Game Info
GAME NAME: Chaos Code
DEVELOPER(S): F K Digital
PUBLISHER(S): Arc System Works
PLATFORM(S): PS3, Arcade
GENRE(S): 2D fighter
RELEASE DATE(S): September 03, 2013
While some would say that the days of 2D fighting games using animated sprites are over, F K Digital and Arc System Works keeps the dream alive with their anime-styled title, Chaos Code. This digital download for Playstation 3 has a certain nostalgic feel to it and it does not take long to see that F K Digital cherry picked their favorite aspects of some of the classics in the genre to bring their vision to life. The cast is a “you name it, we got it” approach to fighting game character tropes; including a ninja, a school girl, impossibly busty women, a maid, a robot upgrade to the maid, the token comedic relief, and an antagonist with a god complex to round it all out.
If you’ve played Street Fighter, King of Fighters, or Guilty Gear you know what to expect with this game. You’ll also know not to expect much out of the story, which revolves around an ancient object that grants power, and the cast of fighters scrambling to find it to further their own causes. I used to complain about fighting game stories being either incredibly simplistic, or just plain confusing, but I’ve given up on that route and now accept that the character’s motivations are simply a customary gesture added onto the game engine to give it some sense of life. The personalities of the characters themselves manage to shine through the gameplay, regardless.
F K Digital put a lot of work and effort into tailoring Chaos Code for a competitive gaming crowd. Their websites go on at great length about every aspect of the game engine’s finer details and all the nuances that go into the fight. I strongly encourage our readers to give the developer webpage a look if you’re interested in this game, but the game is still easy to understand without reading their online manual, and especially so if you are a fighting game savant.
I’ve mentioned already that Chaos Code borrows from the greats, but the extent is impressive. Here is a small rundown of some of the features borrowed: From Street Fighter III/IV, the skill select function is here. When you select a character, you can add any two of a list of two extra special moves or two “Ultimate Chaos” moves (special gauge consuming super move). This allows for a great variety in play style for a single character.
Another route FKD took to add choice to the game is the choice of “run or step.” This choice will alter the function of double tapping the d-pad/stick towards your opponent between sprinting or a quick jump towards your opponent. This choice is less revolutionary, as we have seen it in crossover games like the Capcom vs SNK series. Speaking of SNK, the King of Fighters staple dodge roll is present in this game as well, performed by pressing a punch and kick simultaneously. You can also perform “EX special moves” by using two attack buttons instead of one for special move input at the cost of some of your special gauge a la Street Fighter III/IV, though some moves do not have an EX upgrade. You can even do a single unblockable “guard break” attack, but unlike the SFIV freebie, this costs some of your special gauge.
Each character can also perform a “tactical guard” that automatically counters the opponent’s attack (Alpha counter from Street Fighter Alpha). This, as you might have guessed, also consumes your special gauge. In fact, most of the system relies on consuming your special gauge to allow for more in depth mastery of the game system. Move cancelling included.
So how does all of this complicated googily moogily play out? Pretty awesomely! The depth of the game system combined with the simplicity of classic fighting game movesets make Chaos Code a true “anyone can play” game. Newbies to the game like me can pick it up and get the hang of it fairly quickly while the competitive gaming community has enough to analyze to keep them satisfied. In fact, between which characters to choose, which moves to choose for them, and what to spend that precious special gauge on, there is quite a bit to strategize over! Fairly comprehensive tier lists already exist on the internet considering the game isn’t even a year old on consoles. (The Japanese arcade was launched in August, 2011, however.)
As an anime fan, the art direction in the game is great, but to be honest there is an all-around generic feel to a majority of the characters, music and stages. However, the in-game sprites are high res, very detailed, and come out looking like a million bucks! It’s clear to me that FKD built a great fighting game engine and everything else was built simply to exist within it. It reminds me of that scene in The Matrix when the operator tells the audience he only see’s the code. When I play this game, I only see the game engine and everything else is simply in place to be checked off the “you have to have this in your video game” list.
The Reccomendation
I had a fantastic time playing this game, and I really think that the series (if sequels/revisions are in the works) could eventually become a new staple in fighting game community. At first glance, $11.99 seemed like a steep price for what is arguably just a game engine with some incredibly Japanese fluff thrown on top of it, but when you discover what Chaos Code really has to offer, you end up making out like a bandit. F K Digital takes some of the best parts of the best fighting games and throws them together in an interesting combination that emphasizes variety over rigid adherence to the character’s style.
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