Virtua Fighter Crossroads Introduces Narrative-driven Adventure Mode
A new core cast is blended with legends of the franchise's past. David Hayter joins the story building team
"ColonelFancy" Mike Lind
6/6/20263 min read
David Hayter joins the writing staff
Four new additions appear to be the main protagonists
One on one and one-vs-all battle scenarios shown
The fruits of the Virtua Fighter Project appears to finally bear fruit. Revealed at Summer Game Fest under its official name Virtua Fighter Crossroads, this return to Sega's groundbreaking 3D fighter franchise is developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios (Yakuza, Lost Judgement), and injects some new life into the series for the modern ages. Following the reveal trailer, which highlights Ceilo's story, there is a 25 minute showcase, featuring the staff speaking about how this project was shaped into what we are seeing now.
"At the very beginning when we decided to create a new Virtua Fighter, we explored a lot of different ideas," said art director Ryo Shibasaki. "Our key concepts eventually became realism and innovation. And when you think about it, those themes capture what drove the original virtua Fighter as well. Adapting those concepts using modern development techniques is what led to this new Virtua Fighter."
As previously mentioned, we get a fairly detailed look at Cielo's story, which the staff refers the story mode to "Fighting Adventure", as it seamlessly blends story scenarios that roll uninterrupted into combat without breaking immersion. A direction style the Yakuza series has utilized, the influence is very clear. The main story takes place in a Southeast Asian town, Vilasapara, and seemingly a good number of years later after the events of Virtua Fighter 5.
Along with Cielo a South-American MMA style combatant from Paraguay, one of the other new prominent new characters showcased in early production is a blonde kickboxer, Stella Bridges. When I first saw her, I thought it was Sarah Bryant, one of the series' legacy characters, and Jacky's younger sister. There are still two other new characters we see, but have yet to be named as of this writing. They look like they have connections with the darker underbelly of what may be transpiring in Vilasapara. We also get our first in-game look at another returning veteran, Pai Chan, fending off thugs at a restaurant.
Thus far, the returning characters that seem to be playable include Akira Yuki, Pai Chan, Wolf Hawkfield. The team talks about the choice to focus on a new crop of characters.
"In previous virtua fighter games, Akira was the main character," said Riichiro Yamada. "But in Crossroads, I really want a new character to have that role. Cielo is the new character. Our biggest challenge was shaping his identity. His story is about climbing up from rock bottom. I hope you enjoy it"
Strong in-game characterization was never focused on in the virtua fighter series. Unless you read the video game manuals or followed the literature, you would learn practically nothing about the roster as individuals or where their stories advance from game to game. Like the ninja Kage-Maru on a perilous mission to save his mother, Tsuki-Kage from the Judgement 6 organization's cybernetic experiments that transformed her into Virtua Fighter's signature boss, Dural. It's an arc that expands the entire series up to this point.
By starting with a new group of characters, it does offer a chance for a fresh start, similar to Street Fighter 6 establishing an identity for its future by placing a stronger focus on new main character Luke Sullivan, while also keeping the established World Warrior cast around. This was also accomplished with Tekken 3, placing Jin Kazama as the central figure, alongside Ling Xiaoyu and Hwoarang. It's an effective way to blend the old with the new.
Virtua Fighter Crossroads' story and lore will be bolstered by quite a cast of all-stars in the narrative department. Brad Kane (As Dusk Falls, Ghost of Tsushima) is the lead writer. Shinji Yamamoto (Persona 5, Shin Megami Tensei IV) pinned as the scenario writer. Tsuyoshi Furata (RGG's Like a Dragon and Judgement games) is the scenario director. And the voice of Metal Gear Solid's Solid Snake, David Hayter (Watchmen, X-Men) will be the world building supervisor.
Virtua Fighter Crossroads appears to take what Street Fighter 6 established with its World Tour Mode and builds an identity around the entire game, providing more immersive content that hopefully aims to mesh intuitive gameplay with the intangibles that ingratiates itself to the players, rather than simply being a nostalgia run. Throughout my life, I never knew that I would see another entry in the Virtua Fighter series. So far, what has been seen looks fairly promising.
For a full look at the 25 minute Virtua Fighter Crossroads SHOWCASE, it can be viewed here.