PixlBit

Let's be honest, 2013 wasn't a great year for fighting games. Not terrible in a long stretch, but in comparison to previous years. 2014, in comparison, is looking to be big. Really, big. So big that to explain it all I have to split it between 3 separate blogs (and even then its still not big enough to explain it all). But today we start big with the 4 biggest fighting games to look forward to this year (so far). Featuring a plethora styles, genres, and even a new franchise too. A diverse set of fighting games that should appeal to everyone.

 

Ultra Street Fighter 4- Xbox 360/PS3/PC- Release Date: June 2014 (Digital Download, PS3 and 360) and July (Retail and PC version)

If there's one game on this list that qualifications for being a “big” release are questionable, then Ultra Street Fighter 4 is top on that list. There's been a Street Fighter release nearly every year since for the last 5 years and Ultra looks to be the worst of the bunch. A quick glance of Ultra SF 4 finds Capcom skimming 4 of new characters from Street Fighter X Tekken, 5 stages from Street Fighter X Tekken, one new character, some balance changes and a few new online features, and re-selling them at $15. Who would want that?

But in fairness, the changes made to Ultra Street Fighter 4 are more than just surface appearances. The old cast of characters are now extremely balanced/nerfed/buff from the previous version based on massive fan feed back. The four characters taken from SF X T (Elena, Hugo, Poison, and Rolento) have been retooled for Ultra and given new moves, supers, and even an new ultra attacks. However the biggest changes come to the three new game play offensive and defensive changes added to the game. First and biggest is the Double Ultra Combo which allows you to choose both Ultras for characters with a sacrifice of the full power of the ultra. Secondly is Red Focus Attack, a new type of focus attack. Pressing heavy punch and kick allows you do to a focus attach that absorb multiple hits (currently up to 36) and even focus attack dash cancel. However, all of this requires meter to do: at least 2 bars of meter to do red focus and 3 bars (down from 4) to do a red FADC. Finally there is the delayed wake up. A new feature allowing players to delay their wake up from a hard knock down as a way to deter hard-to-escape set-ups. Finally, Ultra will bring a new female Street Fighter brought over from the Udon Street Fighter Comic. Who it is exactly is still a mystery but will possibly revealed at famed Atalanta based fighting game tournament, Final Round. Capcom is going all out to make Ultra worth more than just another update going as so far as doing built test in many Western tournaments/arcades as well as in Eastern tournaments/arcades. Its the first time that Capcom has done build tests for a Street Fighter game outside of Japan, let alone in the West.

Capcom really has amp up its support for fighting games going so far as saying that 2014 will be he year that they will “reaffrim their presense in the fighting genre.” Ultra Street Fighter 4 seems like a step in that direction. However, with Capcom's previous gaffe from Street Fighter X Tekken still fresh in minds of casuals and FGCers alike, will still be able to trust them?

 

BlazBlue: Chronophantasma- PS3/PSV- Release Date: March 25, 2014 / Summer 2014 ( PSV)

Its hard to believe that its been five years since the wheel of fate first turned on Arc System Works' Guilty Gear successor Blazblue first premiered. Now 6 updates games and five years later, the newest Blazblue will once again spin its wheel again with the strangely titled Chronophantasma. But what exactly makes Chronophantasma worthy of notice than its various other updates?

For starters, Chronophantasma updates the roster with 4 new characters (Bullet, Azarel, Izayoi, and Amane) and three of them DLC (Yuki Terumi, Kagura, and Kokonoe). Returning characters have new animations, new costumes, new music tracks featuring Daisuke Ishiwatari, and new attacks. Speaking of new attacks, Chronophantasma also features the new overdrive system. Think of as BlazBlue's version of X-factor: it powers up characters temporarily, giving access to new moves, and even modified distortion drives. Chronophantasma promise tied up most of the loose ends of the previous game's stories through three main story lines. Finally Chronophantasma offers a robust online suite, including a mass lobby mode with allows 64 people to interact with each other with avatars.

Chronophantasma has been out in Japan for months but has found a niche in the West though imports. Its frequently hailed as an improvement over its previous iteration and a welcomed part of this years EVO line up. An with a patch to hopefully iron out some of its balance issues in timed with its official Western release, it seems that Chronophantasma maybe the Blazblue to really pay attention too. But like Ultra Street Fighter 4, will that be enough for people who have been put off by frequent Blazblue updates? More importantly, what will 360 BlazBlue fans do as there is still no word on a 360 port of Chronophantasma? Time will tell if Arc will make Chronophantasma really count.

 

Jo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle- PS3-Release Date: Digital/ Physical March 2014

If you were to ask me over two years ago if I would be stoked about another fighting game based on Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, my response would be simple

 

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is one of the most interesting fighting games ever put out by Capcom based upon the 3^rd arc of the continuing running manga created by Hirohiko Araki. All Star Battle, however is much different as its a culmination of all 8 chapters of manga's 25 history. Of course, its also a copyright holder's minefield with its many musical allegorical references not to mention the manga had never been published in the West. But surprisingly, both the Capcom fighting game was re-released in the West (albeit very over priced for what little it offered) as well as finally this year All Star Battle. Was it worth the wait?

 

All Star Battle is certainly an interesting fighter to talk about. Its developers sparked a bit of controversy when the game was announced, Cyber Connect2. CC2 are know for their Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm series, which many don't count a being a fighting game despite having many of the characteristics of one. In fact, Cyber Connect2 specifically stated that All Star Battle wasn't a fighting game. In actually, All Star Battle actually does play more like a traditional 2D fighter, with most reports calling its style akin to Street Fighter 4. All Star Battle features 2D fighting style but does allow for some dodging and interactivity with its 3D space and backgrounds. Despite trying to appeal to a more casual audience, All Star Battle boast a very complex fighting game engine allowing for chain combos, move cancels, burst, and even a parrying system. All of its 41 fighters are stylized rendered 3D and animated amazingly in the style of Araki's manga. All of its characters fight in an array various fighting styles. From fisticuffs, to stands, vampire, guns, and even on horseback! Yes, the “bizarre” moniker of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is on fully display in All Star Battle...including in one of its controversial modes.

Free to play games are hot button issue in gaming. However, All Star Battle takes it one notch weirder by including a “freemium” mode its campaign mode. Campaign goes through the history of the manga allowing you to act out key scenes from the manga and unlock new costumes/colors for fighters. That being said, the mode can only be played online, despite being a single player mode, but also troubling it can only be played for a set time via time set on a battery gauge. To refill the gauge, you can either wait for it refill or buy more time. Even more trouble for people against micro-transactions, you can buy items with real money that can help you in the campaign. This controversial mode, which caused a fervor in Japan, is still coming to the West albeit with a much less cool down time in comparison to the original Japanese version. The campaign is not required to unlock characters or modes in All Star Battle but it is a shame to have an important part of the game basically shelved off like that for no real reason. Another worrying about the Western port of All Star Battle is the little talk over DLC characters in the game. The original All Star Battle had plenty of DLC characters to purchase. While none of the characters will be cut for the Western port, there is no word on whether or not these will be already unlocked with game or repurchased again.

Despite the weird partitioning of modes and DLC character woes, Jojo Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle should still be on your radar. Its not the most balanced of fighters nor tournament ready and that's OK. All Star Battle merits come from its amazing sense of style from its source material and ability to play of them into a working game. Really All Star Battle the true distilled sentiment of an “anime” fighter. All Star Battle is a worthy addition to anyone who enjoys over the top action in fighting games. It should also be noted that All Star Battle will feature a limited physical copy run of the game only through Amazon.com and Club Namco, otherwise the game will be released to digitally via PSN. Expect much fist mashing and man-ly posing sometime in March.

 

Super Smash Bros. For Wii U/ Super Smash Bros. For 3DS- Wii U/ 3DS Release Date: TBA 2014

The fourth offering of Smash Bros is expect to drop sometime this year, hoping to fix the problems that Brawl caused to the brand. While nearly everyone has their focus on who will or won't show up to the big game, there are still many questions about the newest Smash Bros still left unanswered beyond just the cast. Before we start delving into those queries, let's run over the few things that we do know.

What we do know is that the newest Smash is being co-developed with Bandai Namco, featuring a mixed team from both the Tales of series and Project Soul (Developers of Soul Calibur). It being developed for simultaneous release for Wii U and 3DS with almost identical content except stages. While nothing completely groundbreaking has been announced for Smash 4 yet many notable refinements have: The complete removal of tripping, refined edge grabbing mechanics, and new red visual flash which pops up when your about to be KO'd. Returning characters also now sport refined or completely new moves, as well as the return of Final Smashes and assist trophies have also been confirmed. While all of these items are very noteworthy for Smash, it is decidedly a short list, especially for such an important game for Nintendo.

Nintendo is riding a lot on success of Smash Bros. 4 to help their finical situation, especially the struggling sales on the Wii U. A situation that is not helped by the dense fog of questions still left unanswered. Questions like:

• What is the “customization” aspect of Smash Bros 4 Sakurai briefly talked about at E3 between the two versions?

• Will Smash 4 improve upon Brawl's horrible net code?

• Will there be some sort of DLC?

• How else will Smash Bros cater to new players?

• Will the customization and creation options from Brawl make a return in Smash 4?

• Will the problems with the Wii U force the Wii U to come out first? Or will the Wii U version be delayed to improve it to help with console sales?

There are a lot of questions still up in the air for the new Smash, most urgent is when will get to play it? E3 has been the last time the public has had their hands on the newest Smash and was with a small percent of people. If Smash 4 is really supposed to be a Wii U savior, isn't it time that the public should have more time with the game? Questions swirl and times ticks, but new trickle of info makes the next Smash Bros much more intriguing to watch. Whether it will be worth the wait on the other hand...

 

Well these are what I think the biggest fighting game for 2014 that you should be looking out for. What are you looking forward to? Is there anything you want that isn't on this list? Feel free to share your thoughts and see you all on Wednesday for an indie fighter showcase.