En route to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PC this Summer

A game that old school players can appreciate but that doesn't make new school players feel like helpless punching bags. That seems to be the magic combination fighting game developers are pursuing right now, and that's exactly what the upcoming Blade Strangers aims to be.

Our genre's landscape is ever changing, and expectations have evolved quite a bit over the last 30 years. The team at Studio Saizensen is aiming to pinpoint certain aspects of gaming that are more immediately on players' radars.

Ease in execution means a more satisfying experience right off the bat, and with the average combo requiring only three or four button presses, competitors can immediately harness the power of their characters.

Players that stick with the four-button game will quickly find out that consistent winning comes only as a result of planned approach and the careful manipulation of their opponents.

The development team also boasts quick load times in between matches so as to make salty runbacks as quick as possible. They also make special note of the game's minimal input lag, though we don't have an exact number of delay frames at this time.

Here are some screen shots to give you an idea of how this beautiful fighter looks. Once you're done checking those out, read on to see our brief interview with the development team as they further describe what the Blade Strangers experience will be like.



Click images for larger versions

EventHubs: Why should players of the fighting game genre be excited for this new title? What makes it stand out from other fighting games?

Studio Saizensen: Blade Strangers is a game with extremely simple controls. It may be a fighting game, but there is no command memorization needed. However, once players experience Blade Strangers, they’ll know it is definitely a unique fighting game in the way that it incorporates both strategy and combo aspects.

Various fighting games in the market emphasize the usage of combo commands, making it important not to lose those said combos. As a result, it turns into a versus action game rather than a fighting game, which carries different game elements. "Even though I don’t have to memorize buttons and combos, it still feels like a fighting game!" I want that to be the first reaction to Blade Strangers.

That being said, what’s different about this game when compared to other fighting games, is that even though it has simple controls and does not require the player to memorize combo commands, this game is filled with fun and exciting fighting game aspects. Because of this, players who enjoy fighting games won’t be obligated to practice the commands. They can easily invest themselves into Blade Strangers.

Fans of fighting games know that the true fight begins once they start practicing the commands.

Fighting games are actually far deeper than what players might think. Even if the player did memorize all the commands, it’s still a mind game; they need to choose which combos to do at the right time. But with Blade Strangers, everyone will be able to jump in and enjoy this game with true fighting passion!

EventHubs: How will you integrate Blade Strangers into the fighting game community in 2018, in terms of easy playability and regular DLC content?

Studio Saizensen: Players will be able to enjoy Blade Strangers once the controller is in their hands--they’ll immediately experience the pure entertainment of fighting games. They’ll be able to understand and appreciate the flow of the game, even if they just play it for a brief time.

In Blade Strangers, we’ve assembled various distinctive and remarkable characters from different games. Characters from a single game world can get pretty limited, but this game lets players broaden their horizons with a multitude of game worlds. We strongly believe that because of the wide variety of fan-favorite characters, players will be able to enjoy this fighting game in many different ways.

EventHubs: Which past fighting games did Blade Strangers get its inspiration from?

Studio Saizensen: Everything started with Street Fighter 2. I even bought an arcade fight stick so I can play at home! I also got my inspiration from World Heroes, Samurai Spirits and King of Fighters.

EventHubs: What kind of players in the fighting game community will this game appeal to the most?

Studio Saizensen: The matches in Blade Strangers move at a very fast pace; the loading time before each match is incredibly quick too. Players won’t want to turn off their game consoles--they’ll get so addicted and will want to play one match after another! The game is perfect for the kind of player who’s always pumped up for matches, enjoys fast fighting game action and doesn’t want to stop playing.

You can learn more about this exciting new title over at the Blade Strangers home page.