KoF XV: Meeting with Yasuyuki Oda, producer of the future SNK game


The wait for this new opus of one of the major fighting game licenses is coming to an end. Before the game is released on February 17, 2022, producer Yasuyuki agreed to answer a few questions. Here is the summary of that interview.

Gameplay and ambitions

Between KoF XIV and KoF XV, SNK released a new version of Samurai Shodown. The experience accumulated on this title allowed them to work better to develop the game on several platforms (PS4/PS5/XBox Series/PC [Steam et Epic Store]), and to optimize it according to the support. In previous announcements, it was announced that one of the big changes will be to how to use the meter bar. Players highly favored activating Max Quick Mode in KoF XIV right after opening guard with a low kick. However, this activation was a bit complicated to achieve, and the goal is to offer more alternatives to players in this new title. Normal activation should therefore be a generally better option, but a quick activation following a low will still be interesting in specific situations. By further allowing the use of EX moves outside of MAX Mode, players should have a lot more tools at their disposal and feel even less limited in how they approach the game.

Yasuyuki Oda

The big mechanical novelty of this King of Fighters will be the Shatter Strike. The latter was improved during the development of the game, being first thought of as a tool to be used in a combo, it had a defensive effectiveness added to it that eventually became its greatest asset. Although it can still be used in an offensive phase, it is when countering an opponent with it that the reward will be greatest. It will still be quite hard to place, because it will be necessary to analyze the habits of his opponent to use it at the appropriate time. The Shatter Strike is thought of as a tool that can turn a game around once the opponent’s rhythm has been analyzed. This should make the fights even more epic, especially in the later rounds after the observation phase.

About game design

Mr. Oda then explains how the teams are formed at the level of the characters in the game. These are primarily intended to be consistent with the lore of the game, but there are a few exceptions that have been built around a particular playstyle. The main goal around each team is above all to make them all interesting for the players, so that everyone can find a shoe that suits them, or rather a character that suits their stick. He then admits that he does not necessarily expect canon teams to be used by players during competitions, and that is why the draft mode exists. Each player will thus be able to create his favorite team, without feeling limited to having to play fighters who amuse him less. While this feature isn’t new, it’s still worth knowing that SNK won’t be basing game balancing on canon teams. He tells us that he always feels something special when he works on the team of Garou: Mark of the Wolves, the title on which he made his debut. A new Fatal Fury opus would be a title he would love to do if the opportunity ever arises.

Team Rivals will contain two original characters: Dolores (left) and Isla (center) - VS Fighting
Team Rivals will contain two original characters: Dolores (left) and Isla (center)

Virtual reality is also a field of great interest to the producer of this new KoF. However, according to him, a fighting game developed for this support would be totally different from those we know, to the point that it would be a different genre. According to his experience, players are above all attracted by the fighters they find the most charismatic, except with this support it is impossible to see the character that we embody. It would be a huge job for the developers to think of new ways to make the actions impressive and breathtaking. While specifying that it is not a project at the moment, he states that if he were to tackle a fighting game on a virtual reality medium, he would approach it in a very different way from a King of Fighters. According to him, the sensations would ultimately be closer to a simulation of a combat sport than a classic game.

SNK revealed tonight the ultimate character that will be available when King of Fighters XV is released. Elisabeth Blanctorche will be the last member of the Ash Crimson team.

While the fifteenth opus of the King of Fighters license has not yet been released, SNK has already announced part of the content of Season Pass 1. In the end, 4 new teams, therefore 12 fighters who will join the adventure in the coming year.





Source link -115