Welcome back to Famitsu Wednesday!
This week we get a closer look at the new completely overhauled battle system for Ryu ga Gotoku 6! You can actually see the bones breaking!
There’s also a small interview with general manager Yasuaki Uehara on how the new fighting mechanics change the flow of combat.
We’ve cast aside the know-how we’ve been using since the very beginning and rebuilt the system anew from the basics up. The feeling of attacks connecting and the changes in reaction from people, objects and location are all part of this new Ryu ga Gotoku. I’m sure that fans old and new alike will enjoy it!
Preorders are already open for Yakuza 6 and it launches December 8th 2016!
Enemy reactions that change depending on the point of impact!
One of the key points of battles is that by utilising the overwhelming power of the PlayStation 4, the status of the enemies who appear can be finely controlled. Depending on the location and angle at which attacks connect, the enemy’s reaction (stance, etc.) will change. They fly through the air as if they have a real weight to them, and slam into walls and objects!
Depending on the place of impact, the enemy’s facial expression will also change!
Battles Reborn
As long as you are within hitting distance of the enemy, adjustments will be made to attacking motions. Because of this, you will no longer be left swinging and missing when up close to an opponent!
Whether your attack hits or is guarded against will be calculated in an instant and reflected in the actions. Based on this new system of control – known as the “action matching system” – the battle system has undergone a huge upheaval!
It seems as though you will be able to battle on the rooftops of houses in Jingaicho, Onomichi. Even if there is a difference in height between you, the “action matching system” will allow you to land attacks. Of course, there must surely also be actions in which you drop an enemy from such a height.
A heat action utilising the height of a set of stairs. Battles can apparently also occur in a place like this, reminiscent of the emergency stairs behind Serena.
Jumping over the second floor railing and heading for enemies on the ground! These kinds of actions are made possible even during battles because of the way the game utilises the geographical features of the area.
The thoughts of RGG6 battle action design general manager Yasuaki Uehara:
“Nowadays, when VR is rising to prominence with high immersion, realism and new sensations in its arsenal, I want to realise all of that in RGG6 as a standalone game. What we were aiming for was the world’s ultimate “full contact fighting action”; something that anyone can play, with the ultimate realism and immersion. We’ve cast aside the know-how we’ve been using since the very beginning and rebuilt the system anew from the basics up. The feeling of attacks connecting and the changes in reaction from people, objects and location are all part of this new Ryu ga Gotoku. I’m sure that fans old and new alike will enjoy it!
The console’s great power also has an effect on the thinking of the street punks who attack the protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu. Their situations will all be individually assessed when they engage in battle, meaning that some of them may run away in the middle of battle in certain cases after being made to flinch. This was made possible due to the battle part and adventure part now being seamless. The situations of items around town and the weapons carried by enemies too will of course be assessed in detail. This means that battles using all kinds of objects from around town, a symbol of the Ryu ga Gotoku series, have been upgraded.
All of the series’ well-known heat actions have been totally redone, too. This must surely mean that there is more variation in heat actions than ever before, responding to the situation of the area around you or foes. This will also mean that you get to enjoy seeking out all of these heat actions.”
The ability of street punks to flee is a large difference in the series. As you can also tell from this screenshot, you are now able to leap over ordinarily-sized obstacles.
Grabbing an enemy’s arm and using a bar to apply a joint lock. Could this be a heat action used to counter a swing from a foe’s rod-style weapon!?
You can use a reverse lock attack on a gun-wielding enemy. The moves you use will change completely depending on the enemy’s weapon.
A heat action in which you appear to lift up your opponent with brute strength and either slam him down or against something. Look at his anxious expression!
Rather than simply seeking realism, a distinctive characteristic is the way Ryu ga Gotoku tries to make the gameplay experience thrilling, too. A new element, “heat mode”, has been added for this game, heating battles up even more!
Despite the increased realism bringing it close to a live action film, its coolness clearly sets it apart from one. Perhaps you might call this the Ryu ga Gotoku style?
There also seem to be scenes during heat mode in which you must enter commands. Look forward to new moves and flashy sequences that weren’t in the advance demo!
What is the newly-added “heat mode”?
Making its debut in this game is “heat mode”, a kind of boost mode which makes your attacks more powerful. During heat mode you are able to lift larger objects than usual, and perform actions limited to that mode. Of course, your attack power is also higher than usual. While it is in effect, minor attacks from enemies will no longer make Kiryu flinch, allowing you to take them down with fierce strikes. It is still unknown exactly what kind of conditions trigger it, but it will most likely be an indispensable element in fights with strong foes.