D Fighting games releases & the release years in brackets.  Upcoming releases are included (pretty much confirmed). Please click to view larger version. N.B.: The Table has been updated to reflect more accurate data since the original post was made.

Table 1

The data in the table only serves to back up my initial point: Virtua Fighter, Tekken, and Soul Calibur are the last of the 3D fighting game franchises to make it to the present generation of consoles (N.B.: The table contains abbreviations for installments of each franchise. If you research the main franchises, the abbreviations can be deciphered). Some 3D fighting games like Toa Feng: Fist of the lotus, and Kakuto Chojin never lived to enjoy a 2nd installment (especially Kakuto Chojin seeing as it was surrounded by controversy). Bloody Roar surprisingly tried to keep up, but ultimately died a quiet death (the game play never really evolved ?). And as for the Dead or Alive series ? I reserve my Judgement till I hear an announcement with regards to the rumored 5th installment. But I personally went far away from the Dead or alive series due to the lack of distinctive move sets, and over reliance on a counter system (that got boring quickly). The most accurate description of  the Dead or Alive series is a " highly advanced poke-fest ". I hope the fighting system gets a complete overhaul when and if the 5th installment finally gets released on consoles.

Looking at popular fighting competitions like the Evolution Championship Series, GVN Summer Jam, and UFGT Resurrection, you instantly notice these competitions are dominated by 2D fighting games like: Arcana Heart 3, Blaz Blue Continuum Shift II, Guilty Gear XX, Accent Core, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Melty Blood Actress Again, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition e.t.c. Tekken 6 is an exceptional appearance that breaks the 2D trend seeing as Namco actually listen to their fans and support tournaments like these (SEGA, I hope you're reading this, market your game well or people will not know what exactly it is and what it's capable of, support competitions like these outside Japan. You have fans outside Japan !!!!!). 


With all that has been said, I am really hoping to see developers give birth to new 3D fighting franchises that will in turn result in some variety. Its nice seeing the heavy weights give us new installments to the 3D fighting games we know and love, but I feel they need to be challenged by new franchises to help them evolve in a healthy manner. Competition breeds innovation . . . Will we see a new 3D fighting franchise soon ? Time will tell. But for now ? Lets enjoy what we have and look forward to what's coming over the years ahead :-) . . .


Your Thoughts ?


Many Thanks


Shadow Master

My Top 10 Game trailers, teasers and Intros

A good game introduction or teaser (in a lot of cases) usually sets the tone for a game, or an upcoming title still in progress. I love intros and teasers. They tend to give you a good feel for what to expect story and gameplay wise. Although CG teasers are not an accurate representation of what to expect from the gameplay, they are still vital for the immersion and entertainment factor. 

With that in mind, I present to you my Top 10 game trailers, teasers and intros (CG & Gameplay included). They are not ranked in order of preference, however the number 1 game intro on the list clearly deserves that spot. It is still my best game intro, and I'm yet to come across another than can topple it. I've watched it that many times, I know every sound effect and dialogue down to the Japanese Pronunciations (and each time I do watch it, it still has the same "wow" effect on me) I believe "EPIC" is the word . . . .

1) Onimusha 3: Demon Siege Intro (PS2): My undisputed number 1 game intro of all time. This was enough to make me purchase the game (even though Samanusoke Akechi was incapable of performing those moves in real time). An excellent intro by a CG team known as 'Robot'. 

2) White Knight Chronicles (Cinematic Trailer) (PS3): I never paid attention WKC until I saw this particular cinematic trailer. There was a certain climax to the trailer and this was augmented by the fantastic soundtrack. Brilliant stuff. 

3) Lost Odyssey TGS Trailer 2006 (XBOX 360): A few years back (when I was still undecided as to what console to purchase), I remember being so compelled by this trailer, I almost bought an XBOX 360 Just to play the game. Bear in mind I suck at RPG's.

4) Ninja Gaiden TGS 2003 trailer (XBOX): A trailer from my favourite action adventure game. Enough said :)

5) Rockstar Games Presents: Table Tennis (trailer) (XBOX 360): A short trailer of a game I usually wouldn't give much attention to. It was a well produced trailer with a catchy soundtrack to accompany it. 

6) Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Trailer (PS3, XBOX 360): A brilliant trailer from Konami's action adventure game.

7)  God of war 3 official teaser trailer (PS3): What can I say ? A fantastic mouth watering trailer composed entirely of in-game graphics and assets. The EPIC God Killing Son of a B*tch Kratos did it again. 

8) Tekken 5 Intro (PS2): Another very good intro.

9) Virtua Fighter 4 intro (PS2): Watching this brings back sweet memories :) I shed a tear :(

10) Shenmue trailer (DreamCast): SEGA, please bring this game back, A remake of Shenmue 1&2 and Shenmue 3 will bring the gaming industry to its knees.

Bonus Trailers/intro's that didn't make the Top 10 but are still worth mentioning:

11) Killzone 2 intro (PS3): A well produced solid intro.

12) Fahrenheit intro (PS2, XBOX, PC): 

13) Resident Evil 4 trailer (PS2, Game Cube):

14) Virtua Fighter 5 AOU Final Showdown (Arcade): SEGA, we still have faith in you :)

What are your thoughts ? I'd love to know what game trailers and intro's got your mouths watering. Feel free to comment/suggest. 

Many Thanks
Shadow Master

Fahrenheit: A Quick retrospective . . .

Fahrenheit (2005: PS2, XBOX, PC)

Many of you might remember Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in North America). On the other hand, a lot of you might have never come across it at all (or even heard of it). I count myself lucky enough to have experienced this truly cinematic and immersive game. In my most humble opinion, it is definitely one of those games that deserved a sequel (or even prequel). Saying that, Fahrenheit wasn't without it's faults. But those faults can be forgiven to a certain degree seeing as majority of the game was spectacular, the dialogue was well thought out and the action as well as suspense had me at the edge of my seat. Funnily enough, I actually purchased the PS2 version of Fahrenheit and played it on my " Phat " backward compatible 60 gb PS3 (now sadly deceased due to a drive failure).

Fahrenheit was developed by Quantic Dream (makers of the excellent 'Heavy Rain') and was released in September 2005 (PC, XBOX, and PS2). It was manufactured and marketed by Atari Europe and has sold 700,000 copies worldwide till date.  I vividly remember walking into various game stores, stopping and staring at the box art and not really not having the will to make any further inquiries about the game. I think the blood soaked dagger and open palms intrigued me initially. In fact I remember on one occasion, I picked the DVD case up and read the game synopsis at the back cover and thought " Most likely another boring game trying too hard . . a definite time waster " . . . . Don't worry, I ate those words eventually.

Fahrenheit revolves around Lucas Kane, and the predicament he finds himself in, when he strangely falls into a trance and murders a man in the restroom of an East Side diner in New York. The unexplained event puts Lucas in a cat and mouse game with the police, and he constantly has to stay ahead and think on his feet to stay alive. Other unexplained events and  murders occur, and Lucas plagued with these strange visions is determined to find out what exactly is going on. Two other integral characters to the story are Inspector Carla Valenti and agent Tyler Miles (both of which you control at some point in the game).

What made Fahrenheit such an unforgettable experience is the overall atmosphere the game was able to maintain, while allowing the player create a connection with the main characters  with such ease. You don't ask to be sucked in, but it's almost guaranteed you will be. Not only is your attention on a constant lock down, you are kept guessing and wondering what could happen next. The story and character development were also noteworthy. It was and still is a true interactive cinematic experience. There was an overall gloom to the atmosphere, rather cold, chilling and somewhat downbeat and even the soundtracks reflected that. I enjoyed the game soundtrack that much, I had to download (via amazon MP3 I might add) Martina Topley Birds " Sandpaper Kisses " and Patrice Rushens " Hang it up ".  Ok . . . the track " Hang it up " is an upbeat departure from the rest of the games soundtracks, but that is an exception, which I might add was suitable for the portion of the game it accompanied. I choose not to delve any further into the games plot (I'm assuming some of you might have no played it yet), but I must mention that it was a joy controlling Carla Valenti and Tyler Miles. I was pleasantly surprised that their portions of the game weren't just shoved in for good measure. They actually contributed significantly to the games progression. Each of these differing perspectives converge at one point. Even when the main character (Lucas) was unavailable, I found that the game just as enjoyable and intriguing. There was still a sense of purpose. A bit of role play there as well (not the bedroom type). Each of these main characters had their varying personalities that made them distinguishable, and I think that is what made things rather interesting. Even the dialogue between characters in the game wasn't there for filler purposes. Every single sentence uttered by any of the characters in the game was significant. You couldn't possibly miss it. There are other characters in the game I have chosen not to mention. I will leave that to your curiosity.

Notable gameplay mechanics include the use of a mood meter, QTE's (Quick Timer Events),  basic decision making options (wrong decisions could land you a quick game over), basic decision making options via conversations e.t.c. These are but a few. The decision making options in the game could have been an attempt to avoid an overly linear experience. Furthermore, these basic decisions had to be implemented because they complemented the overall structure and progression of the game. Giving far too many options could have potentially diluted the story and immersion the developers were aiming for. On the other hand, it could have also made for a much deeper and accomplished game if implemented properly. The rooftop fight, basketball scene, police chase, Lucas's flat (a particular incident comes to mind), sparring scene e.t.c. are only few of the memorable experiences . . . 


Even with all the praise bestowed upon this game, it isn't without its faults. I think the main problem I had with Fahrenheit was the rather nonsensical and disappointing ending. It was weak and definitely left a sour taste in my mouth. I guess the disappointment came from having to accept such a poorly thought out ending after such an exhilarating roller coaster ride. It was obviously rushed (budget or time ?) and quite frankly, it is the only bad thing I can say about this game. Those of you who have played it might be able to relate to this, but for those of you who haven't, dont give up just yet. I was left wanting, but there is forgiveness in me.


I would like to use this as an opportunity to congratulate Quantic Dream. They almost gave birth to a masterpiece, and the negative points mentioned should not put any one off the game. Anyone remotely interested in story driven experiences NEEDS to play Fahrenheit. It is something I am confident you wont regret. If you don't have your last generation consoles any longer, you can always pick it up quite cheap on PC. Fahrenheit is an example of a game we don't experience too often in the present generation of consoles, and it is definitely among the forgotten genres/games. I hope maybe one day Quantic Dream could make a sequel ? or even do a remake with a much better ending ? Or, Just what if Fahrenheit was treated to a HD remake with PlayStation Move support, and was bundled on a Blu-ray disk with heavy rain ? That would be a dream come true . . . But a part of me thinks all this merely wishful thinking . . . .


Your thoughts ?
Many thanks
Shadow Master

Lucas Kane

Tyler Miles

Carla Valenti

Before I forget, the Fahrenheit Trailer :) Enjoy . . . .