Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown

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I just wish I could be excited. I was a huge VF fan, but honestly, I haven't played much at all since 4. And I know there was really just 5 after that, but it got released what, 3 times before this one. I couldn't be bothered after the initial release.

It might not actually be me as much as it is that I don't have fighting game friends anymore. And single player fighting games... Basically only Netherrealm gives you a single player experience that's not just a ladder of fighters. I can't believe that no one else hasn't copied their single player concept yet.
 
I tried it yesterday. Man, the game reminded me that it needs a serious rework on its presentation. The gameplay is top notch, super deep.
I have to spend a few hours on training mode to get back into it.
But....the majority of the characters feel soulless and cheezy. They lack in personality.
Some poses, dialogues and voice acting of some characters are sometimes cringe worthy.
Especially Lion's.
I think it is one of the reasons why it doesnt get the attention it deserves.
From pure gameplay standpoint all characters are amazing and different. But in terms of inspiring someone to pick the game, the presentation doesnt do the game's justice.
Its like the game asks you to dig deep to discover it's appeal.
 
I tried it, imho graphics looks like ps3/ps4 crossgen game, not terrible but could be much better. Voice acting and dialogs before and after fights from psx era ;d
 
I think it's a fun game. It just looks like you're playing a classic arcade in higher resolution.

I doubt I'll ever play it much as the kids aren't into fighting games and I don't play couch co-op with anyone.

Only problem I noticed (other than the fact that I won't keep playing due to how I play games these days) is that the sound effects are weirdly out of volume sync for me.
 

"realtime CG system"

ah good old times.
Such amazing visuals for their time, but those awkward posing and facial animations certainly gave a very disturbing uncanny valley. Also the falling, the exaggerated standing default animations, hit animations and ground neutral poses looked awkward as if they were lifeless puppets. The animations also dont communicate that the characters have weight.
Tekken 3, a game which was in some ways broken in terms of gameplay, visually a lot less impressive, had personality in spades.

Sega improved it a lot but it is still a game that carries the sophistication of chess for serious adult players, and a presentation that feels like targets the teen gamers of the 90s (As if we are still in the 90s).
Also for whatever reason they insist in generic rock soundtrack and during the winning poses they switch the music to another repetitive happy generic rock.
Take VF2 winning poses. Many poses appear hand animated strangely, and look awkward when they suddenly freeze but the character talks.
vs Tekken 2 winning poses. The great majority look motion captured and the screen cuts before the animation loop ends.
 
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I am really perplexed.
Sega wants to use this release as a metric of interest which will determine the release of a sequel.
They also want to make this an e-sport.
Yet, they paired back the training mode. It is nothing compared to VF4 and Final Shodown.
Why?
This game is very complex and needs a lot of dedication to start playing properly. It seems simple, but it is less straightforward.
The training mode was a good way to get the logic behind the techniques and moves. All moves have similar flair, so their usefulness comes with the contextual usage.
The visual ques are more subtle. It is harder to understand which moves are punishable, which moves if blocked give you a frame disadvantage or an advantage etc.
Ultimate screams for a proper and deep training mode to get people into it.
The menu functionality is also weird. I wanted to enter some online rooms. Just like every fighting game out there, I thought once you enter a room to start playing, you find someone, you go to a character select screen, you choose a fighter and a stage and you play. But no. You play with a character you set up in the main menu. You want to change your character? You exit the online rooms, go to the main menu, set another character, enter the rooms again and find a room where you are accepted.
Newcomers might get frustrated and give up, because of this. The default character is Akira, probably the hardest character to learn.
Also, there are no quick matches?

Is there something I miss?
 
I don't think you missed a lot, it's clearly not polished / well done if they want to gain traction in the e sport department (with this game).
 
Oh boy, seeing a Justin Wong video reminded me of him vs Daigo in street fighter and the incredible parry ... It's still crazy to this day. And he (Daigo) did it again years later. Goosebumps.
 
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Oh boy, seeing a Justin Wong video reminded me of him vs Daigo in street fighter and the incredible parry ... It's still crazy to this day. And he did it again years later. Goosebumps.
but it was Daigo who did it on Justin ;)
 
vs Tekken 2 winning poses. The great majority look motion captured and the screen cuts before the animation loop ends.
I spent so many hours on Tekken 2. Did it really look this arse? :runaway:
 
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