I've been a bit torn about how I wanted to go about posting the impressions of Sengoku Basara X from the AM Show. I know that going into the event, it was near the top of my list of games that I wanted to see, but based on the hands-on information that I was sent and the videos that came out of the event, I can already feel myself building up for disappointment. Perhaps it's better that way.
Hype has a tendency of killing a game before it is even available, and the pre-announcement hype that Sengoku Basara X has built is enough to elevate the game to a near impossible to meet level.
With a pedigree of two of the best fighting game developers behind it, Basara X already finds itself in an odd predicament. Though Capcom fighting fans and Arc System Works fighting fans can both appreciate a good game within the genre, both of the groups have their own preferences on what makes a good fighting game. Because of this, the mish mash of influences that can be felt in Sengoku Basara X may feel odd to someone who is looking at the game from the standpoint of a veteran of the Street Fighter series or the Guilty Gear series.
When it comes down to it, I'm not entirely sure just how much Capcom has with the hands on development with Basara X. The game was being built up as the first original Capcom fighter in years, but from everything seen so far and from the hands-on reports, the game is more favorable to the Arc System Works style rather than Capcom's. This isn't a bad thing by any means, but outside of the license, if Capcom is providing as little as it appears that they are providing, gamers expecting a true “joint” project between the two companies may be a little put off by the overall feel that the Arc System Works' touch has.
I've already gone into the controls of Sengoku Basara X once, but I think a refresher is in order since some things have changed slightly from the original reports. The game still relies on 4 buttons: weak attack, medium attack, heavy attack, and an engun button.
The engun system is the basic assist mechanic in the game. As I've stated before, it is a unique reinforcement technique that is similar in a way to the Marvel vs. Capcom series. During the course of the match, the longer you put off pressing the assist button, the more powerful your assist character (or characters) become. Further, the higher the level of your assist character, the shorter the recovery time is before you can use the assist again in a match.
When you press the engun button, the results are taken in context from when you press it. Press the engun button normally, and your assist character will perform a basic “assist attack”. Press the engun button during special moves, and you perform a special attack that will take advantage of both your assist character's attack as well as your special move (think of cancelling a super with another super in Marvel vs. Capcom 2). Press the engun button while being attacked and your character will perform a counter attack.
Pretty basic stuff I know, but the resulting impact of the level system in the game should prove to be interesting in competitive play. Unfortunately, we won't really know what kind of effect it will have until the game is out of location tests since for the most part, the engun system itself has been relatively “unabused” in the early reports.
Outside of the engun system and the button layout, Sengoku Basara X uses basic commands similar to the Guilty Gear series. Aerial dashes, Faultless defences, Back Dashes, Dashes, Dusts... All of these maneuvers are done in the exact same way as most Arc Systm Works fighters. It should be noted however, that despite the similarities, the game is striving for a slightly different “feel” than either Guilty Gear, Battle Fantasia, or Hokuto No Ken. The system may be the same, but it is being tweaked quite a bit to “fit” with the Basara character lore that Capcom is bringing to the mix.
With that said, the game at its state shown off at the AM show was a solid fighter through and through, but seemed to lack the oomph needed to really push itself in front of its competition. Though the game feels a bit loose at this stage, it already shows more promise than Hokuto No Ken, which should put some fears aside for those gamers who don't like Hokuto no Ken.
However, there are some problems that need to be addressed.
The spritework hasn't “wowed” me as much as I feel it should. This could be partly due to my disinterest in the source games, Sengoku Basara and Sengoku Basara 2. I'm sure that for fans of the source material, the character designs will be much more appreciated, but for everyone else, the characters and setting may appear to be a bit underwhelming compared to Arc System Works previous efforts.
I will say though that the historical basis for the series is incredible. If you ever have the time to head down to your local library and begin to read up on the history of the Warring States Period I would definitely recommend it. The number of games that are inspired by this time period in Japanese history are quite a bit more prominent than what most people realize. It's the small connections that you'll make with games that puts a new light on design decisions and the impact that this historical era has had on pop culture in Japan.
The second issue that I'm having is with the animations. Despite the sprites being detailed, one criticism Arc System Works has had to deal with overall with their body of work is limited animations. This has improved greatly over the last couple of years. Though Accent Core may not be in the same calibre of animated quality as Third Strike or Garou Mark of the Wolves, the animations do their job, but just not as well as they could.
The animations in Basara X are hit and miss right now. Though cloth and armor for the characters move naturally overall, there are some moments of uncomfortability with the work that may or may not hinder the finished product. I also have a slight issue with the near static backgrounds. I don't necessarily expect fully animated, heavily detailed backgrounds, but in some cases (such as the ruined battlefield), there is nothing moving that would give you the impression of being a part of a “living” environment. Minor issue, I know, but it is still an issue that stands out to me none-the-less.
All of this wouldn't take much to polish up before its release. And due to the small changes being made between each build seen, I'm expecting that some of the minor details will be cleared up before it hits arcades later this year.
The character roster is a bit hard to judge currently. Though it is getting quite a bit more diverse (latest location test videos showcase Honda Tadakatsu who appears to be a Potemkin-esque fighter laced with a bit more speed), the fighters haven't quite fallen into their predictable templates. This should come with more hands-on time with Basara X. I think a lot of this can probably be written up due to the fact that despite being a 2D fighter, the range considerations and speed of weapons of the different characters rewrites a lot of the rules that would normaly govern a game like Basara X.
It isn't completely unique by any means, but it has been a while since I've seen a fighting game that has as many variables that need to be taken into account before a truly “safe” attack can be made. For example, Date Masamune at first glance looks and plays like a standard shoto, but slight alterations in the archetype “template” changes the way that he needs to be played in Basara X. These sort of tweaks will make the game a bit more intriguing to gamers who have played fighting games over the last two decades, but to a gamer who doesn't devote a lot of attention to really learning a “system”, a lot of these subtleties will be lost.
Right now, Basara X hasn't quite lived up to what I wanted it to be. I know most of this is due to my own excitement about the game, but I just haven't been “caught” by the games reach as much as I have with previous fighting games by Capcom or Arc System Works. I believe based on what I've seen and the reports I've been provided that the game will be a good fighting game, but I'm not sure if it will have the lasting effects that I believe that Capcom was wanting with the title.
The Sengoku Basara license will attract a lot of initial attention in Japan, but currently the system may prove to be a bit too loose for competitive players who may find the game to be branded more towards an intermediate player rather than experts. Add to this the presence of a few questionable glitches that have popped up in early tests as well as some already potentially abuseable moves, and the game seems to balance on a teetering edge.
October already has two more sets of hands-on tests scheduled as well as a private showcase by Capcom. Early bugs are expected, so the fact that Capcom has been testing the hell out of Basara X is promising for the game despite some of its early issues. It is just a matter of time until we find out how Capcom and Arc System Works will react and whether Sengoku Basara X is a cash-in by Capcom or a real attempt to redefine what the fighting genre can be.
