Poll: Linear vs. Free-roaming Fighting Games

[ahrnygoose]

Hey fellow Escapists, this is my first forum topic so I hope you like it!

I am in the middle of playing Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 for the PS2 and I wanted to pose a question to my fellow Fighting Game enthusiasts:

Do you prefer your fighting games to be more linear or more free-roaming?

I prefer free-roaming, fast-paced fighting games, like the one I'm currently playing. I also like fighting games like Soul Calibur 4 (360) that give freedom of movement around a map while still maintaining a linear feel. I must say, though, that there are many fun linear fighting games, too. My favorites are Killer Instinct (SNES) and Naruto Ultimate Ninja 3 (PS2).

Oddly enough, the DBZ fighting games offer many examples of various fighting game styles and evolution across the genre (and I have always thought they were fun to play).
Dragon Ball Z: Super Butouden 1,2, and 3 (All SNES) was linear and it had a stretched battlefield that both players could simultaneously use.

Spoiler: Super Butouden 2

DBZ Hyper Dimension (SNES) was linear, and it used a foreground to background mechanic for dodging.

Spoiler: DBZ Hyper Dimension

Dragon Ball Final Bout (PS1) was linear, but characters could dodge to the foreground or background, and the camera would rotate to realign the battlefield in a linear fashion. The character were in 3D.

Spoiler: Dragon Ball Final Bout

Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 uses a free-roaming style. There is more freedom of movement for the characters. You can go anywhere on the map and fight, hide, power up, knee Gohan in the face, etc.

Spoiler: DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2

If you have any more examples or fighting game styles you enjoy, post them. Also, post some of your favorite fighters if you want.

 

[ChildofGallifrey]

I enjoy both, but I think free-roaming fighting games are an interesting concept that haven't been explored enough. A good example, I think, would be Tobal No. 1. In the story mode, you lead your chosen character through a maze, with a fight occurring in large(r) rooms of the dungeon. The more recent Naruto games also have interesting, free roaming story modes.

I think there is a huge amount of untapped potential for free-roaming fighting games, and I would LOVE to see it explored more. I'm terrible at fighting games, but interesting mechanics like this pique my interest.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

I believe DOA and some tekken games have free roaming IE you get a zone to play in.

Frankly I have more issues with core mechanics than I do how small the area of play is.

I do not think The fighting game has evolved well over the past decade, sure Soul cab is the best in terms of power spamming and fancy fou mundane martial arts but I really miss the old 2D style of fighting game(and SF4 is nice but missing something? Mabye heart and soul), it seems easy enough to do on the 3D plane just use the attack buttons for combos instead of the Dpad.

I think the crux of fighting games even brawlers(or adventure bralwer/action RPG thingy's like Onimusha) is to build a deep but easy/simple combo system, from their you can add in anything but if the combo system is weak or over the top it loses people..

 

[The Grim Ace]

I enjoy a mix between the two, exemplified best by Soul Calibur II. I can't think of a fighting game I've played with more polish to the feel in being able to move freely around the arena so one can dodge as well as position oneself better yet is as linear as needed to still be able to pull off great combos without it becoming clumsy. I've noticed some free-roaming games end up being clumsy when trying to pull off combos while linear games don't have the most natural feel with keeping two characters stuck in one place. Great choices listed in the original post, if for no other reason than heavy nostalgia for me.

 

[-Seraph-]

The dimensions of which a fighting game uses are irrelevant to me as it all boils down to how well the controls are and the mechanics. I've played a verity of fighting games of both the 2D and 3D style and their greatness always comes down to the game play which of course is somewhat determined by the dimension.

Although the best 3D/Free roam fighter to date is still Dissidia in my eyes, it has perfect controls and camera for fighting and feels so natural and easy to use. And still maintains a considerable amount of depth despite the more "simplified" controls.

 

[ahrnygoose]

Snip

You're right, SC II is a great example. I have that one, too.
LOl, the DBZ examples I left would be nostalgic for me if not for the fact that I played 3 of them in the past 2 weeks.

Snip

Yeah, DOA and Tekken are good, though, to me, they were only a little free-roaming. They were fairly linear with a 3D dodging mechanic.

I believe that fighting games have evolved well, especially considering the fairly simple idea behind the genre. I do agree, though, that there needs to be more evolution. If you have any ideas of how, that would be awesome.

Snip

I haven't played Tobal No.1, but I'll check that out. I have played the demo for Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm II, and that seems like a step in the right direction, but I won't be sure until I play the full game.
I brought up this topic because I love fighting games, and complicated fighters and fighters with interesting mechanics will always draw me in.

 

[demoman_chaos]

I liked the MKvsDC setup. The focus is 2D, but you coudl move around in 3D if you wanted to.

 

[Nooners]

The best "free-roaming" fighting series are the Power Stone games for the Dreamcast. Truly free-roaming, without ever being limited by...well, anything.

 

[ahrnygoose]

The best "free-roaming" fighting series are the Power Stone games for the Dreamcast. Truly free-roaming, without ever being limited by...well, anything.

About 10 minutes after I posted the topic, Power Stone ran through my mind. I'm glad someone else besides me is a Power Stone fan.

 

[ahrnygoose]

I liked the MKvsDC setup. The focus is 2D, but you coudl move around in 3D if you wanted to.

I liked plowing people through walls in the "Test Your Might" mode.

 

[mindlesspuppet]

I never understood the point of making a fighting game in 3D if it's not free roaming. I hate 2.5D games like Soul Calibur, Tekken, etc.

 

[Kae]

I will say I prefer Smash Brothers you can roam free but it's 2D and very straightforward and easy to play but it's got a surprising depth definitely my favorite fighting game (maybe because I don't suck as bad on it like on other fighting games)
EDIT>I guess that would be a mixture of both.

 

[Deleted]

I prefer linear (2D movement) because most fighting games I like fall under that category. And they have an emphasis on reactions and combos rather than movement and position tactics.

Games like Super Street Fighter 4 and Blazblue are like this, and I love 'em.

3D, or "free roaming" as you say I don't really like but I understand why they're liked. Games like Tekken and Soul Caliber are not my cup of tea because it isn't really about execution and crazy combos, and more about tactics and thinking.

 

[NeutralDrow]

To be honest, I go for either. I just recently started playing DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 3, though, so I'm just now seeing how much fun 3D insane roaming makes the genre.

Nothing will ever truly replace 2D for me, though.

 

[pyrosaw]

Being a major Mortal Kombat ethusiast, I prefer both.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Snip

Yeah, DOA and Tekken are good, though, to me, they were only a little free-roaming. They were fairly linear with a 3D dodging mechanic.

I believe that fighting games have evolved well, especially considering the fairly simple idea behind the genre. I do agree, though, that there needs to be more evolution. If you have any ideas of how, that would be awesome.

Errrr I dunno first thing I see is core mechanics, first off no static cameras the camera is locked between the 2 or more always moving combatants, you can force the camera to move back a few levels by messing with other analog stick,preferably press the stick down for R# button and pul down on the stick, other wise use the Dpad and have the R stick but used for dodgeing either getting away or moving up closer to your opponent .

This way it limited user error and keeps both players mostly locked onto each other, you can dodge and jump freely so its not like the lockon setup is perfect.

I would say one shoulder button dose counter one dose block one dose jump, I'd like to see a counter setup where its like Batman AA where you have 1 or 2 buttons that you and the AI or other player have to time a simple yet difficult mostly single button hits to win/lose/draw out of a counter.

The left stick deals with movement press the left stick and you can crouch, power moves can use basic analog movements , these are static so you do not have to adjust to the direction your charatcer is poiting in.

So Dpad moves are translated like so

lower half moon forward plus punch
lower half moon backward plus kick

70-80%(less than 100% to account for those who do not have perfect accuracy on a analog stick ) of a lower analog movement plus an attack button results in your selected attack.

So you can still unleash the Kim kapwan rush of death with 3 half moons and 4 button pressings, and dodge it if you are lucky LOL .

 

[Giza]

The best "free-roaming" fighting series are the Power Stone games for the Dreamcast. Truly free-roaming, without ever being limited by...well, anything.

Too bad pretty much nobody even tried to learn how to play the game well. I really wish more people would have gotten some matches up online.

I guess I prefer "free-roaming". I love Power Stone, One Piece Grand Battle Rush, and Smash Bros Melee. Though I hate the DBZ Tenkaichi games. I'll be a Super Dragon Ball Z fan forever.

 

[Fishyash]

I dunno why but I'm used to 2D fighting games so they feel "tighter" to me.

The most "free roaming" fighting game I played was Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 and I hated it. Maybe it was because it was on the Wii, but I just didn't like the concept in general.

I don't know what basis you consider a fighting game linear or free roaming though, but I am guessing it's whether you're forced to face your opponent all the time or being able to travel in any direction you please? On that basis I think super smash bros is the only free roam fighting game I have played and enjoyed.