Yearly Archives: 2016

EVO 2016, Never Give Up:

Infiltration

EVO 2016 is over, and it was so incredible to be able to watch it on cable, or on a stream this year. ESPN had it available, and I figured it was just a matter of time. I mean, they show “World Series of Poker” and have had Magic the Gathering on there. Why not Street Fighter, Smash, etc? Those take tons of practice, mental and physical conditioning, dedication, and heart.  And literally anyone can win. Just because a player is considered one of the best in the world, doesn’t mean they can’t get bodied, or get outplayed. One of the things I have noticed is that some of those players can either become incredibly cocky, or let their head get full of ideas that they’re the best and are untouchable. I’m not pointing any fingers because that would be shameful. And I’m incredibly honored to be a part of the Fighting Game Community. Also: Congratulations to RZR|Infiltration for taking first in EVO for SF5! A man that has dominated virtually every tournament he’s gone to, his Nash is undeniably powerful. He thinks three moves ahead and always has a strategy.

Street Fighter V Battle Costume Trailer

One of the biggest surprises to me was that Daigo, the Beast, did not even make top 8. Top 16. Daigo was put out of losers bracket by EG|Justin Wong, putting him at 32nd place. Is it disappointing to him? I’m sure it is. Does that mean he sucks? Absolutely not. He is heralded as one of the greatest fighting game players ever. He’s known throughout the world, in all circles as one of the best. That’s not to disparage Justin Wong, who is incredible in his own right. Their EVO Moment #37 is a reason many people became interested in not just fighting games, but EVO in general. I mostly watched Street Fighter, but I looked over at the other games too, just to see what the hype was about. But there were so many insane, intense moments in the tournament, from pools to Finals to Grand Finals. Long Island Joe/LI Joe was the final American player in the top 8 portion, and made it to 5th place. His win that kept him in finals was incredible, and being fortunate enough to have his father witness his hard work come to fruition was emotional even for me! The “USA! USA!” chants were deafening. Everytime I tuned in, I saw the utmost respect and honor between players, bowing politely, shaking hands, showing that we can be gentlemen and ladies, while still competing at the highest level. Also shoutouts to Fuudo for bringing Mika! Top 8 didn’t go down the way I predicted entirely, but I was nowhere near disappointed. For those who missed, Street Fighter V top placements:

1. RZR|Infiltration (Nash)
2. RZR|Fuudo (R. Mika)
3. Yukadon (Nash)
4. HM|Go1 (Chun-Li)
5. LI Joe (Nash)
5. MOV (Chun-Li)
7. HM|Eita (Ken)
7. AW|Nemo (Vega)

Congratulations to everyone who attended, put in work, and whether they won it all, didn’t make it past pools, or made it onto the stream, I hope it encourages you to work harder, get better, and show up for the next tournament. The FGC needs all the positivity it can get. I do worry sometimes that pools get stacked so that the professional players can move forward to the big stage, but I’d like to think that isn’t the case. Only by playing together can we grow, can we improve. See you guys next year at EVO 2017!

Happy Dungeons

Happy Dungeons is a free-to-play action dungeon crawling adventure developed by Toylogic for Xbox One with a 2016 TBA release date and it is the sequel to Toylogic’s popular Happy Wars. In this action-packed party game you and up to three of your friends can fight your way through dungeons together online or splitscreen, taking on monsters and collecting loot with each other. If you’re looking for a party game that gives you a combat experience like Diablo, but has more silly, entertaining visuals then look no further than Happy Dungeons!

Features:

Loot: Loot over 1,000 unique items to outfit your character with and prepare you for whatever endeavors lie ahead.

Buddy Bots: Use AI-controlled Buddy Bots to help you take down creatures and bosses, but beware that the more Buddy Bots and players that are on your team the more enemies you will find in dungeons.

Bimonthly Updates: Every other month Happy Dungeons will see a regular content update, offering new storylines to play through, new creatures to battle, and new items to find.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is a an upcoming buy-to-play action RPG being developed by TaleWorlds Entertainment for PC and still does not have a release date announced. It is a prequel to Mount & Blade: Warband, taking place place 200 years prior during the decline of the Calradian Empire. Your goal is to support the faction of your choice and secure political power for it by stealing other faction’s vassals for your own, as well as engaging in fierce physical combat. Will you be able to bring your faction to greatness?

Features:

Faction Selection: At least six known factions will be able to be joined: The Northern, Western, and Southern Empire, The Vlandians, The Sturgians, The Aserai, The Khuzait, and The Battanians.

Historical Appearance: Many of the weapons, architecture, armor, and more were inspired by historical knowledge of 600 to 1100 A.D.

Dynamic World: On top of dealing with changing seasons in the game, you will also need to deal with opposing factions that can do the exact same actions as you, whether that be in combat or by trying to steal your own vassals for themselves!

BAClash

BAClash is a free-to-play mobile MOBA developed by Feerik Games for iOS and Android where players can enjoy a fast-paced, player-versus-player gaming experience in short matches all from the convenience of their mobile devices. In BAClash you can use a unique slide-mechanic to position your mercenaries to take down your enemies, their towers, and hopefully even their bases for a victory. With matches that last a very short amount of time and a simplistic control-scheme you’ll be on your way to formulating impressive strategies and conquering your foes in no time!

Features:

Slide-Mechanics: Use your finger to drag out an arrow from your mercenary, determining the direction and power for their movements.

Jungle Camps: Take out the jungle camps scattered throughout the middle of the map to gain an edge over your opponent.

Fast Matches With matches lasting 5 minutes or less you’ll be able to take down your enemies in a predictable amount of time that is short enough for those looking to game on the go.