New Fighting Game Based On Shining Series

[Malcopunch]

From Shouykren:

Among the numerous announcements and presentations at Japan Amusement Expo 2014, the latest from Sega is certainly the most surprising. The company’s long-running Shining roleplaying series is set to receive a brand new installment later this year in the form of fighting game Blade Arcus from Shining.

The genre-hopping title was revealed through a brand new trailer that highlights the characters that will make up its cast, brought to life courtesy of artist Tony Taka, who has previously lent his talents to games like Shining Tears, Shining Wind, Shining Hearts, Shining Blade, and Shining Ark.

According to the trailer, Shining Blade’s Rage (partnered with soul blade Yukihime) and Sakuya will appear in the game alongside new characters Won Pairon and Ryuga. Anime News Network is reporting that BLADE ARCUS’ cast includes at least ten characters, with other guest fighters from previous Shining titles making appearances.

While other details are still scarce, the announcement video also provides quick glimpses of gameplay. We’ve included it below with images of the title’s debuting fighters. Check them all out and let us know what you think of this new fighter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va7Tc75G88A

Link: http://shoryuken.com/2014/02/14/segas-shining-series-makes-the-jump-from-roleplaying-to-fighting-in-blade-arcus-from-shining/

[SoWL]

Never played the games, but I always liked how its gameplay and artwork looked. I even bought a figure of Cyril just because I like her design. This seems like a good reason to finally try out the series.

[TekkamanArk]

Shining was cool to me because it had all kinds of things, like centaurs, bird people, werewolves, etc. I'll be disappointed and not play it at all if it's all humans.

[Elochai]

The only Shining game I've played was Shining Force (that was so long ago lol), but this game looks really good to me. Can't wait to see footage/play it myself.

[TekkamanArk]

This is the artist for Shining Wind? I hope we get Rouen! I would really like Rouen, or any of the Birdmen from the series.

[Malcopunch]

This is the artist for Shining Wind? I hope we get Rouen! I would really like Rouen, or any of the Birdmen from the series.

I am sure we are going to see charcters from other Shining Force charcters in this game..

[TAI-X]

Is this 2.5D, or possibly pre-rendered 3D like the Koihime Musou fighter? Can't tell from the tiny video. Animations look very smooth.

I'm going to be sad if Shining the Holy Ark doesn't get representation. Sega tried to stamp it out of existence on Youtube so people wouldn't confuse it with Shining Ark.

Edited February 15, 2014 by TAI-X

[TekkamanArk]

Is this 2.5D, or possibly pre-rendered 3D like the Koihime Musou fighter? Can't tell from the tiny video. Animations look very smooth.

I'm going to be sad if Shining the Holy Ark doesn't get representation. Sega tried to stamp it out of existence on Youtube so people wouldn't confuse it with Shining Ark.

It looked 2.5D to me. Kinda looked like Xiandou Zhiwang

[TAI-X]

That's pre-rendered. 2.5D means the game is actually rendering the models.

Shining was cool to me because it had all kinds of things, like centaurs, bird people, werewolves, etc. I'll be disappointed and not play it at all if it's all humans.

Sadly, I think they're more interested in pimping Tony Taka's attractive human characters. I expect the game to ignore the entire series before Shining Tears.

Edited February 16, 2014 by TAI-X

[Delrian]

2.5D can actually mean different things depending on who you're talking to...

[igniz13]

2.5D doesn't even make much sense in this context, if you mean 2D made to look 3D, then, maybe

Sent from my C5303 using Tapatalk

[SolxBaiken]

Location test set for 5/9~11 and there will be 6 playable characters. So far we've got 2 original, 3 Blade reps, and 1 Hearts rep

 

I can already feel the sting of dream-match-itis

[Sashi]

Seena where. Gimme my waifu.

[TekkamanArk]

So, this game has 10 characters supposedly, and we know 6. Worst cast ever? I guess they did add one of the "non-human" characters, but I was hoping for something cool, like Rouen or one of the birdpeople, or a centaur.

[SoWL]

There is also a loketest manual on the game's website, which has some tidbits about the system.

- Block by holding down 1 or 4, run and backstep by pressing 66 and 44, respectively.

- Four-button layout: weak (A), medium (B), strong © and Support Link (D)

- Two gauges: Force Gauge (the usual super-gauge) and Support Link Gauge (used for Support Links)

- Specials are called Force Actions

- Supers are called Super Force Actions and cost 100% of the Force Gauge

- Offensive Force is the local RC variant; it costs 50% of the Force Gauge and is performed by pressing B+C

- Throws are done by pressing AB / 4AB / 6AB.

- Link Attacks (Assist calls) are performed by pressing D / 4D / 6D / 2D. The cost depends on your character's state: it costs 1 Support Link Gauge stock normally, 2 stocks when you're in block stun, and 4 stocks when you're in hit stun.

- You can perform Link Force Attack by pressing D during your Super Force Action. This is the big bad super that costs 100% of both gauges.

And now I feel that this game is going to suffer from the "Cool characters as Assist-only NPCs" syndrome, as well.

[Hecatom]

Saw the title and the 1st thing that came into my mind was

 

 

 

I know that Sega is interested on expanding their library of games to atract more people and compete with Nesica, but i will like to see something more than budget waifu games =3=

 

#WhenIsHokutoNoKen2

[Aloci]

Come on Sega I just want to play as a wolf person ;3;

[SolxBaiken]

From the initial teaser's silhouettes one wolf can be made out pretty clearly, so it is a safe bet there will be one playable.

[SoWL]

You sure the trailer had no support chars in it?

[SolxBaiken]

Well it doesn't appear that there are assist only characters per se at the moment; all of the playable characters can be chosen as partners [and going from the player guide partners appear to have a wealth of options as opposed to say Aquapazza or Dengeki]. The only notable exception is Yukihime who is an apparent 2-in-1 with Rage [although she has only appeared in -artwork- form in one his attacks so far].

[SolxBaiken]

New PV

 

Shows off all 6 playable characters that will be in this weekend's testing. Also, is it just me, or does the game look and run alot smoother/better?

[SoWL]

I feel that the 3D animation makes it seem a bit sluggish, though that might as well be because of the players' performance. We'll see how it goes over the weekend.

 

And the fans of the series can probably deduce more characters from that silhouette shot at the end.

[SolxBaiken]

Well it's the same image as the one from the teaser trailer [which interestingly has Pairon in it but not Ryuga, who---to the best of my knowledge---was introduced at the same time as Pairon and are both new characters . . . Also still has Xiaomei and Altina].

 

I didn't want to examine it further, but it confirms a lot of my fears. First off, all of the character art [original characters excluded] are pulled from their respective games [done by Tony Taka], which pretty much reveals a tragic pattern . . . This game might as well have been called Shining Blade 2: Arcus as the entire cast I've identified so far come from either Hearts or Blade [which share many key characters]. There are only 2 characters I can't seem to put my finger on, so they MAY be original:

 

top farthest right - Rick Elwood (protagonist of Hearts and member in Blade)

bottom farthest right - Roselinde (Blade)

top, 2nd farthest left (above Xiaomei) - Fenrir (Blade)

bottom center (under Altina and next to Pairon) - Melty (Hearts)

bottom farthest left - Rouna (Hearts)

top farthest left - Dylan (Hearts and Blade)

 

There's a really bizarre and horizontally elongated figure between Altina and Melty... [wishful thinking, it is somehow Blade Crow]

[TekkamanArk]

Well, Fenrir, Dylan, and Blade Crow are kind of cool. Admittedly I didn't play Blade/Heart, and was hoping it was more inclusive.

EDIT: After looking at this trailer, this game looks way too slow and clunky.

[TAI-X]

Yeah, this looks like a cheap, rough and dirty cash-in. The artists have no idea how to make pre-rendered 3D look dynamic or appealing. There's also the apparent lack of representation from the older and better Shining games, the ones most Western fans are familiar with. I'll most likely pass on the inevitable PS3 port.