The Lone Gamer

Fast Tube by Casper
Asuka makes such a cute ninja…

Depending on how you feel about DLC, you may or may not be interested in knowing that more content is now available on both PSN and Xboxlive for a couple of recent fighting game releases. For Capcom’s Cross-over Brawler, Streetfighter X Tekken, there are Extra Colors for Character Customization (FREE) and Characters Bad Boxart Megaman and Pac-Man (FREE) as well as the Swap Costumes for the regular cast of fighters.

The Swap Costumes of course show each fighter dressed up more or less as a character from the opposing franchise. So above for example you’ll see Asuka Kazama dressed up as a Ninja like Ibuki (although she actually strikes me more like MK’s Kitana…).
The Swap Costumes can be bought individually or in ‘Grab Packs’ which lump all the Tekken Fighters in one package, all the SF Fighters in another. Not all the outfits are that good so perhaps only completists will want to get the package deals, and just pick the ones that they’ll actually want to use.

On the Soul Calibur V front, there are several DLC packages available which include one for Headgear, one for ‘Active Wear’ (Japanese School Swimsuit and Gym Outfit, one for Maid Uniforms and an Initial Character Costume Pack which lets you use several of the P1/P2 outfits of the default roster for CAS. Probably the most useful pack is the Character Costume pack, with the Active Wear and Meido Packs for gamers with that particular Japanese fetish leaning. As a completist I’ll probably try to get them all just because. But that’s just me.
Anyways, I picked up the Tekken Characters’ Swap Outfits earlier today, but the SCV DLC wasn’t available then. I’ll try again tonight and give more in-depth thoughts once I’ve played with these bits more.

Aren’t we cheeky? Well, Ivy is, with this little number.

I just went online tonight and checked out the Asian Playstation Store. Pleasantly enough, there’s now finally Soul Calibur V content on offer. Most of it are downloadable Music Tracks from previous Soul Calibur/Soul Edge games you can play (you DO know that SCV supports custom soundtracks, don’tcha?). Now, I’m really not that into game music, so that went kinda ignored. The real treat for me is the Soul Calibur V Customization Pack 1 (Sing$2.59). The DLC pack contains 3 Additional Female Underwear, 2 Additional Face Paints, 2 Texture Patterns and 2 Costume Items (considered Neck Items) that are worn on the Back. Obviously (or not?) the Undies are for Girls only, but male CAS can use the other stuff.

Is it worth it? Well, if you like your game babes and are underwhelmed by the lingerie so far available by default in the game, then yeah. It’s just spare change- and what else will I use the pre-loaded money in my PS Wallet anyway? I AM irritated that these bits weren’t already in the game to begin with… surely just a ploy to get some extra profit- heck, the darn bikinis are basic stuff. Man, Namco loves to make money. Lucky for them I love spending it. I’m also kinda hoping that if the Customization DLC sales please NB, they’ll force Harada and the Tekken Team to finally give the babes better and sexier stuff in TTT2, instead of just giving all the good stuff to the GUYS. MEH.
Anyway, you can find bigger pics of all the rest of the DLC pack items here.

Fast Tube by Casper
Console quality fighting action on the go?

Perhaps as a nice prelude to the big release of Soul Calibur V at the end of the month, Namco-Bandai got their mobile guys to port the classic Soul Calibur (back from the days of the Dreamcast and Original Xbox) to their iOS platform. While this kinda sounds cool, there are a lot of caveats.
First off, the game costs $11.99- pretty pricey for an app, but still I guess nowhere near as expensive as some Square RPGs on the appstore. The complete game roster of 19 fighters is available, with Arcade, Survival, Extra Survival (Sudden Death), Time Attack, Museum and Practice modes on offer. No Story Mode it seems, at least for now.

The files size is about 215 MB, which is large but not overly so. However, it requires an iPhone 4 or 4S, iPod Touch 4th Generaton or an iPad2 to run- and from the vid above it doesn’t seem to run that smoothly. If you factor in that much of SC’s appeal is silky-smooth animation, this may dash quite a few gamers’ dreams of heavenly beat ‘em up action on the go.

Lastly, despite being called Universal, the game apparently won’t run on iPad1. So if I get this, I’ll only be able to play it (at least until some patch addresses this) on my iTouch.

My Touch is already full of fighters- Streetfighter IV Volt, King of Fighters, Mortal Kombat 3 and Infinity Blade 2. Adding in Soul Calibur would probably be another nice feather in that cap. I’ll decide if I get this or not later tonight when I get home to the Sanctum and have access to my iTunes. So far though I’m at 40-60, against getting it. What I actually, really, totally and truly want, after all, is Soul Calibur V. Oh well…

Apparently Algol got fashion tips from Streetfighter’s Gill.

Famitsu has just posted an article about the newly-revealed additions to Soul Calibur V. First off, we now have images of the returning fighters Algol and Edge Master. Outwardly, Algol has taken a more minimalist type of attire (wonder if he’s still affected by armor breaks..?), although we don’t yet know if there are any changes to his actual fighting style. Edge Master on the other hand still looks as he has always has- a white-bearded but pretty fit-looking old man.

Also of quite some interest is that one of the available fighting styles in the game’s Character Creation mode has apparently been imported over from Tekken- none other than the fighting style of Devil Jin! Yep, wings and lazer beams- THAT Devil Jin. Or, I guess, Devil Gene? Imagine the crazy CAS you can create with that!

Finally, it appears that we may have a glimpse of Inferno, the original Soul Blade boss, in the Legendary Souls/Boss Rush mode. Expect the rest of SC’s bosses and some famous high-level enemies to appear to fight. Awesome!

The Power of the Devil Gene invades the Stage of History?!

Check out the pic-filled Famitsu article over here. Man, this is all too wild. I can’t wait to get my hands on this freakin’ game. January 31 can’t come soon enough, dammit.

With just a few weeks left before we end 2011, the big fighting games have made their mark and are set for our very near future. I think it’s a good time to just look back and forth at what came, what’s coming and what we have to look forward to.

Tekken
Namco-Bandai’s flagship fighting franchise had a pretty interesting year, with titles being announced en masse. The Iron Fist crew made or will make an appearance pretty much on every platform- from PS3 to Xbox360 to Wii and 3DS, PSP and even a presence on iOS via the cute free Tekken Bowl app. Tekken Tag Tournament 2 hit arcades in Japan and Korea, and is primed to head off for international venues later on. A Holiday 2012 release for TTT2 on console has just been announced during the Spike TV Videogame Awards, although details are still pretty vague.

Tekken X Streetfighter, the Tekken Team-produced crossover fighter we know pretty much nothing about, is supposedly underway in development. We’ve seen some art of Ryu and Chun-Li rendered by Tekken’s official artist, and they look pretty good. Harada and company are apparently still deciding whether the game will be tag or single play-centered; I’m hoping for single… Tag Team is a bit overdone by now. I’m really much more intrigued and excited for this than the Capcom equivalent, due to the conceivably much more radical change of seeing the cartoony World Warriors in the semi-photorealistic Tekken style.

On the portable side, Tekken 3D Prime Edition hits the Nintendo 3DS in early 2012. What this package seems to be is a straight port of Tekken 6, with the full lineup of characters. Disappointingly, the game apparently has no customization feature, and touts only new stages and card collection as it’s extra activity. Yeah, I’m buying this but it looks pretty meh.
For now though, fans have the Tekken Hybrid package to chew on- while the visually impressive Tekken: Blood Vengeance movie will entertain for a while, it’s probably the Tekken Tag 2 Prologue demo which will occupy players for the duration. At just four characters available it seems kinda slim, but it’s a pretty good way to dip your toes into the game’s initially intimidating Tag mechanics, as well as a tantalizing glimpse of the fighting game awesomeness destined for consoles in late 2012.

Soul Calibur V
The return of this classic fighting series happens in late January or early February, with new fighters and old in the lineup. With a few slots still unrevealed, we may see some character surprises very soon. Really something to look forward to, thanks to the new gameplay mechanics, the truly impressive Character Creation mode and an intriguing storyline in a Story Mode apparently influenced by the impressive Mortal Kombat in-game narrative.

Surprisingly, we’ll also be seeing the Tale of Souls and Swords on Apple gadgets, as Soul Calibur will be released soon on iOS. Looks cool- if it plays great, it should be pretty awesome. With Streetfighter IV Volt and King of Fighters already on iOS, this makes the appstore a force to be reckoned with in terms of fighting games. What’s next? How about a real Tekken on my iPad?

Streetfighter
The past couple of months have seen a lull in the previous steamroller of a marketing train for Capcom’s current baby, Streetfighter X Tekken. This came after a pretty controversial reveal of the game’s Gem System- a way for upgrading or augmenting characters that has raised the hackles of many players. We’ve gone quite a while without any new character reveals, but Ono has given teases that there may be announcements made in January and perhaps late December- still many fighters to be unveiled, apparently. The game is supposedly in the home stretch of development, and should be ready for release in March 2012.

Released last month on PSN and Xboxlive was Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, with new characters like Dr. Strange and Phoenix Wright joining the chaos. UMVC2 will join Streetfighter X Tekken among Capcom’s offerings on PS Vita. Upcoming is a new mode called Heroes and Heralds which will have players either becoming the world’s embattled defenders or throwing their lot with Galactus as his silver-skinned servants.

Super Streetfighter IV Arcade Edition just saw a free update that further tweaks the gameplay and character balancing.

Skullgirls
I’m really intrigued at this gorgeous 2D fighter. The last couple of months have shown off two more character reveals in the dismember-happy Miss Fortune and the thuggish Painwheel. This looks promising and should be a hardcore beat ‘em up fan’s fave once it actually launches next year.

Dead or Alive 5
Got mixed feelings about this. The game visually has gotten upgrades, and Team Ninja is promising a lot- some of it not totally appealing. The game may become a QTE-fest, with flashy stunts in place of actual technique. Still, an upgraded, refreshed DOA is surely something to look forward to. I just hope it’s a real change and revision from the last game, and not just a slight inch-forward. The game’s currently at 15 percent completion, but is supposedly set for release in 2012. I say late 2012, if at all.

Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
Since the announcement several months ago for this humongous DLC fighting upgrade, we’ve heard little, if anything at all. Hoping that the silence means that the Sega devs are hard at work making this as complete a package as possible. Meanwhile, a new revision adding more costumes has debuted in arcades, which I hope makes it into the console release as well. I can’t wait for this- hoping it arrives sooner than later. Look for this on PSN or Xboxlive in Summer 2012.

So many fighters, so little time left in 2011. This year I think saw the fighting genre finally back in the limelight and basking in fans’ appreciation. Next year looks to be a banner year for the Beat ‘Em Up, with titles aplenty coming and hopefully more will be announced. I think we’re all going to be busy blogging and brawling all year in 2012. Awesome!

Fast Tube by Casper
Once more, with feeling: Siegfried and Nightmare clash.

Out of the blue, Namco-Bandai just posted this cinematic cutscene/trailer for Soul Calibur V. It apparently portrays the final battle between Siegfried Schtauffen and Nightmare that marked the end of Soul Calibur V. I’m thinking this may be the intro for the game’s Story Mode, a bit of a flashback before starting off the new saga. As cool as it is, I really just with the game didn’t need to use so many pyrotechnics and flashy lights all the time. Still, it’s plain to see this game is going to be something special when it arrives in late January. The new year of fighting games begins with this… can’t wait!

Ahhr, matey!

The roster for Project Soul’s return game, Soul Calibur V, has just gotten a lot bigger with the reveal of several more challengers into this all-new Tale of Souls and Swords.

Longtime fans will recognize Cervantes, the undead pirate and original Soul Edge boss, who comes with his trademark dual-hand style. This brutal buccaneer’s sporting a bit more color to his skin… maybe a change of diet? Also back is Aeon AKA Lizardman, who, contrary to speculation that he’d return as a human (Aeon was the Lizard’s human name prior to being cursed) is now even more monstrous with the apparent addition of wings and the ability to breathe FIRE. Maybe he’s now a Dragon Man?

I guess it wouldn’t be a SC game if it didn’t have Yoshimitsu, and the mysterious Manji leader returns once again with an all-new look.

Finally, Kilik users may like or hate the fact that their favorite style is back in SCV, but now in the hands of a new face. SCV’s new staff fighter is a rather scruffy-looking boy named Xiba. So where’s Kilik? Well, I guess we’re gonna have to play the Story Mode to find out. Check out Game Informer’s feature for some cool screens of the new faces in action over here.

UPDATE: Famitsu just added a gallery with some additional screens of the Story Mode over here.

Man, France sure is lucky when it comes to Soul Calibur V- The Parisian gaming crowd got to play with the latest build of the game recently in the Paris Gaming Week. Thankfully uber gamers and fighting game fans Kayane and Keysona are still sharing the love and showing us the fruits of their meetings with Project Soul. Here are two interview vids with SCV producer Hisaharu Tago. Check ‘em out! Soul Calibur V hits PS3s and Xbox360s in January 31, 2012.

Fast Tube by Casper
Kayane’s interview is mainly about Gameplay, Story Mode, Intros, Endings and Music. Good stuff!

Fast Tube by Casper
Keysona’s interview is about Namco’s relationship with the gaming community, tournaments, game development, online and battle modes and such. Hardcore!

Thanks to Kayane and Keysona for these insightful vids. Really, these gamers have single-handedly been keeping the rest of the world sated with SCV stuff. Kudos, K and K!

Ezio Auditore sneaks into the Soul Calibur world!

At a closed-door conference, Namco-Bandai’s Project Soul showed off the latest developments in it’s upcoming sequel, Soul Calibur V. Surely foremost among the reveals was the identity of the game’s Guest Character- now known to be Assassin’s Creed Italian Stallion, Ezio Auditore da Firenze. We don’t know yet how the Master Assassin came all the way from Florence, Italy to be in Soul Calibur’s Fantasy Middle-Age World, but well, that’s shouldn’t be that much of a long stretch now, is it? I think he’s a great fit for the game (relative to past guests), and well, despite being more of a sneaky sort, Ezio has got killer blade skills, can counter like nobody’s business and has tons of great moves to make for an awesome presence in a fighting game. I have to say, I’m excited to see him in action. Good call, Project Soul!

Also by-the-by seen is a look at an updated Character Select screen, which now noticeably includes (aside from Ezio) three new faces! As seen in the pic below, on the top row, third from the left is a young girl who is surely Leixia, the 15-year old daughter of series’ vet Xianghua. Ezio can be seen fourth from the right on the top row as well, but it’s the one to his right- a Mystery Man wearing what appears to be armor and a hat can be seen- who’s this guy?
On the second row from the top, farthest to the right is an armored, red-eyed challenger who just may be the new Nightmare- and distinctly you can see this new version’s eyes are… well… feminine. Is that you, Sophie?

More characters, but even more to go…

This is just speculation on my part, but looking at that Character Select screen got me thinking. It seems to me that they way the characters are placed, everyone seems to have a relationship to the fighter who is in their opposing position- for example, at the Top Row, Patroklos is in the far left, while his amnesiac sister Pyrrah is at the far right. Next to Pat is Zwei, while next to Pyrrah is Viola, and we know those two have a relationship/link.
If we follow that lead, then the next fighter to Zwei, Leixia, should have a link to the Mystery Man next to Viola- I have a sneaking suspicion that our stranger is none other than Kilik, in disguise. But that’s just me. Finally, it seems that Natsu and Ezio have been paired together in the middle- perhaps they’ll have a rivalry, as they’re both assassins?
As for the next row- Siegfried’s rival is the New Nightmare (Sophiemare?), which is a no-brainer, while Hilde faces off against Tira, again old enemies. The next spaces are blank, but we see Ivy in the middle facing off with a slot that I expect will eventually be filled by her old man, Cervantes, if he’s coming back.

The next row is a bit of a mix-up, as apparently Mitsurugi’s been paired up against Astoroth, while Maxi’s against Voldo. Logic should state that is should be the other way around, but then this is a New Astoroth, so he’s actually no longer linked to Maxi, so a new rivalry with Mitsu makes sense. As for why Maxi’s fighting Voldo, we’ll just have to wait and see. The bottom row is an open question- albeit the space at the far left may be reserved for either CAS (Create-a-Soul Fighters) or Random Select.
This is all conjecture on my part though, so it may be all wrong eventually. Still, interesting, ain’t it? We’ll see for ourselves what’s right when more is revealed.

Soul Calibur V is set for a worldwide release on PS3 and Xbox360 on January 31, 2012. A Collector’s Edition will be available with artworks, 2 exclusive characters (ARGH) and DLC content. More as we get it then!

Fast Tube by Casper
Warning: Laughs and Awwws abound in this video!

Check out this Soul Calibur V featurette with French game girl extraordinaire Kayane interviewing Project Soul’s mild-mannered director, Daishi Odashima, on his upcoming sequel. Also on the side and constantly ready to pounce like a shark with shades is Katsuhiro Harada, who’s ready to add in his own color to the Q&A. Filmed at EVO 2011, this spot is kinda dated, plus it’s not really substantial interview in terms of hard game information… but it’s a very cute and entertaining watch if you’ve been following these games as long as many of us have. Plus it’s really nice to see Kayane get a lovely gift for all her efforts.

In case you haven’t already, check out Kayane’s SCV livestream (on archive already) in the previous post for about six hours of hot, fresh Soul Calibur V action. This game is due out in Q1 2012, and we really can’t wait to get slashing with this sequel.