The creator of Mortal Kombat has told CVG that he's looking forward to seeing the new Street Fighter game from Capcom, but he hopes there's enough new stuff in there to hold his interest.
"I'm really excited about Street Fighter IV. From what I'm told, it's the same moves but a different interpretation. I really hope they add enough new stuff that it keeps you interested so that it doesn't feel like, after a few days, that you've already seen and done it," Boon told us during the Las Vegas unveiling of the new MK title.
"I think that's why fighting series don't hold peoples interest that long. Because people realise that they've played, for example, Heihachi from Tekken in four or five different versions, and don't want to carry on doing that.
"Going forward, online play needs to be a necessity, to keep the arcade feel that people love. You have to play against another person, not the computer. That's the magic of the game - one person against another. You against me. I just beat you so now you want to get back in there and beat me. That's what it's all about."
It's safe to assume that MK vs. DCU will have online play then? "Absolutely. It has online, it has dual storylines - we tell the story from the perspective of the MK guys and from the DC guys.
"It has new fighting mechanics, transition combat, freefall combat - so you're actually punching and kicking as you fall to a new area. So it's going to be a completely different feel. It's not going to feel anything like MK Armageddon."
Finally someone appears to understand that good old beat 'em up's are in need of a new formula.
There's nothing to stop me going back to playing all the fighting games I already own (they're still a lot of fun). That means I need a good reason to go and fork out Ł40+ for a new fighting game.
Please lets not have yet another 1 on 1 fighting game, with 6/7/8/9/10 stages and the same old down + diagonal + right + fire button combat system. SF2 has been on XBLA for ages, plus VF5 has had online play on 360 for ages. Tekken 5 on PSN as well - same story... Soul Calibur 4 - is just the same, what a bore. I probably could but won't bother to count the days for the next DOA game to be mentioned.
2 player / online play is indeed essential, but even then, the genre needs something different. Full on photo realistic graphics would be a good start and this generation's hardware can handle it.
If MK + DC will feature Batman, then how about getting Christian Bale involved and photo mapping his face onto the character - include Bruce Wayne for effect? Throw Sarah Michelle Gellar in there as Buffy too (I don't care if that's not DC Universe).
Anyone who points out non photo texture mapped alias games like Tiger Woods Golf (any year) should take note that Tiger Woods really isn't that fat in real life, nor does the avatar face resemble the man. It is pretty shocking. Even with the license to copy Tiger Woods face - EA can still find a way to introduce Chris Rock.
Oddly enough, that's what most people used to think at the prospect of a new MK game. I say 'used to' because eventually they stopped hoping after the continual blandness of the series.
Please lets not have yet another 1 on 1 fighting game, with 6/7/8/9/10 stages and the same old down + diagonal + right + fire button combat system.
Yeeeeeah. I know... Football's not broken either... Let's fix that too! Let them use their hands, make the goals massive, cut the game into quarters...
Street Fighter doesn't need an overhaul, it needs tweaks, like any good fighter.
Please lets not have yet another 1 on 1 fighting game, with 6/7/8/9/10 stages and the same old down + diagonal + right + fire button combat system.
Yeeeeeah. I know... Football's not broken either... Let's fix that too! Let them use their hands, make the goals massive, cut the game into quarters...
Street Fighter doesn't need an overhaul, it needs tweaks, like any good fighter.
Not at Ł40 a copy it doesn't?
By your comment football could use some tweaks then?
How about a cheap release of StreetFighter 2? Oh XBLA has done that...
In fact, many of the fighting games out there, could be brought to XBLA (if not there already) and PSN. I'd then expect 'tweaks' to be released as DLC.
Don't be so daft. EA Sports' full price yearly updates sell millions.
By your comment football could use some tweaks then?
Do you watch modern football?! Of course it could... But not a complete overhaul and big rule changes.
How about a cheap release of StreetFighter 2? Oh XBLA has done that...
In fact, many of the fighting games out there, could be brought to XBLA (if not there already) and PSN. I'd then expect 'tweaks' to be released as DLC.
SFII is no more similar to 3rd Strike, and I assume IV, than FIFA 96 is to FIFA 08. Same essence, different mechanic, tweaked to within an inch of it's life.
So the only way one-on-one fighting games will move on with the times is with photo realistic graphics?
The only way? No.
It would be a good start though.
No it wouldn't... It would be a travesty. The last thing this industry needs is more developers trying to get photo-realism. Give me creative, fresh art direction every time.
So the only way one-on-one fighting games will move on with the times is with photo realistic graphics?
The only way? No.
It would be a good start though.
No it wouldn't... It would be a travesty. The last thing this industry needs is more developers trying to get photo-realism. Give me creative, fresh art direction every time.
Fresh art direction? I'd hardly say that's what we're seeing with Soul Calibur 4 or any of the current gen fighting games. It all just looks like more of the same.
Don't be so daft. EA Sports' full price yearly updates sell millions.
By your comment football could use some tweaks then?
Do you watch modern football?! Of course it could... But not a complete overhaul and big rule changes.
How about a cheap release of StreetFighter 2? Oh XBLA has done that...
In fact, many of the fighting games out there, could be brought to XBLA (if not there already) and PSN. I'd then expect 'tweaks' to be released as DLC.
SFII is no more similar to 3rd Strike, and I assume IV, than FIFA 96 is to FIFA 08. Same essence, different mechanic, tweaked to within an inch of it's life.
EA sports games are crap and I'm not interested in sales. I'm interested in new games with fresh ideas and not just more of the same at full price.
You would seem to be one of those gamers who is willing to pay full price for tweaked games. Good luck to you.
Fresh art direction? I'd hardly say that's what we're seeing with Soul Calibur 4 or any of the current gen fighting games. It all just looks like more of the same.
It's number 4 in a series, it's sticking with the theme and style it started with. Makes sense.
You would seem to be one of those gamers who is willing to pay full price for tweaked games. Good luck to you.
If they're of interest to me and tweaked enough to make a positive difference then yes, I am. You're dismissing a genre that you clearly have no interest in. Just because you don't know the games well enough to notice how big a difference these tweaks make doesn't mean it's broken. There are millions of fighter fans, like myself, that do notice and appreciate the changes. I probably wouldn't notice any changes in any American football or baseball games as they're not genres I have a huge interest in but millions of people would no doubt correct me if I ignorantly blurted out that they never move on or change.
Fresh art direction? I'd hardly say that's what we're seeing with Soul Calibur 4 or any of the current gen fighting games. It all just looks like more of the same.
It's number 4 in a series, it's sticking with the theme and style it started with. Makes sense.
You would seem to be one of those gamers who is willing to pay full price for tweaked games. Good luck to you.
If they're of interest to me and tweaked enough to make a positive difference then yes, I am. You're dismissing a genre that you clearly have no interest in. Just because you don't know the games well enough to notice how big a difference these tweaks make doesn't mean it's broken. There are millions of fighter fans, like myself, that do notice and appreciate the changes. I probably wouldn't notice any changes in any American football or baseball games as they're not genres I have a huge interest in but millions of people would no doubt correct me if I ignorantly blurted out that they never move on or change.
I'm not interested in Soul Calibur 99, if it looks pretty much the same as Soul Calibur. No.
FYI: I have SC 1. I have SF2 TE, SF2 Alpha 2... I have VF5, VF3, VF2... I have Last Bronx. I have DOA 2. I have several MK games. That's just a few I could mention. I've got many fighting games going back across multiple generations of hardware.
You'll take note that all the games I've mentioned follow similar control styles and depending on 2d / 3d - similar graphics.
They all feature 6/7/8/9/10 stages of fighting.
While these games are a lot of fun 2p, the 1 player arcade stage mode is tired and needs more than a tweak. Graphically, there could be more improvement.
As for SF4, for me, its the first proper attempt at moving SF from 2d to 3d (I'll ignore the previous effort). If they pull it off and it plays as well as SF2, great, but I still think it needs something more than 3d graphics if its going to set a new standard.
What do you expect them to do? What can they change that doesn't just drag the game into a different genre and defeat the point? The games are designed to be 2 player-centric. It's like saying they should make boxing more interesting for someone who wants to do it on his own. Single-player is pretty much practice for multi. You mainly seem concerned with how they look, which is missing the point entirely. SFIV is only moving to 3D in terms of graphics, the important part, the gameplay, is still 2D and a tweaked version of the old system... As it should be. Why break something for the sake of it?
What do you expect them to do? What can they change that doesn't just drag the game into a different genre and defeat the point? The games are designed to be 2 player-centric. It's like saying they should make boxing more interesting for someone who wants to do it on his own. Single-player is pretty much practice for multi. You mainly seem concerned with how they look, which is missing the point entirely. SFIV is only moving to 3D in terms of graphics, the important part, the gameplay, is still 2D and a tweaked version of the old system... As it should be. Why break something for the sake of it?
It seems to me that its YOU who's missing the point.
* These games are designed for 2 player? * Single player is practice for multi?
If that were the case then games like DOA 2 wouldn't bother to have a practice mode and Online would be the first thing on every developers mind - clearly not so for Sega with VF5 on PS3.
I think enhancing the graphics of games is one of the main drivers that encourages people to go and buy the next version of ANY game, so how you can say that misses the point is beyond reason.
Your mentioning SF4 moving to 3D graphics is just more ammo for me. If the gameplay from SF2 is merely tweaked slightly, then what's the point? SF2 HD is coming soon. SF2 is already available on XBLA.
It would need to be a significant "TWEAK" to justify the full asking price unless you strongly consider the graphics to be a motivator for purchase.
It seems to me you're contradicting yourself all over the place.
As for improvements to the genre. I think fighting games need to change (said that already) from being a 6/7/8/9/10/etc stage 1p game.
If they don't, then you should understand that by the time GTA reaches version 10, Rock Star will have expanded their game to include one on one fighting far beyond what it is now. They're already including mini-games in GTA 4 and it would be easy to allow those mini-games to be played independently of the rest. If you've ever heard of Shenmue then you'll know what I mean.
The only way to keep genres going is NOT to stick another number on the end with a Ł40 price tag. Developers DO need to build on graphics, sound, details, characters, levels, game play AND enhance the formula to the level that another game CANNOT possibly include everything that belongs in a full price title.
Remember the day that SF2 was Ł65 on SNES? Now, 2 or 3 generations later its a cheap XBLA title with online functionality built in. Even then, pretty much every gamer will already own the original, so online is the main selling point.
What do you expect them to do? What can they change that doesn't just drag the game into a different genre and defeat the point? The games are designed to be 2 player-centric. It's like saying they should make boxing more interesting for someone who wants to do it on his own. Single-player is pretty much practice for multi. You mainly seem concerned with how they look, which is missing the point entirely. SFIV is only moving to 3D in terms of graphics, the important part, the gameplay, is still 2D and a tweaked version of the old system... As it should be. Why break something for the sake of it?
It seems to me that its YOU who's missing the point.
* These games are designed for 2 player? * Single player is practice for multi?
If that were the case then games like DOA 2 wouldn't bother to have a practice mode and Online would be the first thing on every developers mind - clearly not so for Sega with VF5 on PS3.
Of course they're designed for multi play, they're competitive fighting games designed for that specific purpose. Just about ALL fighters have arcade roots. Most of them are ports so the fans of the arcade games can play and practice at home. Practice mode is there to learn and practice moves against a dummy, single player modes are there to practice against something that at least tries to resemble a real, thinking person. Online seems like it is on every developer's mind. Sega already said it wasn't in VF on PS3 due to lag being a big factor (Though time and cost probably had quite a big part to play too). And as good as the VF online is on 360, lag still destroys any higher ranked game, as it does SF2 and 3rd Strike on Live.
I think enhancing the graphics of games is one of the main drivers that encourages people to go and buy the next version of ANY game, so how you can say that misses the point is beyond reason.
Of course graphics are important and attract people to the game, that's their whole point, but as attracted as people are by the graphics, a s**tty mechanic, and p**s poor reviews/word of mouth because of it, are going to put more people off. That's why things like SSFIIT are still played massively but Killer Instinct isn't.
Your mentioning SF4 moving to 3D graphics is just more ammo for me. If the gameplay from SF2 is merely tweaked slightly, then what's the point? SF2 HD is coming soon. SF2 is already available on XBLA.
You keep talking as though SFIV is just SFII with 3D graphics... It's not just tweaked 'slightly', the evolution has been massive from SFII to SFIII and again, I assume, IV. And that's what it is... An evolution. Not just a massive change for change's sake. They may all seem pretty similar for your average button-bashing scrub but so does every FPS and RTS and Pro Evo release to someone who doesn't really play or put time into them... But that's not who they're designed for. That's not who will keep pumping the money into the machines long after the release month.
It would need to be a significant "TWEAK" to justify the full asking price unless you strongly consider the graphics to be a motivator for purchase.
Again... Just because you don't appreciate the changes doesn't mean everyone else doesn't too.
As for improvements to the genre. I think fighting games need to change (said that already) from being a 6/7/8/9/10/etc stage 1p game.
I'll ask again - To what? That's what a competitive 1 on 1 fighting game is. That's the genre. If you don't like it don't play it, there are plenty of people that do and will.
then you should understand that by the time GTA reaches version 10, Rock Star will have expanded their game to include one on one fighting far beyond what it is now.
You honestly think that? You think that GTA will someday include a competitive fighting game to match the dedicated fighters with years of evolution and fine-tuning under their belt? It's not going to happen.
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