"The Dragon and the Demon finally collide"




Developer: Namco Bandai Games
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Release Date: TBA
Platform(s): PC, PS3, X360
Genre: Fighting





One of the most anticipated duels in the history of fighting games is about to happen. The franchise's most popular virtual brawlers face the responsibility for consolidating the 3D style in the genre. That's right; Street Fighter and Tekken will finally come together in crossover fighting title. You certainly must have heard of the game, since it was announced during the San Diego Comic-Con last year. However, after the revelation, little information was actually revealed. All we knew was that the gameplay is supposed to be similar to Street Fighter IV, and Kazuya, Ryu, Chun-Li and Nina would be present in the game. With all the news coming out of Captivate 2011, fans had another reason to celebrate. Among the many titles that appeared at the event (with some being exhibited for the first time) Capcom showed a playable version of Street Fighter X Tekken (the ‘X’ is apparently supposed to be read as ‘cross’ ).



 

To everyone's surprise, the game is already well advanced into its stage of development. We can already draw some conclusions about how this highly anticipated game will turn out. Yoshinori Ono, Street Fighter IV's producer, shared valuable information about this latest fighting game. It seems that fans of Street Fighter will have everything they need to make this game enjoyable in their favor. And of course, Tekken fans won’t be left out of the picture on this one either.


Despite me saying earlier that the game is already well made in its alpha stages, it’s still worth noting that the version of Street Fighter X Tekken displayed at Captivate is not final. In fact, Ono said that they only showed about 1/3 of it. Even so, it’s already looking great.


Like most fighting games produced by Capcom, Street Fighter X Tekken’s gameplay will feature a robust system, allowing much flexibility to the player. In the game, you'll find controls based on the standard six buttons that made the Street Fighter series a success,along with three punches and three kicks. So does this mean that Tekken players will have to adapt to the six button interface? Somewhat. But who wants to choose to traditional game from Namco with only four buttons to utilize? Well, most of the combos still work. I think it is necessary to adapt to six buttons, even if you idolize the gameplay of Tekken. According to Ono, the two extra buttons add more depth to the controls of the beloved Namco series, which, as the producer has stated, it was excellent.

 

Another difference in the gameplay is the ability to switch characters during the fight. Much like crossover games such as Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, Street Fighter X game Tekken allows combinations involving two characters and switch to another fighter during the conflict. To replace a fighter, all you have to do is simply press the medium punch and kick at the same time. Anyone who plays Street Fighter IV will probably remember that this is the same command used for the Focus Attack mechanic, an essential resource for more advanced players.


Among the new characters released, we have Abel who debuted in the fourth game of the franchise. More prominent characters like Ken and Guile also showed the strength of Capcom. At the Namco side of things, Marduk and Bob King are included along with Nina and Kazuya Mishima, reinforcing the power of Tekken. So far, these are the characters that will be included in this game. But beyond the ten fighters, the company promises more than a few dozen. More warriors should be revealed soon, especially during major events like the E3 2011 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) this June.


Street Fighter X Tekken brings a fighting system that is very similar to Tekken: Tag Tournament. Rather than opt for the frenzied madness of Marvel Vs. Capom 3--in which characters appear and disappear from the screen within seconds and may be without power--this title brings a slightly less intense pace with one big difference. Basically, if one of your characters has exhausted all your energy, you lose the round. Unlike the Marvel series, you cannot let your character run out of life so that it is automatically replaced by the next fighter. When the life bar is empty, the round ends. Therefore, it is essential that you learn to manage your fighter’s vitality. Without a doubt, there’s something entirely different that provides opportunities for fans of both series. Otherwise, we will have the classics grabs, appearing here in two ways. You can simply press the buttons to punch and kick while the opponent is weak or even add a horizontal direction in an oriented directional coup.

 

Street Fighter X Tekken also offers a special bar similar to Street Fighter EX. Divided into three segments, the meter allows players to perform improved special moves, providing more damage to the opponent, but consume a portion of the EX gauge. In addition to the EX moves, the game allows the player to use charging attacks. For this, all you have to do is perform the command for a special move, like a spinning kick to Ken, and hold the button. With this, the fighter carries the coup and then strikes with much more power.

The game will also bring a special move similar to Marvel vs. Capcom 3, which, when accomplished, launches the opponent into the air. To run this version, all you have to do is press strong kick and punch (fierce) buttons at the same time. There is also the famous scroll, which can be implemented so that the fighter leaves the ground.

If you’ve seen some of Street Fighter X Tekken’s first gameplay videos, it underwent some changes from the original Street Fighter IV style. Ryu, for example, has a new kick that throws the opponent to the edge of the screen, like in Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. Chun-Li has already had the command of her Lightning Kick, in which the fighter unleashes several shots in fractions of seconds, changed to a quarter-circle-forward and kick (half-moon forward and kick). As for graphics, Street Fighter X Tekken will bring a mixture of cartoonish visuals with photorealism settings. We’re also expecting some insane scenarios, including those with different exploitable environments, similar to Mortal Kombat’s style.

 

Street Fighter X Tekken really exceeded our expectations. At first glance, we think the mix would not work, but Capcom has once again proven why it is one of the greatest powerhouses in fighting games, creating an experience that seems to be well balanced and, above all, fun. The essence of the Street Fighter franchise has attached to the boldness of Tekken and the result should generate more players into training for new championships, which will certainly arise because of how much depth this game has.
 

The game has no release date as of yet, but it will probably hit stores later this year or early 2012, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Ono went to comment on other versions such as Nintendo and NGP 3DS, but nothing has been officially announced.

Marco Cecilio, NoobFeed