The New Virtua Fighter.. There is hope

Finally,, after watching this interview there is hope. When Seiji Aoki added those hideous hit sparks to VF5US I was very worried that the franchise was going to follow Tekken's 2.5D, Goku, Dragon Ball, Fantasy based , Anime depiction of martial arts, with vampires, kangeroos, pandas, androids, fireballs, weapons, magic, shonen jumps, flying, over-the-top, colored lighting bolt saturated action sequences. Tekken originally had at least some focus on martial arts, and a modicum of reality in their fighting sequences. But since Tekken 7 and the translation to Unreal Engine 4 it all went wrong. And now Tekken is a joke and has a disastrous presentation (from a martial arts POV)

But Ryo Shibasaki the producer of the new Virtua Fighter is saying all the right things in this interview. More realistic blocks, all moves based on motion capture from real practitioners of the various modern martial arts. He promises a game based in realism innovation A true RGG powered narrative. And it looks like VF5US and VF5REVO's hit sparks were just an aberration and mistake on Seiji Aoki's part

It looks like there is going to be a choice: Tekken's Zany, Fantasy -based Magical Martial Arts vs Virtua Fighter's innovation in realism and legit story telling If you can take Ryo Shibasaki's interview at its word, we're in for an amazing game. There is hope

 

Peace @masterpo i'm glad you like the new direction.

Spoiler: deleted

It's better to be kind to others (even when you only mention them online, like Aoki), because how you treat others you treat yourself (checked on my self).
Of course, no one is required to follow the rule, to know the rule, or even to think that the rule is a good idea.
I know that anyone who follows the rule will live a happier and more productive life, but individuals are free to dispute or ignore that advice if they wish.

> And it looks like VF5US and VF5REVO's hit sparks were just an aberration and mistake on Seiji Aoki's part

All "mistakes" are synonym for leasons. By the "mistake" we've leanred that VF is better sparkless. That knowledge is bliss and we only gain it thru doing it. The maturity is to conclude and re-loop your action.

Instead of blame, learn leassons (It makes world better) or be harsh your choice.

 

I've been curious about masterpo's thoughts, seeing as they have been the most skeptical. I said it before, but it's quite something that we were all speculating on what VF6 would do to reach a wider audience, and it turns out RGG is doing so by tripling down on the animations hardcore fans appreciate. The developers really come off as sincere, when every other big studio just blows smoke. VF6 is going to be incredible. I can't wait to see Lei-Fei's move list. Keep him complicated and "low tier" for us psycho Lei players.

 

When Virtua Fighter was released in Japan it was on arcade machines and that was the Japanese first introduction to VF. My first experience was on a PS2. (no arcade) VF4 on the PS2 had plenty of single player content, a trainable AI, Kumite Mode, amazing graphics, and no hit sparks I eventually played the game offline with others, but for the first year or so it was a beautiful single player martial arts simulation (or at least as close as you could get back then) and keep in mind there was no online with VF4, or VF4 EVO in the the states, and I've never seen a VF arcade in the US. Sp the whole competitive scene thing wasn't a thing

So to see VF slowly lose serious and significant single player content, move to an online only focus, add Tekken skins, a Tekken UI, Tekken music, and Tekken style hit sparks was extremely sad , and disappointing. I play VF4, VF4EVO, VF5, VF5FS on the regular with friends and family. I just couldn't stomach what Seiji Aoki had done to VF5US. But the new Virtua Fighter is looking in the pocket. And the single player possibilities are bringing me joy

 

VF4 Evo was my first Virtua Fighter too. I hadn't played a fighting game in a while but suddenly wanted to. I wanted to find whatever the deepest, most technical fighter was. I did some research, and Virtua Fighter seemed like the right choice. I also like single player, but the arcade mode offers very little, and I totally understand why that mod that makes all the rounds equally hard exists. Arcade mode would be a lot cooler if there were scoring and leader boards, but it would still need other single player options to keep from getting boring.

To be honest, I don't even notice VFUS's hit sparks while playing. I think they half assed it. When I watch Tekken, everything is an eye sore. Crazy shit can look cool, but Tekken lacks taste. Flashing arbitrary icons on the screen is worse than hit sparks. Then the camera keeps cutting to shots of just one of the characters and all I can think is, "so is the other player frozen in time or something, because if I were them, I'd be wondering why I can't step or strike while he's posing for photo."

Tekken should retire. The artists at Arc System Works can take care of the over the top awesome looking shit. And Virtua Fighter can snag everybody with ultrasuperheat fatigue.

 

R. Yamada is actually the producer of the new Virtua Fighter project, the guy interviewed in the video (Ryo Shibasaki I believe) is the Art Director. He seems to have power since he is given the floor and it seems that the team shares a common vision by heart for this project.

 

The more grounded nature is what makes the series so appealing. No lazers and bullshit

 

Virtua Fighter 4 with the trainable AI, and Kumite Mode, VF4EVO with the amazing Quest Mode, Training Mode and Underground Tournments, Replays are masterpieces. The visual presentation is clean, elegant and no nonsense. Even Virtua Fighter 5's Quest Mode adds a lot of single player goodness. Sega started cutting back with VF5FS. Originally Sega had no plans to export VF5FS out of Japan but thanks to members of VFDC and many other petitioning, begging and pleading with SEGA they finally made a console version of VF5FS for a release outside of Japan So although it did not have the Quest Mode from VF5 , and VF4 it did have Jean, and Taka, , Sparring Mode , License mode, plenty of customizations (And No Hit Sparks). But with VF5US they lost the plot. They dropped single player content. They significantly reduced character customization, no license mode, no sparring mode. But they added Tekken skins, Tekken UI, and Tekken style hit sparks.


I'm not against hit flashes in fighting games. Soul Calibur is the best and most beautiful all around 3D fighting game experience. It has amazing single player content . It has amazing online content. It has amazing 2 player content, It has a great story line. It has amazing training mode content. And it has helluva hit sparks and meters. But they work in a weapons based game. that takes place in medieval times, where golems, sorcerer, pirates, samurai, kunichi, and knights go to battle


Hit sparks don't belong in the Virtua Fighter series. In 2025 there are other ways to demonstrate dramatic hit effects and combat context without resorting to 1980's arcade style hit sparks.

 

I agree with this point completely! Despite character story section being braindead easy, Libra of Soul is pretty awesome, and the ability to create your own character makes the games the absolute GOAT of customization. In spite of the controversy surrounding the game, Soul Calibur 6 is some of the most fun I have ever had in a fighting game.

I also have no idea why, but Soul Calibur 6 has some of the best and most fair-feeling CPU that I have seen in all of fighting games (at least on the harder difficulties). Even though the CPU is good at reacting to and predicting your moves, it plays by the same rules of attack commitment. The CPU opponents in Soul Calibur 6 somehow outshine those of every modern fighting game I have played! I really wish more people would give Soul Calibur 6 a chance, as it is genuinely awesome.