Enter the Scrub: My short journey in the fighting game genre

As I stated last year in my Mortal Kombat 11 review, I have never really delved too deep into the fighting genre outside of the original Super Smash Bros and Tekken Tag Tournament. To my surprise I really enjoyed Mortal Kombat 11, I have put over two hundred hours into the game, so it's fair to say that I have more than got my moneys worth. But it wasn't MK11 that got me interested in the genre, it was For Honor, which isn't a traditional fighting game to be honest. It's a completely different beast to the others, for one it isn't an arcade game, it's far more of a simulator fighter.

I liked For Honor because it wasn't about trying to smash out the best combo you've practised to death, it was about strategy and conditioning. It was also grounded in reality, with each fighter representing a particular form of historical warrior (knights, samurais and vikings, ). It was also a fun if infuriating online multiplayer game, I must have sunk over hundred hours playing online with my friends.

Towards the end of last year, having rinsed MK11 to death, I wanted to experience a new fighting game, and since then I have played most of the popular fighters that are available for the PS4. Some are better than others, but I came away with similar experiences with each title. From dealing with toxic players, a deep learning curve and stages of repeatedly deleting and then reinstalling a game over losing too many online fights.

Unlike other game genres, fighters generally have a big barrier to entry. They require a lot of what can sometimes be agonising practise before there is any chance that you're remotely decent enough to compete online (which is what I predominately want to do). And as much as you might practice, there is likely to be only a handful of characters that you enjoy using. These issues can be arduous, they certainly put me off of certain games. But once you have a significant number of hours under your belt, you eventually grasp the mechanics of most games.

I certainly believe the genre could be more accessible, there are indy games that try to simplify things, such as Fantasy Strike (which I have not played), but it's a rare example. Most require learning combos to the point that they become muscle memory, spacing adjustment to punish your opponent, and match up experience with each of the roster. But once you have grasped things it's rewarding to see your gradual progression from scrub to intermediate, and up to high level. 

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Mortal Kombat 11 is daunting at first because it requires a lot of spacing and precision, and a lot of the fighters can feel really cheap and over powered. But the combos are relatively short, and the roster is a diverse bunch that are unique from one another. That's not to forget the rich story mode and single player content, and boy does the game look and sound fantastic. Unlike other mainstream fighting games, Mortal Kombat's aesthetic is very fantastical and it can be crazy violent. Of all the fighting games I've played this is the only one that I have really stuck with because the pace of the combat is just about right, and the combo juggles are not overwhelming. But don't think MK11 is easy, I would argue that it has a high skill ceiling, even if it isn't as technical compared to the others.

Dead or Alive 6 is a lot of fun, like Tekken 7 it's a 3D fighter, but it feels more kinetic and satisfying. The character models control and animate superbly, for example kicks feel like kicks, and joints move as you push the buttons. DOA6 is also one of the most balanced of all the fighting games that I've played, and every character in the roster has a moveset that can be used in a specific way according to how you want to play.

On the surface, the combat in DOA6 is intuitive, each button has one specific function (kick, punch, hold and throw), that makes up its triangle system. Strikes beat throws, throws beat holds, and holds beat strikes. This allows the combat to feel less restrictive, because unlike Tekken and MK, DOA6 is less of a dial a combo fighting game. 

The good thing about this is that the game is reasonably accessible to grab hold of at first. But the more you play the game, and the more you compete online, you realise that the combat is rather complex. More so than any other fighting game in my opinion.

The bad thing about the triangle system is that a lot of fights turn into guessing games. While it's fantastic to turn the tables on an opponent whose beating on you, your timing has to be precise if you want to hold someone's attack. There is also the problem of a fairly low player base, so it's going to take quite a while to get through the ranks. So don't be surprised if you end up fighting the same people over and over.

Street Fighter 5 is a strange one, it's a polished 2D fighter that I enjoy the fundamentals of, but it's the one that frustrates me the most. If you include the DLC expansions, the roster has a hefty forty characters, and each are different enough to find a handful that will suit your play style. 

At first the motion controls took some real getting used to, but I overcame this with plenty of experience. But I hate the way special moves are used in this game, unlike other fighting games where your specials are used sparingly, Street Fighter 5 is full of them. Along with the cheap movesets and overpowered jumping (that happens all too frequently), the game just became a chore after a while.

Tekken 7 is probably the most balanced of all the fighting games I've played. It is also the most satisfying to play once you've reached the higher level ranks. It's beginner friendly, with a diverse roster to choose from. However, it is the most technical fighting game on the market, fights play out like a game of chess where one mistake can cost you very dearly. There really is no room for error.

It has the highest skill ceiling of any fighting game that I have played. Not only are the movesets for each fighter expansive, you're also going up against an experienced player base. The gap between those at intermediate and high level play is huge, so expect a real slog before you're able to consistently compete online.

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Competing in fighting games feels personal, more personal than a racer or a shooter. You are after all, beating each other to death, and there is great pride in using your skills to outmatch someone else.

The huge flip-side to this is the toxic community you will bump into, and I have experienced trolls in every fighting game I have played. There are three kinds of toxic players that I've come across, there are those that have sent me barely literate messages telling me how shit I am despite beating them. And then you get the opposite of this, when someone will message me telling me how shit I am after I've been thrashed in a match. 

I can ignore this form of toxicity, but I can't stand what I call the veteran wankers. These are experienced players that get joy in beating newbs, and they make sure you know about it. For example they might endlessly taunt you (unfortunately, most fighting games allocate a taunt button), or spam the same move that you have no idea of avoiding. Some might even teabag you. Tea-bagging in fighting games is when someone continuously presses up and down on the d-pad to create a stupid animation.

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If you're willing to put the effort in and brush aside the never ending frustration, fighting games can provide a great way to play competitive online multiplayer. I would start with Mortal Kombat 11, it will teach you the fundamentals, and from there move onto Tekken 7 where you'll have a much deeper experience if you put in the hard work.

Side note: 

In the last month or so I have been playing a lot of Super Smash Bros Ultimate. At some point I'll write a blog on what other fighting games can learn from it. It is so much fun, although simple compared to other fighters there's a lot of hidden depth to it.