Evo 2024: Hands-on document with fresh battle game content
Evo 2024 is lower in the books, and what an occasion it was. When all the eyes of the world’s fighting game society are in one area, it’s also the best place to present fresh info about updates like character DLC, gameplay balances and additions, and much more. The announcements at Evo this year packed one heck of a punch.
GBVSR performed quite well at Evo this time, but it appears to be just the start of the game’s long operate as a community favorite. Versusia, who is stunning but terrible, was revealed near the start of Evo, and she was available for play at the CyGames kiosk. Versusia exudes an aura of natural strength, with problems that look and feel quite catastrophe. She will be available on August 20; it will be interesting to see how her influence the show’s powerful. She’ll be accompanied by numerous play modifications, a fresh Grand Master position, and additions to the show’s single-player narrative style.
Vikila, who was also announced but unplayable, has a sparkling personality and a smaller proportions that stand in stark contrast to Versusia’s panic. She’ll be obtainable in October of this year, with a nearly certain gameplay reveal coming soon after her album. The Season 1 DLC characters are balanced out by Vitila and Versusia, but a winter 2 teaser and a small glimpse of beloved character Sandalphon were enough to get the Evo arena excited about what lies ahead.
The Evo great finals this year were a perfect example of why Guilty Gear Strive attracts such a lot of players because it is still one of the most popular fighting games available. As creator and publisher Arc System Works revealed their full slate of upcoming DLC figures for Guilty Gear Strive’s third year, those enthusiasts have plenty to look forward to in the close future.
Returning to the arena will be longtime series staples Dizzy and Venom, with new looks and, in Queen Dizzy’s case, a proper royal title. Details are sparse on the brand-new addition, Unika, but she’s a character that will prominently feature in the upcoming Guilty Gear Strive: Dual Rulers anime.
Perhaps the most surprising announcement, however, was that of Guilty Gear’s first guest character from a completely different franchise. It will be interesting to see how Lucy from Cyberpunk Edgerunners fits into Guilty Gear’s famously eclectic cast as she enters the arena next summer.
Also coming to GG Strive: a 3-on-3 battle mode. It’s still under development, but you’ll be able to try out the open beta of the mode today, July 25. Fans will also have plenty to look forward to over the coming year with new stages and character colors.
Eighting and publisher Arc System Works ‘ upcoming anime-based title for Marvel vs. Capcom 3 was playable and received a lot of positive feedback. The gameplay is still as frenetic and strategic as ever, and the over-the-top personalities and methods of the beloved Hunter X Hunter cast shine through beautifully. However, the inputs for special attacks are simplified in comparison to other team-based fighters. Merurem, the fierce insectoid warrior, was both announced and playable at Arc System Works ‘ booth. Before Hunter X Hunter Nen Impact’s winter debut, who else will be made public? Only time will tell.
King of Fighters XV, SNK’s flagship franchise fighter, had a strong international turnout for Evo in their previous year, and they are still working to keep the game fresh and enjoyable. The beautiful and deadly Vice and Mature were the two beloved characters that were set to return to the arena in December.
Fatal Fury: City of Wolves had a huge showcase at the event. A booth that provided demos of the game proved to be very popular over the weekend, and an exhibition featuring prominent community figures demonstrated just how exciting and explosive the game could be, even at this early stage of development. Kevin Rian and his young buddy Marky make their return to the ongoing Fatal Fury storyline in their search for justice, and a new but well-known character for FFCOW was also revealed at the event.
Finally, SNK had one more surprise: A re-release of the famous Capcom crossover fighter SvC Chaos is now available on PS4 and PS5 with rollback netcode.
Before Top 6, Capcom gave fans a sneak peak of the well-known SNK and Fatal Fury fighter Terry Bogard’s appearance and gameplay in Street Fighter 6. Speaking of crossovers, Capcom gave fans a sneak peek of the famous SNK and Fatal Fury fighter Terry Bogard’s look and gameplay right before Top 6. If this Metro City trailer is any indication, Terry is taking to the streets of his hometown of South Town to battle the fiercest combatants!
By the time you finish reading this, you might already be playing Lidia in Tekken 8, which was prominently displayed at Bandai Namco’s Tekken stations on the Evo show floor. Things are about to get even wilder in the Tekken world, but Lidia’s announcement at Evo Japan was met with a lot of fanfare.
You did n’t think Tekken 8 would actually kill off its eternal patriarch, did you? Heihachi Mishima, the next DLC fighter, was revealed in a stunning trailer by the Tekken Project team. Heihachi Mishima is a man so powerful and unkillable that he has once more resurrected to wreak havoc on all of his accursed bloodlines.
Supporting Heihachi’s re-emergence from the fires of hell will be a new, free single-player story DLC that adds the DLC fighters into the ongoing saga — however, this DLC will be free for all players, so there’s no need to buy the DLC to enjoy it. Heihachi and the new story material are both on track to be released this fall. Also announced were the dates and location of the 2024 Tekken World Tour finals, which will have its culminating event in Shibuya, Japan.
Uzuki, the be-hatted and be-spectacled young lass, is the first DLC character from UNI2’s season pass. She will be available today, July 25 for all players. I had the opportunity to try Uzuki out at publisher Arc System Works ‘ booth. She’s brimming with personality: besides having a host of macabre normal attacks packed with range and strength, she’s also got a bunch of tricks up her sleeve for special moves: a random item toss, a coffin full of chaos, and oh-so-many skeletons. Expect further information on the next two DLC characters, Ogre and Izumi, later this year.
The excitement wo n’t be lost as more Evo events are planned for the entire world in the upcoming years, and there will be plenty of announcements and surprises along with the competition.