Last night, during the Tokyo Game Show Presentation, RGG Studios had a 50 minute panel going over the systems and combat mechanics involved in their upcoming Virtua Fighter sequel. Though you can check out the entire thing right now over on YouTube if you like, we’ve already done so for you to cover the biggest highlights!
First is the option of two different sets of battle rulesets to suit differing styles of play. Standard Battles are the exact kind of fight you’d expect in a fighting game, where you deplete your opponent’s health or cause a ring out to win a round, and the match is won after a set number of victorious rounds. New to this game, however, is a new mode known as Uprising, entirely distinct from Standard. This mode utilizes a ‘momentum shifting’ mechanic to create more dynamic player moments and opportunities.
The developers are fairly mum on the specifics behind this Uprising mode, unfortunately. While the description sounds intriguing, momentum shifts are a known quantity of basically every fighting game, as the concept of who’s “turn” it is based on frame data and reactions times already create the sort of flow where momentum shifts back and forth from one player to the next.
The developers were able to get into the details of some of their new in-fight combat mechanics, at least, which sound promising. Break & Rush appears to be the primary mechanic, and is concerned with focusing attacks on specific body parts to build up damage and allow for a targeted break for a strategic advantage. The Stunner & Stun Combo system introduces a new technique, the Stunner, that can be easily chained into a Stun Combo. This helps less skilled players with a bread and butter combo ready to go for every character. Finally, there’s also the Flow Guard system, a defensive technique that looks to allow for shifts to offense on proper performance. Supposedly, this system works in tandem with the Break & Rush, but further details on exactly how they interact are unclear.
Near the end of the video, fans are also treated to a small teaser trailer, a micro-trailer, really, showing a mysterious man walking down a rainy alley.
In between is a lot of additional Q&A and greater discussion on the technology and developmental journey of the game so far, which could be well worth your time if you’re a Virtua Fighter fan with an hour to spare!
Virtua Fighter Project is still yet to be given an official release date.
