It's probably Chaotic Good - SVC Chaos

NewClassic_v1legacy

Bringer of Words
Jul 30, 2008
2,484
0
0

There's something about Playmore (formerly SNK) that I simply cannot shake. Perhaps that their games have been the ceaseless vacuum that had laid claim to quarter after quarter of my wallet, or perhaps simply because I cannot evade the feeling that they found a winning formula of work that produces fantastic titles across the board.

A 2003 title, SVC Chaos is perhaps one of my favorite fighting games of recent memory. Not because of high-resolution "sprites" like Street Fighter IV, or simply for a classic tournament-friendly system like Super Street Fighter II: Hyper Tournament Fighting Collectors Edition Plus: Turbo. Instead, Playmore focuses on what makes the basics of a game functional.

Unlike the massively popular Marvel vs Capcom series, SVC Chaos makes a name for itself with fairly simple mechanics, "the basics", and still the razzle-dazzle of modern fighting game ideals. So, this title lacks epic combo chains, massive speeds, or incredibly flashy styles. What it does do is handles the basics capably. A handful of moves for each characters, a simple setup, and classic design. It's not too unlike it's 3D cousins in that aspect, focusing on a slower and more considered approach to combat. Something about the more patient feel to fighting games, in a world of nothing but 2D fighters with "Turbo" tacked onto the ends of their names. It's very appealing in a way that is halfway to signing me up for a retirement community and giving me a walking stick.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/NewClassic/Screens/SVCscreenshot.png
That said, keeping in the theme of aged styles and ancient gameplay, the sprites designed for this game are positively gorgeous. Note quite as high resolution [http://www.racketboy.com/images/ryu-sprites.jpg] as Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, but still looks gorgeous.

Conversely, the music is standard for an Arcade fighting game. It blends so seamlessly into the background that it's difficult to recall much about it no more than an hour after you've stepped away from the cabinet. The sound effects and voice-work is standard for an SNK title, including Terry Bogard's amazing Engrish battle cries.

As well as that, SNK makes fantastic fighting games perfectly balanced from one normal character to another. This title is no exception.

However, since the boss characters must be as their name suggests, their difficulty is more a function of being imbalanced than intelligent. So instead of having a boss that's highly talented, they have boss characters that are highly powerful. The screenshot on the left shows Evil Ken, a boss that is so difficult I've sunken an entire twenty into him without more than a single round's victory to show for it.

Ultimately, SVC Chaos represents a slice of gaming history that's been functionally translated to a modern day. Instead of being at the top of the charts and the top of its game, it's content to do what it does well. By that criteria, it's also what it does best.

Bottom Line: If you've liked any of Capcom's Turbo titles, you're missing the boat with this one. It's a slower title, unlike SF IV or Guilty Gear. If you always played the Capcom games with Turbo turned off, you'll find lots of delight here.

Recommendation: Play it. Not for everyone, but it's at least worth the two quarters it takes to at least give it a shot.
 

scotth266

Wait when did I get a sub
Jan 10, 2009
5,202
0
0
Is there a console/PC version of this game?

Also, this review assumes a lot about the reader: namely that they know a bunch about Playmore's style of fighting games. I don't: I have no idea what Turbo is, what standard music is for a SNK title, what the "classic" design of the game is, etc. It feels less like a review and more like a high recommendation: something about it lacks substance somehow.

Also, these sentences had me confused: I couldn't get what you were saying.

Something about the more patient feel to fighting games, in a world of nothing but 2D fighters with "Turbo" tacked onto the ends of their names. It's very appealing in a way that is halfway to signing me up for a retirement community and giving me a walking stick.
 

NewClassic_v1legacy

Bringer of Words
Jul 30, 2008
2,484
0
0
NoMoreSanity said:
Seems like a good game, not as complex as say Soulcalibur, which turns me on.

Is this only for arcades, and if so which ones because by my geuss it's one of the obscure ones?
According to Wikipedia, SVC Chaos was released for the X-Box, and also the PS2 for PAL regions and Japan only. Although, honestly, I've always thought games like these were best in arcade settings. Though it works fine as a console game as well.
 

scotth266

Wait when did I get a sub
Jan 10, 2009
5,202
0
0
NoMoreSanity said:
Seems like a good game, not as complex as say Soulcalibur, which turns me on.

Is this only for arcades, and if so which ones because by my geuss it's one of the obscure ones?
God, I hate SoulCalibur. I think that game was what got me playing the Super Smash franchise...

Glad to see that someone else found this. Yaaaay! It also strikes me that I forgot to say this in my previous comment: good job! Regardless of my criticisms, it was a fun read.
 

scotth266

Wait when did I get a sub
Jan 10, 2009
5,202
0
0
NoMoreSanity said:
I like both. SC2 was the best.

Oh, I found this from that link you posted in a previous thread. Surprised no one else posted here.
My problem is that it doesn't follow the same design as other fighting games like Street Fighter 4: complexity through simplicity. Instead, it aims for complexity through complexity, and that just turns me off.

Glad to see that someone used that link though.
 

Lord Beautiful

New member
Aug 13, 2008
5,940
0
0
I'm not sure I could go for this. Even though I've fought my fair share of bullshit magicians (imbalanced, overpowered fighter who win through the endless use of bullshit magic) in other games, I hear that SNK makes the bullshittiest bullshit magicians. I like me some Street Fighter and Tekken, Soul Calibur and Guilty Gear to a lesser extent, but the last thing I need in a fighting game is a bullshit boss, and apparently, this game doesn't have just one. It has multiple sorcerors of the bullshit variety. Does the quality of the gameplay truly compensate for them?
 

NeutralDrow

New member
Mar 23, 2009
9,097
0
0
I gotta admit, I did think this game was okay, but the AI turned me off ultimately. Considering I have no problem with the complexities of other games (mostly because, like in Tekken, I tend to ignore complexity in favor of whatever looks coolest), the simplicity in this game really didn't make up for it.

And Goenitz needs to die. Horribly.

Though I do give the game partial credit for having Dan Hibiki as a boss.

-Zen- said:
I'm not sure I could go for this. Even though I've fought my fair share of bullshit magicians (imbalanced, overpowered fighter who win through the endless use of bullshit magic) in other games, I hear that SNK makes the bullshittiest bullshit magicians. I like me some Street Fighter and Tekken, Soul Calibur and Guilty Gear to a lesser extent, but the last thing I need in a fighting game is a bullshit boss, and apparently, this game doesn't have just one. It has multiple sorcerors of the bullshit variety. Does the quality of the gameplay truly compensate for them?
Not if you run into Ryu after stage 5, and are playing someone without projectiles. Like, say, Kim. Then, it doesn't matter what you do (poke, sweep, special, super, throw...), you will get a Shoryuken to the groin. Not that I'm, you know, speaking from personal experience or anything. [/sarcasm]

Depends on one's personal taste, I guess. The only boss I found to not be an SNK boss was Dan. Goenitz, Violent Ken, Riot Blood Iori, and Mars People were hell. But it's probably worth looking into in arcade version, if only for some of the oddly obscure cast choices.
 

Woe Is You

New member
Jul 5, 2008
1,444
0
0
Last I tried this, it felt like one of those really rushed KOF titles.

So the problem isn't its simplicity or its speed (I can tell you that SF4 is around the same speed), it's just that the game is a wonky unbalanced mess of a game (Hitboxes just feel off. Geese, Chun and Goenitz reigned all. That sort.). There are far better games with the SNK label on them. Garou: Mark of the Wolves, for instance.