In December, a fighting game based on the hit manga/anime Hunter x Hunter was announced. Yesterday, Bushiroad Games and developer Eighting revealed the first teaser for the game, now called Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact, as well as six playable characters.

In the brief 30-second trailer, we get some in-engine footage alongside voice-overs from Gon and Killua, presumably from their original VAs. We didn't get any gameplay or release date. However, it does seem that the game will utilize 3v3 fighting similar to Dragon Ball FighterZ.

As previously mentioned, it looks like the game has already confirmed six playable characters. The video shows Gon, Killua, Leorio, Kurapika, Hisoka, and Neteru all walking into a stadium and preparing for battle.

Great, another tournament arc!

Having watched the anime, it felt nostalgic to hear the VAs and see the Hunter x Hunter crew again. The graphics are a bit simple, but the game is in development, so it’ll shape up over time. Anime fighting games can be hit/miss. For every Dragon Ball FighterZ, there’s a Jump Force.

It does get me excited to see who’s going to be next. Perhaps Neferpitou or Mereum? Or maybe Ging? I bet he’d show up here instead of being there for Gon’s childhood. Still a bit sore about that.

If you haven’t read or watched Hunter x Hunter, it is a must for fans of great action and even better characters. It follows Gon, a young islander, who leaves his home to become the best Hunter ever, like his father. While it may seem charming at first, it gets dark –Chimera Ant Arc anyone?–, resulting in some of the best anime you can find. It’s a long watch but it’s worth it. 

Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact has no release date or platforms as of yet.

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With The Game Awards just around the corner, Sega has teased a new game announcement at the event. Sending teaser letters to fighting game content creators, it points towards a Virtua Fighter 6 reveal at Geoff Keighley's show.

On social media, content creators like Curiousjoi and Maximillian Dood have been posting images of said a press mailer they've received, a postcard that reads "New Era New Energy. Make sure to tune in to The Game Awards December 7th."

Maximillian Dood says on his Twitter post, "Curious, have these gone out to others that are NOT huge fighting game creators?"

One of the replies from Brodoof shows a screenshot from one of the Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown trailers. It has the same exact font, but the color is red instead of blue. This has led many to speculate the press mailing is setting the stage for something new in the Virtua Fighter franchise.

Sega could be planning a new Virtua Fighter with rollback netcode

One of the most important aspects of a modern fighting game is having a great rollback netcode. It lets players around the world battle it out and participate in tournaments online.

"I believe that implementing rollback will be absolutely necessary when developing future titles," said Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown producer Seiji Aoki when interviewed by Gamer Braves.

"While it’s important to create content for fighting game fans, I think it’s important to also create content that viewers or newcomers to the fighting genre can enjoy," Aoki said in the same interview when asked about how to keep the game interesting for both new and returning fans and how they're approaching the eSports aspect of the industry. "For example, I can’t play soccer, but I love watching soccer."

It's just a waiting game now for eager fans to learn if Sega will revive the beloved Virtua Fighter franchise at The Game Awards.

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Tekken 8 is just around the corner, and Bandai Namco released a glimpse of Leo's glorious combos and eccentric personality in a trailer Wednesday. Their stylish red and white jacket shines as they show off their impressive new counter.

The German fighter Leo Kliesen is back in Tekken 8 with their Baji Quan fighting style. With their hatred of the main antagonist Kazuya Michima, it makes sense if they make an appearance in the story mode. With the codename "Seeker of Truth," they'd likely join the battle to find out more about their murdered mother and missing father.

We didn't get many details in Tekken 7 as they were sidetracked by a love-stricken Yoshimitsu, but in Tekken 6, we learned that their mother worked for the Mishima Zaibatsu and G Corporation.

Leo is looking sharp

Not much seems to have changed with Leo's moveset, except for the previously mentioned counter. They'll still stomp their foes' toes and have an elaborate combo set up with their punches and kicks. It's been a few years since I've stepped into the shoes of Leo but one new move seems to be an impactful swirling kick in the air, which is shown in the trailer.

They also has a new grappling hook that's used for Leo's Rage Art. Perhaps this will be used in combos too, but we haven't seen it implemented yet.

The trailer also shows their adorable carefree personality as they're surprised by the Coffee Queen's name. They stagger back like an anime character as shown in the screenshot above.

We'll be able to play as the German blonde Leo when Tekken 8 releases on January 26, just a few months away. They'll be fighting against many combatants, like the first French fighter in Tekken Victor Chevalier and a mysterious Heihachi-like character named Reina, and the rest of the healthy launch roster for the new Tekken.

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The Tekken series is getting its first French fighter, as Victor Chevalier is joining the Tekken 8 roster alongside a new Paris-themed stage.

Announced on Thursday, game director and chief producer Katsuhiro Harada added context for the character on social media.

"Victor is actually the first French fighter for the TEKKEN franchise," said Harada. "I have had the idea of a French character in my mind for a long time and it finally came to fruition. Thanks to Vincent Cassel for inspiring me and for voicing him. And the stage is Paris itself, where I took my first Seine River cruise over 20 years ago."

Oui, oui, oui!

As Harada noted, Chevalier is voiced by French actor Vincent Cassel (Black Swan, La Haine). Victor Chevalier uses a blade, knife, and pistol as his weaponry. He also teleports across the screen as he slashes his opponents. Bandai Namco knows how to make older men look badass (remember Leroy Smith?).

The trailer also points out that Victor has a history with Raven, saying to him, "You've gotten pretty good, Raven."

A new stage set in Paris for the Tekken 8 Victor character

In this new Tekken 8 trailer, we see the action taking place on a boat moving across the river Seine. Harada said he took his first Seine River cruise over 20 years ago, inspiring this stage to come to life in game.

As you fight with Victor and other Tekken 8 fighters on the Paris stage, you'll see the sights like the Eifel Tower in the background. Hopefully, there's a nighttime section for the final round, in which it sparkles in gold lights—though there wasn't a hint towards that in the trailer.

It's interesting that Tekken 8 has a Paris-themed level because Street Fighter 6 has one too, set closer to the Eiffel Tower during a festival. It must be a good time for virtual brawling in France. Nevertheless, Tekken 8 releases on January 26 for the PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

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Mortal Kombat 1 has a hell of a DLC lineup on the way. Today's Omni-Man gameplay trailer showcases why he may just be the most badass of the bunch when he arrives this month.

Just as in the Invincible animated Amazon series, Omni-Man is voiced by the ridiculously awesome J.K. Simmons. Throughout the trailer, NetherRealm Studios shows off the actor's skills as he relentlessly mocks Liu Kang and his allies prior to beating the hell out of them.

We've seen what Omni-Man is capable of in a previous Mortal Kombat 1 trailer. But today's video puts the Viltrumite's full abilities on display. He's brutal, nimble, and of course, deadly. You don't need a subway train to showcase that.

A new kameo fighter is also on the way alongside Omni-Man's debut next week. Tremor, who originally debuted in 2000's Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, is a ninja like Sub-Zero and Scorpion but with earth powers. He pairs nicely as a kameo higher alongside Omni-Man. While the Invincible villain is pulling meteors from the atmosphere and smashing opponents with them, Tremor is doing the same with giant boulders right here from Earth.

Both combatants will join the fray on November 9 for those with the Kombat Pack. They are available a week later for everyone else as standalone DLC.

Following that, there's plenty more DLC in the pipeline. Quan-Chi and DC's Peacemaker are slated for sometime in the winter. Ermac and The Boys' Homelander are planned for spring. The apprentice of Scorpion himself, Takeda Takahashi, should be out as a playable fighter next summer. And Ferra, Janet Cage, Khameleon, and Mavado are all in the works as additional kameo fighters.

If you haven't given Mortal Kombat 1 a try, perhaps you should. In Destructoid's review, we thought it was great.

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The world of Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen is about to enter a whole new domain: video games. As revealed in today's trailer, Byking and Bandai Namco's Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash launches on February 2, 2024.

What does the Jujutsu Kaisen game cover?

In the game, players make their own 2v2 teams with more than 15 characters from the manga/show to choose from. As each character has their own set of abilities and attacks, combining them with others can lead to unique power dynamics

Narrative-wise, Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash adapts the events of season one of the anime, as well as Jujutsu Kaisen 0. In the story mode, you'll face familiar villains like Sukuna and Jogo and learn about the hidden world of sorcerers. With co-op and competition modes, you'll be able to team up with fellow sorcerers online and face others worldwide in casual or ranked battles. Players will also get to customize their face cards and fighters via costumes. New outfits and cards can be unlocked through gameplay and future DLC.

Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash will be available in three editions: standard, digital deluxe, and digital ultimate. While the standard only includes the base game, the digital deluxe has the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death DLC and a minigame based on Jujusta 2024 Baseball. Furthermore, the digital ultimate edition comes with all that plus a digital artbook and soundtrack. Additionally, it comes with a costume pack adapting outfits from the "Lost in Paradise" end theme from season one. If you preorder the game, you'll receive the First-Year Jujutsu High DLC costume pack.

Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash expands onto current-gen consoles on February 2, 2024. Pre-orders for Xbox, PC, and PlayStation consoles are available now, with Nintendo Switch's to be available at a later date.

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Perhaps most noteworthy for its depiction of extreme gore, Mortal Kombat has gone down as one of the best fighting series in all of gaming. But it must be tough to watch all that violence and take it seriously, especially if you're a trained professional.

In a recent video over on Doctor ER's YouTube channel, the titular doc (real name Dr. Jordan Wagner, DO) analyzes some of the most brutal moments in the upcoming Mortal Kombat 1.

Over the course of just nine minutes, Wagner gives their insight into some of the fatal moves pulled off in the game. Much of it leaves them shockingly amused but also inquisitive about how these violent acts would go down in the real world.

Not known for their realism, admittedly

Of course, there's nothing to say that Wagner is criticizing any sense of realism that Mortal Kombat 1 is displaying. However, there is room for some medical questioning, such as how long a heart would beat for after being ripped out of a chest, or what to do if you need to bring a severed limb to the hospital.

It's pretty interesting to see how someone in the medical profession reacts to all this guts and gore action. Wagner, who's been working as an ER doctor for several years, according to their website, often gives their take on violence in media, whether it's video games, animation, or real-life injuries.

In any case, it doesn't detract from the mindless violence of the game. If anything, it only adds to it. And if you are interested, Mortal Kombat 1 releases fully on September 19.

The post Here’s a doctor reacting to some of Mortal Kombat 1’s most gruesome moves appeared first on Destructoid.

Mortal Kombat 1 crossplay will not be coming to the game during its launch. WB Games has confirmed Wednesday over Twitter that it will arrive later via a patch.

"Launch is just around the corner and we can’t wait for everyone to sink their teeth into Mortal Kombat 1," says the official Mortal Kombat Twitter account. "Regarding Kross-Play, it will not be available at launch, but know we are hard at work at implementing the feature into the game and it will be koming post launch."

So, to put it all in one sentence: you won't be able to play Mortal Kombat 1 with fighters on platforms other than your own on day one.

Neither WB Games nor the developer NetherRealm has provided a release date or window for Mortal Kombat 1 crossplay.

Other replies ask if the game will support cross-save between PC and consoles. There has been no response from WB Games or the developer.

WB Games has confirmed that rollback netcode is used in Mortal Kombat 1. It's a popular connection tool that lets players have more stable matches.

Mortal Kombat 1 is releasing on September 19 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, and Nintendo Switch. You'll be able to preload the game a few days early. You can also get Shang Tsung as a playable preorder character bonus.

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Since its reveal earlier this year, Mortal Kombat 1 has been unveiling its star-studded cast, one big name after another. Between J.K. Simmons reprising the role of Omni-Man from Invincible to John Cena being confirmed as Peacemaker, the roster is looking to be fierce in terms of both fighters and their actors. Warner Bros. Games revealed one more member of the cast in September: Megan Fox, of Transformers (2007) and Jennifer’s Body (2009) fame will be playing the role of Nitara in Mortal Kombat 1. 

For those who haven’t touched a Mortal Kombat game since Deadly Alliance, Nitara is a winged vampire who hails from a realm called Vaeternus. It’d appear she’s up to the same old antics, as the Nitara trailer showcases the vampiress fighting against Ashrah, Kung Lao, and more. “I grew up playing Mortal Kombat and I can’t believe that I’m voicing a character in the new game,” said Fox. “It’s an honor to be a part of one of the greatest video game legacies of all time.“

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah8VyRhiWiE

Again, Deadly Alliance was the last time fans of the series have been able to play as the winged vampire until now; though she was mentioned or referenced in Mortal Kombat: Deception, Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11. Nitara was also present in the 2021 Mortal Kombat film, where she was played by Mel Jarnson.

Mortal Kombat 1 releases on September 19 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

The post Megan Fox joins Mortal Kombat 1 roster as Nitara appeared first on Destructoid.

Katsuhiro Harada, the director of Tekken 8 and long-time veteran of the series, has responded to what he refers to as "silly threats." In a recent tweet, he hits back at online trolls with a pretty lengthy statement about what harassment leads to.

In a recent post on Twitter, Harada decided to give his take on the threats that have been coming his way online. One such example comes from a no-named user who says they will hit the director "with a Burning Hammer" (a move used by Tekken wrestler King) if Tekken 8 doesn't feature Eddy Gordo.

https://twitter.com/Harada_TEKKEN/status/1689456340564111361

Harada makes it clear that, serious or not, such threats affect he and "everyone at FGC" (fighting game community). In a three-point post, he outlines what comments like these leads to. Number one being that security is bumped up, which "increases operating costs and increases the burden on the players" who attend.

Motivation also decreases

He goes on to say that "company founders, board members, and lawyers 'Don't like to be intimidated'," and that he does not "adopt the views of those who use 'We' when expressing their opinions," as though such people represent all fans.

The end result is that studios simply have no motivation to carry on making games when threats are being made. Tekken 8 is highly anticipated, and the last thing fans want or need is for the team to not want to keep working on it.

Yet still people persist. Immediately below Harada's tweet, one user says they will be spending their money elsewhere because companies like Bandai Namco easily forget the "narrow demographic who, mostly, go out of their way to afford" a "luxury product." Harada's response to this is a bit more... direct. So, as he's said before, don't ask him for shit.

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Evo is a major event for fighting game tournaments and news. This year, we've seen updates announced for some of the biggest games in the genre, including Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and Mortal Kombat 1. There's even a brief teaser for SNK's next bout. Here's all the news at Evo 2023 you should know about.

[caption id="attachment_395265" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Capcom[/caption]

Street Fighter 6 x Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

After a musical performance of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song, Capcom announced a new crossover for Street Fighter 6. Starting August 8, there will be four skins for your custom characters based on the radical reptiles, pizza-riffic emotes, new titles, stamps, mobile wallpaper, and camera frames. This bit of EVO 2023 news was one of the highlights of the show for me.

https://youtu.be/TY-k6jYzXtg

A.K.I. joins the battle in Street Fighter 6

Capcom also teased its next Street Fighter 6 character, A.K.I. She looks twisted, and poisons your custom character in the trailer. No gameplay was shown, but we do know she'll be available sometime this Fall.

[caption id="attachment_395269" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via Mortal Kombat YouTube channel[/caption]

Ashrah, Havik, and Reptile are in Mortal Kombat 1

Three new characters were announced in a stellar Mortal Kombat 1 trailer. You'll be able to play as Ashrah, Havik, and Reptile when the game arrives on September 19, 2023. Ashrah is a surprising choice, as she hasn't been in the series since the PS2 game Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. Regardless, she looks like she fits in with her brutal Fatality. Sareena is also coming back, but as a Kameo fighter this time around.

[caption id="attachment_395273" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via arcsystemworks YouTube channel[/caption]

Johnny returns in Guilty Gear Strive's Season Pass 3

Shirtless and ready to strike his foes, Johnny returns as the first character of Guilty Gear Strive's Season Pass 3. He swings his katana with a quickening pace, and also unleashes cards, even turning people into them and slashing them up when the opportunity arises. He'll be available to play on August 24.

Season Pass 3 will include one more character in 2023 and an additional two in 2024. It will also come with two more stages, more color variants for your characters, and two extra colors for the Season 3 characters.

Arc System Works also confirmed that the game's reached 2.5 million players, making Guilty Gear Strive a huge success for the studio.

https://youtu.be/cTyy0kgQ8Ug

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves hypes up the crowd

After The King of Fighters and Samurai Shodown getting acclaim from fans and critics alike, the Fatal Fury series is returning with City of the Wolves. Not much was announced, but there was a little teaser by SNK, showcasing Terry and Rock Howard in the game. The graphics seem to be an upgrade too, with more visual details and improved lighting.

No release date has been given, but SNK fittingly said it is "furiously in development."

[caption id="attachment_395281" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via SNK OFFICIAL YouTube channel[/caption]

The King of Fighters XV adds Najd and Duo Lon, and KOF XIII gets a re-release date

On August 8, Najd will be available as a DLC character in The King of Fighters XV. Duo Lon will then follow her sometime this Autumn, which starts on September 23 and ends on December 21.

Additionally, The King of Fighters XIII Global Match will hit PS4 and Switch on November 16 with rollback netcode.

https://youtu.be/30GpU_0A8Rg

Raven and Azucena join the Tekken 8 roster

Fan favorite character Raven and the coffee-obsessed newcomer Azucena are a part of the Tekken 8 roster. Raven is using his shadow skills that might remind you of Naruto's Shadow Clone Jutsu. Meanwhile, Azucena has an intriguing dodge feature with some tasty counters shown off in the trailer. Tekken 8 still has no release date attached.

[caption id="attachment_395287" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via RIot Games' YouTube channel[/caption]

League of Legends fighting game Project L adds Yasuo

The in-development 2v2 fighter Project L is adding the champion Yasuo into the mix. His move set includes a far-reaching sword and quick attacks in the air. He can also release tornados and wind walls against his opponents.

"He can outplay with mix-ups, he can go to the air for really technical combos, play defense with his wind wall, or honestly just win neutral with his huge normals," said lead champion designer Alex Jaffe. Sadly, no release date for Project L was announced amid all the news at Evo 2023.

https://youtu.be/GYIOUxYBukw?t=354

Plankton is a new character in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2

The tiny Plankton from Bikini Bottom is joining the bout in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 in a mech. He has all sorts of weaponry to fight off the likes of Aang, Reptar, and Spongebob SquarePants. He, alongside Squidward, will be a part of the main roster when the game launches later this year.

https://youtu.be/2Dc4F_fC0nc?t=42

Killer Instinct is getting a huge update

Cult-favorite Killer Instinct is getting a major update from Xbox Game Studios and Iron Galaxy for the first time in years. It will include better matchmaking, a balance update, and all-new 4K support on Xbox Series X|S. It will be coming this Fall. Now that Iron Galaxy and Xbox are working together on this, perhaps talk of a sequel could arise between the two companies after Rumbleverse's shutdown in February.

https://youtu.be/m55Ju_OmSvU

Under Night In-Birth 2 Sys:Celes is bringing "Dramatic Stylish 2D Fighting Action" in 2024

After more than ten years and many versions, Under Night In-Birth is getting a sequel. It will be launching early next year for the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Sorry, Xbox fans. Additionally, there will be rollback netcode.

Arc System Works says there will be "completely redesigned visuals" and "even more playable characters to be added" down the line. The trailer's description also touts that there will be "new moves and new battle systems" that further evolve the battle in Under Night In-Birth 2 Sys:Celes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbI26Ehde3g

GranBlue Fantasy Versus: Rising gets a release date

The release date for the sequel Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is November 30, as announced at Evo. As the festive season begins, we'll be battling it out as Gran and other characters in a three-part story and a new mode called Grand Bruise. Additionally, there is crossplay and rollback netcode available in this new version of the game. More characters are available too, including Anila, Grimnir, Nier, and Siegfried.

https://youtu.be/yKUH3zTNWMk

Maypul comes to Rivals 2

Finally, the fox-like combatant Maypul joins the Smash-like Rivals 2. She brings three different plants with her to the battle, including Lily, Terry, and Poppy. She'll also be the fastest character in the game. Maypul's combos look thrilling in the trailer itself. The game launches sometime next year.

That's it for Evo 2023 news cycle. Which fighting games are you most looking forward to next year, and will you be playing as Michelangelo in Street Fighter 6's avatar battles?

The post All the fighting game news from EVO 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

Tekken 8 was originally announced in 2022, and a Closed Network Test was recently released on multiple platforms in July. To the dismay of the developers, some gamers have since cracked the CNT to play it in unintended ways. Bandai Namco is warning players against playing Tekken 8's cracked CNT, and those caught could face consequences.

[caption id="attachment_392950" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Be patient or risk a ban

Players with the cracked CNT can not only play the game offline, but continue to play it beyond the test period. In a Twitter post, Bandai Namco warned that this violates its Terms of Service and the Tekken World Tour's Code of Conduct.

https://twitter.com/BNEesports/status/1685978121948770305

Unauthorized access to the CNT could result in a ban from the upcoming Tekken World Tour and other official tournaments. In other words, competitive players may want to heed this warning. It is understandable why developers would emphasis this penalty in particular. Those playing the cracked version would have a headstart on practice, which could affect the results of official tournaments.

This isn't the only problem the CNT has caused, as it has also resulted in Tekken 8's partial roster leaking. Though Bandai Namco has officially announced 16 characters, the leak reveals a longer list of playable fighters.

It has certainly been a good time for fighting game fans. Street Fighter 6 launched to critical acclaim in June, and Mortal Kombat 1 will launch on September 19. Bandai Namco has not yet revealed a release date for Tekken 8.

The post Bandai Namco warns players to stop playing the Tekken 8 cracked test appeared first on Destructoid.

The best stages of fighting games transport us to an exciting arena. It could be a stunning wilderness, a ruckus crowd, or an ancient temple. What's most important is how they set the tone of the fight and if the intractable nature of the stage is well suited to a fighting game. Let's hear the roar of the crowd and get stuck in on what makes an exciting fighting game stage.

[caption id="attachment_394297" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image via Capcom[/caption]

The stunning setting from stages of fighting games

Arguably, the most important element is the graphics of each stage. There's always a balance between being too simple and too distracting. For example, I hate it when pro fighting game players always pick the plain white training stages during EVO or local meetups that take me out of the experience. On the other side of the coin, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Final Destination has way too much going in the background that keeps me off focus.

The best fighting game stages have enough flair to be entertaining but not too still to the point of boredom. Duomo di Sirio is one of my favorites from Tekken 7, for example. There's not a lot going on in the background, but there's an elegance to the European-inspired setting. There are sculptures in the background and illustrative architectural touches that make it stand out. As the battle continues, you can punch your foe off the balcony, giving a more dynamic feel to the fight. The stage's music is also exhilarating.

Bustling or serene, fighting game stages can fit different qualities

Additionally, the best stages show the environment's culture perfectly. Street Fighter 2's Shopping District depicts a bustling Chinese market. There's a cyclist rolling down beside the fight as a chicken flaps its wings inside a cage, a woman is washing her hands in a bowl, and meat is hung up by hooks. To give a more recent example, Street Fighter 6's Fete Foraine presents a stunning Parisian night. The Eiffel Tower is glowing in the background of a market filled with a clown, food stalls, and a spinning ride. There are also people enjoying their food on red and white cloth tables. Capcom does a great job of detailing its stages with all sorts of references and cultural reflections of each environment.

If you want a stage that's more serene, take a look at Genbu Temple, also in Street Fighter 6. It's not populated with onlookers to the fight, but the slight monochromatic styling of the stage next to the pink blossom trees is so striking. Awesome stages can take different forms.

[caption id="attachment_394294" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Cinematic stages

NetherRealm's recent fighting game output has provided interactive stages. They're cool because your environment presents a new layer of strategy to each bout. In Injustice: Gods Among Us, you're able to bounce off a car's hood to get out of the corner or ride a motorcycle into your opponent in Wayne Manor. There's even the option to smash The Joker's face into the car. You can also launch your opponent out of the arena with an impressively detailed cinematic cutscene.

Meanwhile, Dragon Ball FighterZ impresses anime and fighting game fans alike with its thrilling animations that seem ripped straight from the show. One critical element of the stages in this game is how they can crumble around you. If you use a powerful ability, the environment is wiped out, adding believability to the intense cutscenes that play beforehand.

https://open.spotify.com/track/6WdFcnGJNgLOeL4RBCU95l?si=5e500366ef3a46c8

The music

While some games focus more on the character themes nowadays, each stage's music is important in capturing excitement in a fanbase. While Jin and Heihachi are simply fighting on a shallow ocean floor and nothing else, the "Infinite Azure" track is spectacular. The beats are addicting and maintain an intense tempo, but there remains a calm tranquil tone that's refreshing to listen to. It features a few surprises in the composition, like a heavier emphasis on the percussion mid-song. Without this music, it would be a dull yet beautiful stage to fight in.

Going back to Dragon Ball FighterZ, "West City" retains the upbeat yet heavy stakes of battle. The deep bass, strings-focused melody, and then the horns all make for an epic theme while you're fighting against the likes of Tien, Cell, and Goku. While the environments show an accurate recreation of West City from the anime, the music truly makes it a fantastic stage I go back to over and over again.

You cannot talk about great fighting game stage music without mentioning "Jazzy NYC" from Street Fighter III: Third Strike. The deeper cymbal section at the beginning represents a hip-hop energy as you enter New York City. The theme is lively and has you bobbing your head up and down. The jazzy saxophone-like MIDI has an amazing solo in the middle of the song that just exudes energy. It's one of, if not the, most popular stage theme in Street Fighter history. If the music is right, it will emphasize the stage's vibe perfectly.

What are your favorite fighting games stages?

There are so many fantastic fighting game stages out there. I personally have a soft spot for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale's novelty approach to mixing two games into one area, like God of War and Ratchet & Clank in Metropolis. There's also the majesty of Tekken 5's Moonlit Wilderness with its gorgeous moonlit sky and flowers that glow from its light; it has an epic theme with it, making this stage the ultimate package. What are your favorite fighting game stages?

The post What makes an exciting fighting game stage? Let’s dive in appeared first on Destructoid.

Each Tekken in the series is usually a landmark for console generations, with its spectacular graphics and superb game design, and that's certainly the case with Tekken 8. With its stunning lighting, entertaining new Heat system, and crisp netcode, this entry is certainly going in the right direction with its closed network test. Get your fists ready if another test or the full game arrives soon. There are many reasons why I can't wait for the next battle.

[caption id="attachment_394395" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

The next evolution of Tekken

The Tekken series has stepped it up again with its thrilling combat system. It keeps evolving, with each game adding a new compelling element; this time, it's the Heat system. The Heat Timer heightens the attack power of your character and enables you to chip damage away from foes even if they're blocking. You can only use it once per round, but it is key to your survival. Heat Smashes can be activated during the timer, letting you perform a flashy, yet powerful attack. It takes around a fifth of your opponent's health. The Heat System ups the stakes as it runs out, and the other player desperately blocks incoming strikes for around 10-15 seconds.

That's not all about the Heat system, however. There are certain moves—like Jin's Heat Engager—that activate the timer automatically within a combo. Button mashers may hate this, but if you use it strategically, these moves can be effective at disrupting your foe's reign-of-terror combos. Another way to stop your foe from attacking is a Power Crush. It's a counter that's utilized to stop yourself from getting juggled. Rage Arts are also back and are flashy as ever.

Tekken 8 feels great to play with all-new moves and combos to initiate on your opponent. In the excellent training mode, you can get used to the precise timing with every strike if you want to link a combo. Tekken 8 shows awesome bread-and-butter combos to perform on your enemies, and you can watch a video demo with the inputs on the screen. Combo challenges can also be shown through the UI, so you can reference them quickly. It's an approachable game for newbies who want to become intermediate players online.

How is the Tekken 8 netcode?

Despite Tekken 8 likely being many months away from release, the netcode during the alpha seems to be a success. Many games ran smoothly, as if the other player was sitting next to me in a local tourney. However, I did encounter a somewhat laggy game, despite there being five bars on my competitor.

[caption id="attachment_394396" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Damn, Tekken 8 is pretty

If you look at the trailers, you may believe there isn't a huge jump in graphical quality. Think again. Once you're playing it on a PS5, it's absolutely stunning. The facial animations of characters like Lee Chaolan are astonishing as he exaggerates his mouth and eyes. Additionally, you can see the intense hatred in Kazuya's face through his eyes on the main menu; it's actually haunting whenever you boot up the game.

The environments are filled to the brim with detail. The puddles in the New York stage reflect the lights from Times Square's advertisements, and the lighting from the neon signs stands out sharply on screen. You can even see the haze of smoke in the distance, and the crackling of the earth beneath your competitor's feet. The action is all in a wonderful 60 frames per second as well. You could name it as one of this generation's prettiest titles. Thank goodness there isn't a PS4 or Xbox One version holding it back.

As each battle continues, you'll see the sweat pouring from the characters as they desperately fight to win. Paul's sleeve breaks apart as he readies up his Rage Art and it remains that way for the rest of the match. Bandai Namco seems to pulling out all of the stops to make this as stunning as it can be.

Another neat factor of the game is the unique intros for rivalries in Tekken 8. When friends Lee and Paul face each other, they cross fists, breaking apart the glass under them in the Arena. It looks similar to how each Tekken trailer begins. This addition is a nice touch for long-time fans and adds further intensity to the fight ahead. The same happens with Jin and Kazuya as well.

Tone down the distracting music

Tekken 8's soundtrack is more like something you'd hear on a dance floor than an arena. The dubstep is obnoxious and distracting for some of the tracks included in this closed test, especially in the Urban Square stage. However, there is a standout banger for the Yakushima stage. It feels like a more rounded composition with gorgeous strings, stunning vocals, and a pumping backbeat that keeps the song moving forward. That's until the final round creeps in, and there's a blast of incessant dubstep within an otherwise great track. If this trend continues into the full game, I'm prepared to lower the music volume to 0 and put on my own playlist.

The electronic composition for the Arena stage is also decent but, in my opinion, goes way too hard with the bass. So far there are no tracks that come close to bangers like "Heat Haze Shadow" or "Infinite Azure" from Tekken 7 or Tekken 5's "Moonlit Wilderness."

Tekken 8's stellar so far

Bandai Namco hasn't pulled its punches with Tekken 8. Every character is animated incredibly well, and the action feels fluid, even more so than in Tekken 7. The new mechanics like the Heat Timer adds to the formula, creating a more fast-paced fighter that will be thrilling to watch at EVO and other tournaments. The music is a somewhat letdown as it's gone way too hard on the electronic and dubstep from past entries, but Tekken 8 is a promising fighting game I can't wait to get my hands on.

The post Hands-on: Tekken 8 seems ready for the next battle appeared first on Destructoid.

NetherRealm's Mortal Kombat franchise will be receiving a reboot with the upcoming title, Mortal Kombat 1. It is set to hit shelves on September 19 on PC and current-gen consoles, and in the lead-up, some of the characters and gameplay have been revealed.

The roster will feature plenty of classic characters such as Liu Kang and Johnny Cage, as well as cameos from DC heroes, including Omni-Man who will be voiced by J.K. Simmons.

[caption id="attachment_393385" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Mortal Kombat 1's Kombat Pack

Like other games in the franchise, Mortal Kombat 1 will be receiving post-launch content, and the first DLC pack will add comic book characters such as The Boys' Homelander and DC's Peacemaker, and Omni-Man. This should be good news for Omni-Man fans, as Invincible's second season is set to premiere on November 3. In an interview that took place during this year's San Diego Comic-Con, NetherRealm's Ed Boon revealed that Omni-Man will be voiced by Simmons, who also voices the character in the Amazon Prime animated series Invincible.

It isn't the first time Simmons has lent his voice-acting talents to video games, and he has also voiced Cave Johnson in Portal 2, as well as J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man 2: The Video Game and Spider-Man 3: The Video Game, to name a few of his roles.

Other confirmed voice actors include Andrew Bowen who is voicing Johnny Cage, Kari Wahlgreen who voices Kitana, and Sunil Malhotra who is the voice behind Kung Lao.

[caption id="attachment_393384" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Mortal Kombat 1 is on the way

Plenty of features from past titles in the series will be making a comeback. This includes Quitalities to annoy players who try to spare themselves the shame of a Fatality. The Air Kombos from Mortal Kombat: Armageddon will also be making a return, though they have been refined.

Though Mortal Kombat 1 will contain plenty of features from the franchise's past, it will also be introducing new elements. This includes the Kameo Fighters feature, which will allow characters to assist in fights. Confirmed Kameo Fighters include Sonya Blade and Kano.

If you're interested in sprucing up your roster, keep your eyes on the Premium Edition which includes the base game along with the Kombat Pack, 1250 Dragon Krystals (the in-game currency), and early access from September 15. Alternatively, consider the Kollector's Edition which features all the Premium Edition's content as well as a steel book, three exclusive art prints, an inspired Liu Kang in-game character skin, a total of 2700 Dragon Krystals, and a 16.5-inch Liu Kang sculpture designed by COARSE.

The post Mortal Kombat 1’s Omni-Man will be voiced by J.K. Simmons appeared first on Destructoid.

Someone old, someone new, someone licensed, and someone who kinda blew

I've been playing Mortal Kombat off and on since the early 90s, and while I have a good grasp of the breadth of the cast, there are still names and faces that slip through the cracks. Names like Li Mei. I don't remember her from any of the games, so I shot over to the awful Mortal Kombat Fandom wiki to get a refresher on this fighter I'd completely forgotten.

Even after reading her bio, I still don't remember her. But I guess we'll be reacquainted later this year as a new trailer from NetherRealm today confirmed she's coming to Mortal Kombat 1 alongside Tanya, who I do remember from Mortal Kombat X. Both fighters feature heavily in the spot, as does Baraka, who is back as a playable character.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sLJ-xyjMQo

With the game still several weeks from launch, NetherRealm decided now is as good a time as any to confirm all the DLC rumors that have been swirling since it was revealed. In a second trailer released on Friday, the developer confirmed the kombatants of what will likely be the first Kombat Pack. Included are:

• Omni-Man (Invincible)
• Homelander (The Boys)
• Peacemaker (Peacemaker, Suicide Squad)
• Quan Chi (Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm)
• Ermac (Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3)
• Takeda (Mortal Kombat X)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT-3vhCl6N4

Mortal Kombat 1 releases on September 14 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Switch. Pricing and a release schedule for the Kombat Pack haven't been revealed yet, but you can secure the six fighters above if you purchase the Premium or Kollector's Edition.

The post Li Mei, Tanya, Omni-Man, and Homelander will draw blood in Mortal Kombat 1 appeared first on Destructoid.

Captain Falcon would be an awesome Tekken 8 character

Many Nintendo fans only know Captain Falcon as a Smash Bros character (despite his racing origins), and his melee-based fighting style seems well suited to a traditional fighting game. It stands to reason that his moves from Super Smash Bros., translate perfectly into Tekken 7! The Captain Falcon Tekken 7 mod by JSRRemix and Mr. Fletch completely rework Noctis and impressively "shows his moves" like the powerful Falcon Punch and explosive Falcon Dive.

The mod has been blowing up since content creator UMIN uploaded an impressive reel of Captain Falcon's attacks and model on Twitter Saturday with almost one million views. In the past, they've debuted trailer-like videos for mods based on Overwatch 2's Kiriko, Final Fantasy VII's Cloud Strife, Soul Calibur's Ivy, and Hatsune Miku.

An impressive Captain Falcon Tekken 7 mod

https://youtu.be/BKXIQ95F7Hw

Captain Falcon fits right into Tekken 7. In this Showcase video, he demonstrates the ability to juggle his opponents in the air with his precise kicks. He can also do a flip kick that looks impressive in Tekken 7. The Falcon Kick does seem busted as it's so fast, but Noctis' abilities with his sword are also astronomically quick.

Captain Falcon's Up-B in Smash, the Falcon Dive, is used as a flashy conclusion to an air combo. Not many characters in Tekken 7 have this set up in the air, so it's a neat change to the flow.

What does the mod do?

[caption id="attachment_392025" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via UMIN's YouTube channel[/caption]

With the TKDataPatcher mod tool, you can add him to the game by using Noctis as the base character. You'll have to go to the Character Customize menu to get Captain Falcon ready.

Then, you can alter the shading of the hero; you can go with a darker, shadowy look to the racer. There's also a brighter toon shader option that fits his Smash Bros. look. Either way, you can't go wrong. UMIN has provided a download link to the mod featured in their video description. There's also a tutorial you can follow here to install TKDataPatcher.

Keep in mind that UMIN claims in the comments of the video that the mod is currently unfinished, but you can play the custom character right now.

The post You can now Falcon Punch Heihachi with new Captain Falcon Tekken 7 mod appeared first on Destructoid.

Where there's Smoke...

A fan-favorite is confirmed to be returning to the Mortal Kombat grinder. Today's new trailer for Mortal Kombat 1 reveals both Rain and Smoke will appear in the new entry.

Smoke is a well-liked member of the Lin Kuei, who finally gets a human re-debut in Liu Kang's new era. Here, Smoke is a fellow member of the Lin Kuei who joins with Scorpion and Sub-Zero to defend Earthrealm.

Also arriving is Rain, a High Mage of Outworld who wields water magic. He's looking a bit more robed and wizard-like, compared to his original palette-swapped appearance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66opZ1Go_ZA

Some Kameo fighters also make an appearance here, too. Scorpion pops up, of course. But the cyborg side of the Lin Kuei appears, too; Sektor and Cyrax are in as Kameos, as well as a human version of Frost.

For our two main roster fighters, both look pretty excellent. Smoke is obviously a highlight. His teleportation and quick jabs look fantastic, and that knife looks devastating in the X-ray attacks. Rain, meanwhile, is like a Waterbender that gets to actually do some damage with their aquatic magic. I really dig the big lightning ball attack that he can call down from a raincloud.

Kombat history

The Kameo fighters bring their own flavor too, and it's nice to see the cyborgs appear. I was curious about whether they would. With a new era and re-envisioned versions of characters, having the robo-fighters reappear or not felt up in the air.

After playing it at SGF 2023, though, it definitely seemed like Kameos are NetherRealm's way of including more fan-favorites from its ever-expanding universe without having to make them fully fledged fighters right away. If it keeps up the nostalgia and klassic references, I could see this being a really enjoyable experience for long-time MK fans.

Mortal Kombat 1 arrives on September 19, 2023.

The post Mortal Kombat 1 trailer unleashes Smoke, Rain, and more Kameos appeared first on Destructoid.

A lot of people will be Street Fighting

The latest Street Fighter has been out for just shy of a month now, and it sure seems like it's caught on. The current number of Evo registrants seems to back up this popularity too, as the tournament organizer confirms Street Fighter 6 is breaking both franchise and all-time Evo player count records.

Shared on social media, the Evolution Championship Series says Street Fighter 6 has officially broken both a franchise and all-time Evo record for competitors.

https://twitter.com/EVO/status/1673466628636561408

Evo doesn't share how many players that is. But if we're judging by the previous record count of Street Fighter V at Evo 2016, that's over 5,000 registrants.

Sign-ups for Evo 2023 are still live for a little less than two weeks. Evo 2023 is set to run August 4 through 6 in Las Vegas, NV.

Back in the saddle again

I have to admit, it's nice to see Street Fighter thriving like this. Sure, Street Fighter V delivered some pretty great sets over the years. But it always felt like SFV couldn't get out from under its launch state.

Meanwhile, Street Fighter 6 has been an absolute grand slam. As Moyse put it so well, Street Fighter 6 is "a title that radiates excellence." And the players have been showing up, too. Alongside the big Evo numbers, this last week's CEO—where MenaRD took the top spot with both Luke and Blanka—also tallied up a ton of entrants.

Safe to say that Street Fighter 6 has made its impact on the scene. I'm curious to see what these numbers look like moving forward, after the launch year luster wars off. But this year's Evo debut for SF6 promises to be a big one.

The post Street Fighter 6 breaks franchise and all-time Evo records for 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

Blanka Ballin'

This past weekend saw Street Fighter 6 make arguably its biggest debut on the international platform to date, as players rolled up to the Daytona Beach Ocean Center for prestigious fighting game tournament CEO 2023 — Three straight days of intense, hard-hitting, and uber-hype fighting action.

While there were plenty of excellent scrappers on deck, including Tekken 7, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Guilty Gear Strive, and The King of Fighters XV, most eyes were on Capcom's recent release, as CEO would offer one of the best opportunities yet to see how SF6 was progressing — both popularity wise and meta wise — on the big stage. When the doors opened, we got something of an answer, as just under 1,100 players showed out for the newest fighter on the block. An incredible number, to say the least.

While one would think that this huge number of players would lead to incredibly cramped timings for brackets, especially in pools, CEO 2023 also made it very clear that SF6 is one of the fastest-playing titles in series history.Many sets, including those in the Top 24, flew by at lightning pace, adding further fuel to the recent arguments that SF6 should consider going Best of Five in a tournament capacity, rather than the traditional Best of Three. I'm sure Manon is well up for that change.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=981ptSRjrKw

As proceedings drew to an end on Sunday, MenaRD walked away as the 1 vs. 1000, with their Blanka defeating Nephew's Juri to become CEO 2023 Street Fighter 6 champion. The weekend gave pro-pundits and armchair quarterbacks plenty of opportunity to dissect the title in its honeymoon period, with concerns raised over the Drive Rush mechanic, and a realization that the Feet Jokes are not funny anymore and are actually really fuckin' distracting.

But, more importantly than all of that, CEO 2023 was a sign of fine, fine health in the Fighting Game Community, with SF6 laying strong foundations for incoming fighters Mortal Kombat 1 and Tekken 8 to follow. Stalwart titles such as KoF XV, GG Strive, and DBFZ retain their popularity, while classics such as Super Street Fighter II Turbo, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and even Def Jam: Fight for New York carried torches for their own passionate fanbases.

If you missed the action, then be sure to check out the stream recordings on CEOGaming Twitch.

The incredible number of SF6 entrants bodes well for the summer season and the FGC at large, and with a slew of fantastic fighters on the market right now, with promising new titles en route, 2024 is set to be an absolutely stellar year for fans of the digital punch-party.

But the feet thing... It's time we all let it go. And yes, that includes me.

The post Over 1000 Street Fighter 6 players showed up for CEO 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

Of course, you realize this means war...

Publisher Warner Bros Games and developer Player First Games have officially called time on both Wabbit Season and Duck Season — The extended "beta" for platform fighter MultiVersus has been officially taken offline, bringing brings an end to one of the most questionable fighting game debuts in recent history. MultiVersus is currently expected to relaunch in "early 2024".

The free-to-play scrapper's servers are closed, ending a bizarre "test" phase that simultaneously had multiple seasons and additional paid DLC characters, skins, and stages. While MultiVersus players still have access to local Vs. matches and the fighter’s training mode, (known as “The Lab”), the community is now unable to play online in any capacity. Additionally, the studio has already noted that no refunds will be offered for any items purchased during the beta test, or the paid "Founder's Edition" of the title.

https://twitter.com/multiversus/status/1671966638000709645?s=20

Until the game's eventual relaunch, Player First Games is unlocking every character of the MultiVersus roster. While this could be seen as a form of damage control for the bizarre handling of the title, it no doubt leaves players who had invested their money in the title wondering why they even bothered. These players cannot enjoy the fighter online anymore, and now the characters/skins/content they purchased with real money are now readily available to everybody for the foreseeable future.

The MultiVersus story is morbidly curious. Launching its open beta in July 2022, the title saw incredible success out of the gate, and still holds the Steam record for the most concurrent players of a fighting game in history, as well a reported 20 million total downloads. This was mostly deserved, as MultiVersus is a fun and enjoyable fighter with plenty of character and charisma. Dataminers would also discover solid evidence of some big plans, which included some interesting DLC characters, alternate commentators, and placeholders for franchises such as The Goonies and The Wizard of Oz.

But, as the weeks and months passed, the beta's playercount fell off in staggering fashion, as the more dedicated members of the community were left frustrated by a lack of both content and communication, both of which became sparse by the end of 2022. When 2023 rolled around, the success of the previous summer seemed a distant memory. And, come spring, Player First Games announced that it would close the servers ahead of the title's still-undesignated launch. This left the MultiVersus community with myriad questions. Why was DLC even sold? Why were additional skins, stages, and modes developed? Why even launch a beta in seasons, with paid content if it was, in essence, just a testing phase?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvborgKG7fw

But the big questions, hanging over the situation like a fucking vulture, are When is it coming back, Is it coming back, and Who is it coming back for? If MultiVersus ended its testing phase as, essentially, a "dead game", then why would Warner Bros. have any interest in committing time, money, and marketing into a relaunch? We don't live in an era where publishers release games simply because "They owe it to the community" or just because "They said they would". We arguably never have.

The whole scenario reeks, and only time will tell how this MultiVersus scenario plays out. Either the fun fighter returns, in which case it has to essentially reignite the interest of a market that has already left it in the dust, or it gets quietly canned, in which case it disappears like a thief in the night, holding the cash of those players that showed passion and support in the project and its future.

At this point, MultiVersus essentially has no choice but to continue on its road to release. But, when that release comes, the franchise is essentially starting from scratch all over again. The casual audience has long moved on from the excitement of that record-breaking summer, while the brand's dedicated, money-paying audience understandably feels somewhat abandoned at best and ripped off at worst.

That's all, folks?

The post MultiVersus beta now offline, to return ‘Early 2024’ – but for whom? appeared first on Destructoid.

It Has (Pre)Begun

[Update: While invites to the lucky parties invited to this week's "Stress Test" should have been received yesterday, NetherRealm Studios has konfirmed that the invites are delayed, and are to arrive later than expected.]

Life in the world of Mortal Kombat 1 sure moves fast — It was only a few weeks back that NetherRealm Studios revealed the latest release in the gory fighting franchise, and already we're entering the playable beta stages, with the game launching on PC and console platforms just three months from now.

And if the recent gameplay footage from Summer Game Fest whet your bloodthirsty appetite, you monster, then you could get the opportunity to play Mortal Kombat 1 for yourself next week, with the koming of a new "Online Stress Test", designed to put pressure on the new sequel-prequel's servers ahead of the launch period. The testing period will run from June 23-26 and will offer up one-on-one online action and limited Klassic Tower battles, obviously with something of an abridged roster.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV175rgyH0k

If you want to throw your name in Kung Lao's razor hat, then head on over to the official website and register today. Interested parties will need a Warner Bros. gaming account, (you can register at the time if necessary), and the Mortal Kombat 1 Stress Test is only open to PS5 and Xbox Series X users in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Brazil. Lucky Kombatants will then receive access kodes to download the beta client at some point next week, ahead of the head-ripping khaos.

Mortal Kombat 1 launches September 14 on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. Our own Eric van Allen has already played a build of the exciting-looking scrapper, and you can read his thoughts right here.

The post (Update) Mortal Kombat 1 ‘stress test’ to take place this weekend appeared first on Destructoid.

Welcome to the new era

NetherRealm Studios is rebooting the Mortal Kombat universe again with Mortal Kombat 1. The slightly confusingly named MK takes everything back to its origins, and then twists it. The characters and combat that have become enshrined in pop culture history are still here, but with adjustments both big and small.

This feeling of old nostalgia blending into new ideas kept coming to my mind while playing Mortal Kombat 1. I got a chance to play some matches of MK1 as part of Summer Game Fest 2023, climbing the classic towers with each of the characters available. And while MK is looking ahead to a new future, there's still a piece of it that loves to honor the past.

[caption id="attachment_386534" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Here comes a Kameo

The biggest, most obvious addition to Mortal Kombat 1 is its Kameo Fighters. Rather than duking it out one-on-one, each player selects a main fighter—the one they'll primarily play as—and a tag-in Kameo Fighter. These characters can be called in to perform special attack every so often, with a cooldown in-between uses.

To be clear, Mortal Kombat 1 is not becoming a tag fighter. These fighters don't have health bars, and can't be fully subbed in. In my playtime, I had Sub-Zero, Liu Kang, Kenshi, and Kitana available as main characters. For Kameos, I could choose Kano, Sonya, or Jax.

[caption id="attachment_386535" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Calling in Kameos is easy enough. Hit R1, and they'll hop in to do an assist move. Additionally, different directions and inputs can change things up, like holding R1 to have Sonya charge up her energy projectile. Some can even have effects on both players, like Jax slamming the ground.

These Kameo fighters offer an interesting twist to the usual cadence of Kombat. Picking a certain fighter can help shore up another's weaknesses. Or, you can lean heavy into their strengths. A pairing like Sub-Zero and Sonya can get cooking fast, or a Kitana / Kano duo can be a real pain to approach.

Differences like these help, as Mortal Kombat 1 is still an MK game at its core. I don't pretend to be particularly talented at Mortal Kombat; its story and characters are the draw for me, but I don't really dive deep into the competitive side of things. From that perspective, Mortal Kombat 1 feels a bit odd at first. It's a familiar-feeling game with sudden jolts of difference, thanks to its Kameos.

[caption id="attachment_386538" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Fire god walk with me

This strange sense feels thematically appropriate for Mortal Kombat 1, which takes place in Liu Kang's new era. If you didn't check out Mortal Kombat 11 or its DLC Aftermath (you really should), the story of NetherRealm's time-travel shenanigans sees Liu Kang become a new god and reboot the universe.

It is the same universe, so many familiar faces return. But because of the shift, some things have changed. The most notable is the shift in dynamics between characters; Liu Kang is a Raiden-like figure, who seems to be maintaining order in his new world.

The recent SGF trailer hints at other changes. Kitana seems to be attendant to Mileena, and Kung Lao is filling Liu Kang's shoes as Earthrealm's fighter. And Raiden is... just some dude with lightning powers, I guess? I'm curious to see where all of this goes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnVTPkCWzcI

Aside from shifting those roles, though, my gameplay at SGF showed that Mortal Kombat 1 still has some nostalgia for its roots. Sonya, Kano, and Jax all appear in throwback outfits, in what feels like an homage to the actual first Mortal Kombat. It's also worth mention that MK1 is absolutely gorgeous. Everything, from the character models and backgrounds to the brutal Fatalities (and the one Brutality I got by accident) look fantastic.

I will say, the Fatalities I saw didn't do too much for me. The almost-cartoonish, Itchy and Scratchy ones are more my style, and the ones I saw didn't quite hit that mark, outside of maybe Liu Kang's. There is, apparently, one where Jax grows to massive proportions and stomps on someone. So that's pretty neat.

[caption id="attachment_386536" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

More-tal Kombat

My gameplay session largely consisted of seeing how the new Kameo fighters played. And for intense, competitive fans of MK, it does seem like the assist options could open up some interesting combo routes and options. It certainly felt great when everything clicked for me, and I got a smooth combo with both my main and Kameo fighter rolling.

For "kasual" fans, I think the appeal will be where it's been for those who like to dip in and out of NetherRealm's titles: the world of Mortal Kombat. The studio is starting from an interesting position, trying to play around with the established canon while building a new one. And that could be a pretty interesting universe to explore in gruesome, gory detail.

Mortal Kombat 1 will hit PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch on September 19.

The post Mortal Kombat 1 is a new era, but still loves its legacy appeared first on Destructoid.

Stars in their Eyes (and over their Heads)

One of the best elements of fighting games is how much their characters and worlds lend themselves to the creativity of the fan community, who adapt the games and lore to their own artistic projects and showcases — Case in point, this great cosplay video, which sees a handful of World Warriors gather together to celebrate the launch of Capcom's Street Fighter 6.

Directed by D Piddy, shot by Alive Alf, and starring a bevy of notable cosplayers, the cosplay video sees a host of Street Fighter 6 characters, squaring up in preparation for the new tournament. While the video mostly centers on poster boy Luke, (portrayed by Johnny Junkers), and a busy day in the life of a street fighter, we also get appearances from Chun-Li (Caytie Cosplay), Zangief (Bane Armstrong), Cammy (Vamplettes), and Kimberly (Jahara Jayde - No Pout).

D Piddy themselves also takes to the floor as the tonic-gushing vigilante, Jamie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjR_iqxgZbY

Luke's day is busy enough, but it's thrown into full chaos by the arrival of Juri Han (Jane Sin), which leads to a brief throwdown between pals. Additionally, Manon (Kitty Kaboom) does a spot of couture shopping, and even Sakura (Lucky Lai) pops her head up to remind Capcom she needs to be added as DLC. The whole shebang is backed by the official Street Fighter 6 theme song "Not on the Sidelines" by Rocco 808 & Randy Marx.

Check it out, a lot of wonderful, creative talent on display.

You can keep up to speed on more of D Piddy's projects over on their official Twitter.

Street Fighter 6 is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. Be sure to check out our newly launched and ever-growing guide hub for hints and tips on all of the game’s main modes, as well as my thoughts on who needs to join the roster post-launch.

The post Rad Street Fighter 6 cosplay video sees World Warriors duke it out appeared first on Destructoid.

Requiescat in Pace

Bandai Namco has confirmed that its 2012 sword-swinger Soulcalibur V is to be delisted from digital storefronts next week. As of Monday, June 19, the fighting sequel and its DLC will no longer be available to purchase from the PlayStation and Xbox stores.

"Valiant Warriors - Soul Calibur V is taking its final curtain call on the stage of history and will be sunset on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on June 19, 2023," said the publisher on Twitter. "The base game and all associated DLC will no longer be available for purchase. Thank you for your continued support."

https://twitter.com/soulcalibur/status/1668075650299879424?s=20

While it was neither confirmed nor denied by Bandai Namco, it is assumed that all players who have purchased the title will still have access to the game. Soulcalibur V is not a backward-compatible game for modern platforms, nor is it a part of Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus. As such, the delisting only affects the native PS3/Xbox 360 users. Better hold on to those discs, archivists.

The most recent entry in the franchise, Soulcalibur VI, launched in 2018 on PS4, PC, and Xbox One.

The post Soulcalibur V is being delisted from digital storefronts next week appeared first on Destructoid.

So long to a troubled, but memorable iteration

_{[One of the community's most dedicated fighting game fans, Virtua Kazama, prepared a few words for the departure of Capcom's Street Fighter V, a game which will be remained for its notorious launch and divisive gameplay, but also for creating great tournament moments and, ultimately turning its fortunes around. - Moyse]}

Street Fighter V… where do I begin?

Seems just like yesterday when I wrote a blog about saying goodbye to SFIV, you came out with a rocky start. I remember back in 2016 while I was working at Best Buy that I got the game and played it despite how barebones the game came out. The game didn’t have a proper story mode until a few months later and that wasn’t good either. For the casual players, they didn’t get enough content, but the competitive players got what they needed.

The main gameplay mechanic that was introduced in SFV was the V-System, which gave three skills to use: V-Skill, V-Trigger, and V-Reversal. All of them use the V-Meter, which is completely separate from the Super meter. The base roster gave us 16 characters, including the mainstays returning from SFIV (Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Zangief, M. Bison (Dictator), Vega (Claw), Dhalsim, and Cammy), brand new characters (Necalli, Rashid, F.A.N.G., and Laura), and characters we haven’t seen in years (Birdie, Karin, R. Mika, and Charlie Nash).

A year before the release, us fans were able to try the game out through the beta, and yes: the beta would have some issues to work out in terms of online connectivity. But the gameplay did give us some concerns because it felt different compared to SFIV. For some, it was refreshing, because we didn’t have to deal with the Focus Attacks and Ultras anymore, but for others, they weren’t too big a fan about the new gameplay itself.

It was a time when Street Fighter V went full speed on the eSports experience, having the game appear on tournaments on big networks like ESPN 2 and TBS for example. Yeah, EVO 2016 airing on ESPN 2 was a huge deal and it was a time to show the world what the FGC is made of.

It also had the highest number of entrants, with 5,000+ players at EVO 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljUonlW402Q&list=PLtQAiM1Y5luzZFPzuERYfWu3RsXF5spdc

Looking back, it was a mixed emotion. It had both the good with the FGC support, but it also had the bad with the casual fans that have been around since the beginning or newcomers who just want to have fun. I personally admit that I’ve lost my way as well since I thought that it was going to be the new wave for the future of fighting games and I was wrong. Casual players were left high and dry due to the lack of single-player content that it had when it first came out.

It wasn’t until 2018 that things were about to turn around with Arcade Edition. The game received major changes from brand new moves, a fixed online experience, a revamped training mode, brand new interface graphics, two brand new gameplay modes, a second V–Trigger that everyone can use, and more. The best part about it is that it was a free update for those who already own SFV, which made it easier for us because we didn’t want to buy an update unless we wanted to play the game on PC or another console. Then again, it was only released for the PS4 and PC, followed by an coin-op release one year later with Street Fighter V: Type Arcade.

I do recall a time when SFV: Arcade Edition was out, there was an issue with the online play since Capcom attempted to try Rollback Netcode for the first time, and then someone from Brazil was able to fix the netcode without issue. Online issues aside, SFV: Arcade Edition was a total improvement over the first iteration of SFV. But it would not be the end.

Two years later, we would see the release of Street Fighter V: Champion Edition. This would include an option to select a second V-Skill, as well as more balances and changes. Once Season 5 was released, we were later introduced to another gameplay change with the V-Shift ability, which would serve as a predecessor to a certain mechanic that would later be used in a future game which should be out sooner than later.

Even when COVID hit, the game still managed to survive without issue as well. Capcom Pro Tour was relegated to online tournaments until 2022 when the situation became better. The final Capcom Cup for SFV happened on February 19, 2023 with Capcom Cup XI where MenaRD represented the Dominican Republic and won the tournament. It was hype overall!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maxQhSYcMwI

Let’s also take a look at how much the roster evolved. Season 1, we had a lot of returning characters such as Balrog, Guile, Ibuki, and Juri returning from SF4, while two characters that we haven’t seen in a long time, Alex and Urien from SFIII, made their triumphant return.

Season 2, we had one returning character in the form of Akuma (Gouki), the official debuts of Ed (who appeared in SFIV as part of Balrog’s ending), Zeku (who first appeared in Street Fighter Alpha 2 as an NPC) and Kolin (Gill’s assistant from SFIII), the official debut of Menat (who was introduced to this game), and we saw the addition of Abigail, who was a boss character in Final Fight. 

By the time Season 3 came out, we also saw more fan-favorite characters return such as Blanka, Cody, Sagat, and Sakura (all returning from SFIV), while we saw the official debut of Falke and G. Season 4 saw more returning characters such as E. Honda, Poison and Seth (returning from SF4), the epic return of Gill from SFIII, the debut of Kage (another alter-ego of Ryu), and the addition of Lucia from Final Fight 3.

Lastly, when Season 5 came out, we had the return of Dan and Rose (returning from SFIV), the debut of Eleven (who is a prototype of Twelve from SFIII), the epic return of Oro from SFIII, the addition of Akira from Rival Schools (complete with her brother Daigo), and the debut of Luke, who would later become the new protagonist for Street Fighter 6. Overall, we ended Champion Edition with 46 characters total!

As we say goodbye to Street Fighter V, we will remember the good times and the challenging times that it had. I admit that the game didn’t have a proper launch the way it was intended and that it could have been a lot better if it had more content at launch, but it did allow them to learn several lessons from the developer’s side such as listening to the feedback from both the casual and competitive communities.

Always remember that you can never leave the casual fans who don’t play fighting games competitively behind. It took you two updates, but you managed to improve over time and, ultimately, survive it all.

Street Fighter 6… It’s now your time to shine!

_{You can follow Virtua Kazama for FGC news and gameplay over on Twitch.}

The post Promoted Cblog: Farewell, Street Fighter V… appeared first on Destructoid.

It'll be extremely limited

Bandai Namco announced today that fans can now sign up (right here) for the limited Tekken 8 Closed Network Test. The announcement indicates participants will be chosen based on a first-come, first-served basis, but also mentions it will be a very limited test.

While all platforms will have access to the Closed Network Test from July 28th at 10AM until July 31st at 9AM CEST, Playstation 5 participants only will get an extra weekend from July 21st at 10AM until July 24th at 9AM CEST. Those playing on a console will not require an online subscription service (like PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold) to participate in the test.

In anticipation of the test, Bandai Namco released a new trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh5udl01YXc

If you were lucky enough to play in the closed alpha tests in March, you will notice an all-new "Heat" battle system has been implemented based on feedback from the alpha. This new system removes the old "Heat Energy" mechanic and adds a whole new element to the action.

All playable characters will have a new "Heat Smash" command for use with the new system.

[caption id="attachment_385624" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Bandai Namco[/caption]

The July closed network test will have all currently announced content - here's a recap and where to sign up

For the first time, you will be able to play as any of the 16 announced characters, including the recently revealed Bryan Fury. You will also be able to face off on all five revealed stages: Urban Square, Yakushima, Rebel Hangar, Sanctum and Arena. The Closed Network Test will feature online head-to-head ranked matches and cross-platform matchmaking.

Not only does Tekken 8 look like a lot of fun, but the new Heat battle system also sounds interesting. The recently released Street Fighter 6 has been consuming a lot of my time lately, but who can't make a little room in their schedule to practice Nina?

Again, the signup link is right here!

The post Sign up for a chance to join the limited July Tekken 8 Closed Network Test appeared first on Destructoid.

An impressive sight

A Street Fighter 6 treadmill streamer has impressed fighting game enthusiasts worldwide on social media. Twitter user @thatMarcWithaC uploaded video Monday of the streamer, known as TalesofMrE, playing SF6 online while walking on a treadmill with his fight stick.

The British streamer has straps around his shoulders to keep it in place as he walks forward. What makes this even more impressive is that TalesofMrE achieved a Perfect K.O. while playing Zangief in this setup.

[caption id="attachment_384792" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via TalesofMrE's Twitch channel[/caption]

Playing with a Street Fighter 6 treadmill setup

With almost 1,000 followers on Twitch, TalesOfMrE took his treadmill setup online in pursuit of the prestigious Diamond rank. He said he "almost tripped" during his June 5 stream but the streamer still managed to defeat his opponent, accompanied by an evil laugh. While the wire of his fight stick looks hazardously close, TalesofMrE notes that "the perspective of the camera makes it look a lot closer to [his] legs than in reality."

https://twitter.com/thatMarcWithaC/status/1665807673093242881

TalesofMrE eventually achieved Diamond rank, one of the highest ranks you can get in Street Fighter 6, sitting just under Master. Getting a decent workout and playing a superb Street Fighter experience sounds like a lot of fun. Still, succeeding in fighting games at that level requires plenty of concentration and precision, making this feat even more impressive.

When not fighting it out online with bizarre control setups, TalesofMrE also works in the FGC as a community manager at Square Enix!

The post Street Fighter 6 streamer defeats opponents while on a treadmill appeared first on Destructoid.

How many arms do you recognize?

Capcom has proudly announced that recent release Street Fighter 6 has hit the one million sales mark.

The scrapper sequel, which launched on PC and console platforms on June 2, had an enormously successful weekend, with over one million players passing through its Fighting Ground, Battle Hub, and World Tour modes. SF6 received positive reviews across the board for its great visuals, exciting new mechanics, and magnetic roster of new and familiar World Warriors. The response to three previous betas helped pave the way for the title's launch day success.

Capcom released a new image that sees series veteran Ryu fist-bumping with many recognizable roster stars, including Ken, Blanka, Chun-Li, Dhalsim, Elena, R. Mika, Cammy, and others.

https://twitter.com/StreetFighter/status/1665795932917575682?s=20

With these new figures, the Street Fighter franchise now boasts a mighty 50 million lifetime sales, a deserved number for a series that, ultimately, wrote the blueprint for the fighting game genre. While the success of 1991's Street Fighter II can be considered the de facto release in the franchise's storied history, later games such as Street Fighter Alpha 2, Street Fighter III: Third Strike, and Ultra Street Fighter IV are similarly important in keeping the lifeblood of the series pumping from generation to generation.

Street Fighter 6 is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. Be sure to check out our guide hub for the title, as well as my thoughts on which characters should arrive via the DLC train.

The post Massive fistbump signals one million Street Fighter 6 sales appeared first on Destructoid.

I always wanted 20 of these...

In Capcom's Street Fighter 6, World Tour allows the custom player protagonist to befriend all 18 members of the latest World Warrior roster. In addition, players can unlock artwork, emotes, camera mode poses, titles, and backstories for each of these nose-breaking chummers. Ultimately, fully "deepening your bond" with a character will unlock their alt attire, along with 10 color variants, for other modes.

Deepening your bond with Ryu, Kimberly, Marisa, and Co. ultimately comes down to leveling up, talking to them, utilizing their styles in World Tour mode, and performing bizarre, non-sequitur missions. But the quickest way to Dee Jay's heart, much like anybody, is through expenditure. Buy gifts for the characters, and they'll open up their hearts in no time.

Except Juri, but she's a bit sad and we need to look after her.

[caption id="attachment_384184" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Destructoid[/caption]

What should I buy the Masters in Street Fighter 6?

So, if you're looking to offer a little retail therapy to your favorite characters, here is a guide to the best items to buy each fighter, along with where to purchase the item. As I noted in my review, World Tour is a bit shabby in places, feeling a little "Statement of Intent" rather than fully featured. For example, each character only wants one specific gift, which means you basically have to buy it for them 20+ times. Yes, the exact same gift.

I cannot help but feel there were probably bigger plans for adding more gifts, but development time ran out. Oh, and you'll need this guide, as while some of the gifts make sense, others are just baffling.

• Luke - Red Elevator 8 Game (Jamaica Merchant)
• Jamie - Bao Bao Bro Sticker (Jamaica Merchant)
• Manon - Beaujolais (Jamaica Merchant)
• Kimberly - Heart of Love DVD (Jamaica Merchant)
• Marisa - Cold Tomato Soup (France Merchant)
• Lily - Celery Chips (Jamaica Merchant)
• JP - Antique Playing Cards (Jamaica Merchant) 
• Dee Jay - Lukewarm Beer (Brazil Merchant)
• Juri - Wrench (India Merchant)
• Cammy - Jellied Eel (Jamaica Merchant)
• Ryu - Instant Soba (Udon Shop, Metro City)
• Ken - Cook book. COOK BOOK. (Mexico Merchant)
• Blanka - Knock-off Blanka Chan (Jamaica Merchant)
• Zangief - Wooden Bear (Russia Merchant)
• Chun-Li - Canned Herring (Dora Shop, Nayshall)
• Dhalsim - Mild Curry (Tsanpa Shop, Nayshall
• E. Honda - Rubber Duckies (Italy Merchant)
• Guile - Natto (Japan Merchant)

Each of the above items will increase the Master's respective bond by 5 points, whereas most items only increase it by 2 or 3 points. Further points are earned by winning sparring matches, completing character missions, and giving appreciative answers in conversations. Additionally, generic items such as Double KO Gum, Fighter's Magazine, and Prepaid Cards increase bonds by between 1-3 points.

[caption id="attachment_384185" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Image by Destructoid[/caption]

Finally, there are special "Ultra" gifts which are unlocked by completing quests for the Masters, these items are one-offs and can only be given to their intended recipient. They add a huge 30-40 points, and are a little more obvious as to their intended owner. (This section is work-in-progress)

• Luke -  Strawberry Fighter 6 (Get from Ken)
• Jamie - 
• Manon - Medal (get from Zangief)
• Kimberly -
• Marisa - 
• Lily - 
• JP - 
• Dee Jay - HeartBB CD (Get from Luke)
• Juri - Pricey Check (Get from Manon)
• Cammy - Neco Keychain (Get from Chun-Li)
• Ryu - Japanese Confectionary (Get from E. Honda)
• Ken - 
• Blanka - Locket (Get from Lily)
• Zangief - Weight Set (Get from Marisa)
• Chun-Li - Citrus Perfume (Get from Juri)
• Dhalsim - 
• E. Honda - Tirimasu Boba (Get from Cammy)
• Guile - 

You'll obviously need top dollar to pay for this stuff, so quick out our guide for quickly earning Zenny in game. Once the respective Master's bond reaches 100, you have essentially exhausted the unlocks for that character and will also earn their alt costume. There are plans to add further characters to World Tour as the roster expands over the game's lifetime. But, for now, go and make some friends. And ignore the fact that some of the characters are weirdly aggressive about receiving your gifts.

Except Juri, because she's a bit sad and we need to look after her...

Street Fighter 6 is available now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox. Visit our guide hub right here.

The post Street Fighter 6 World Tour: What to gift the World Warriors appeared first on Destructoid.