It’s rare for a game to be so simplistic that anyone can pick it up and feel confident in their skills, yet deep enough that genre veterans flock to it. Somehow that’s exactly the case with Sirlin Games’ new fighter – Fantasy Strike. With no complex motions or special moves there is no need to spend more time practicing your move set than the time you spend actually playing the game. Players of all skill sets can jump right into a match and enjoy themselves.
One thing that sets Fantasy Strike apart is the Yomi Counter. This is a unique way for fighters to counter their opponent when they know a big attack is incoming. As your opponent tries to grab you, simply let go of the controls and you will perform a Yomi counter. This simple addition to gameplay is a complete game changer. No longer must you hit buttons at just the right time hoping to trigger a counter attack. Simply let go and watch the magic happen. You’ll be vulnerable to any attack that may be incoming, but if they try and throw you then you’ll have the last laugh.
During our play-through at PSX we immediately felt in control of our fighters. It was a hard fought battle and, in the end, both fighters felt the joy of an evenly matched fight that could have gone either way. After we had some hands on the product, David Sirlin and his team went a few rounds for us so that we could see the game demonstrated by the team that developed it. One thing we took away from their match was how similar it felt to ours. Though we had zero experience, we didn’t feel as though we put up any less of a fight for the crowd than they did during their exhibition. That is a testament to the game and developers having a vision and seeing it come to life.
They also showed off their final launch character for the first time at the show. Argagarg Garg, the Water Shaman. As the most defensive character in the game it was a nice contrast to some of the more attack first characters we also had the chance to try out. Look for Argagarg to be available soon on Steam early access.
As mentioned, Fantasy Strike is available now on Steam Early Access and is expected to be released on PS4 at some point in 2018. The full version will be available on PC and PS4 on the same date as the game eventually leaves early access. Check back for more information as we get closer to release here at Handsome Phantom and be sure to check out our interviews with the game’s creator, David Sirlin.
