Poll of the Day > Is there a Western studio that specializes in combo-based fighting games?

(+) Yeah! (+)

What do all the reviewers say makes a good fighting game or beat-em-up or hack-n-slash? A rich, deep combo system. In Japan you could say the granddaddy of that genre is Capcom. Whose talent has gone on to create some of the most lauded games in the genre.

But that's Japan. Surely the West has made games like this too? Who is our best at that? Midway/WB Games?

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ItsKaljinyuTime posted...

What do all the reviewers say makes a good fighting game or beat-em-up or hack-n-slash? A rich, deep combo system.

Not really? Combos make sense for fighters, but variety of tactics make more sense for hack-n-slash and combos in beat-em-ups just make things more repetitive.

ItsKaljinyuTime posted...

In Japan you could say the granddaddy of that genre is Capcom. Whose talent has gone on to create some of the most lauded games in the genre.

But that's Japan. Surely the West has made games like this too? Who is our best at that? Midway/WB Games?

For fight games, probably an indie dev.

However, for hack-n-slash titles, doesn't the US *already* dominate Japan? I can't think of many big Japanese-made hack-n-slash games, certainly nothing on par with the Diablo series (although I guess the Dynasty Warriors titles are big, but that's almost like a separate genre)


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There was.

They were called Rare, same company that made Banjo Kazooie they're talking about in another thread, and Goldeneye 007.

The game Im talking about is Killer Instinct. Microsoft ofc bought them out. Killer Instinct enjoyed a modest revival in XOne but not quite the same.

But the original Killer Instinct imo was the most intricate and beautiful combo system of any game to that point.

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Zeus posted...

Not really? Combos make sense for fighters, but variety of tactics make more sense for hack-n-slash and combos in beat-em-ups just make things more repetitive.

For fight games, probably an indie dev.

However, for hack-n-slash titles, doesn't the US *already* dominate Japan? I can't think of many big Japanese-made hack-n-slash games, certainly nothing on par with the Diablo series (although I guess the Dynasty Warriors titles are big, but that's almost like a separate genre)

Isn't Devil May Cry a hack and slash?

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Is mortal Kombat not combo based?

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Mead posted...

Is mortal Kombat not combo based?

The new ones are, that's why I wonder if Midway/WB Games is the West's Capcom/Platinum Games.

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ItsKaljinyuTime posted...

The new ones are, that's why I wonder if Midway/WB Games is the West's Capcom/Platinum Games.

yeah midway isnt a thing anymore I dont think though, the games are made by Netherrealm now and published by WB

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the skullgirls team, but now they are gone
whoever is still updating the game has done a great job tho

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Oh come on if you're going to talk about combo system in Western fighting games and not acknowledge Killer Instinct, you simply don't know Gaming, period, full-stop.

They had HUGE combos like up to 40 or more hit Ultras (with the iconic scream), or from 4,5,6 hit combos to 14-hit regular combos. MK topped out at like 5 hit combos, and didn't allow them as a Finisher move. Killer Instinct also introduced combo-breakers. And lastly the game is 25 years old and given their use of pre-rendered graphics looked absolutely amazing

They were also more ambient dark sci-fi than most games, almost comparable to Super Metroid with the level of atmosphere they were able to pull off, no other fighting game was able to match their feat of creating a whole world and fleshed out storyline on such a level

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Zeus posted...

I can't think of many big Japanese-made hack-n-slash games, certainly nothing on par with the Diablo series (although I guess the Dynasty Warriors titles are big, but that's almost like a separate genre)

Dynasty Warriors definitely fits "Hack n Slash" for me, Diablo I have always considered "Point n Click RPGs", even if 3 did take baby steps to more direct controls (on console).

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiw3kMTAVFo

Of course I'd play the goat.



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