Fighting EX Layer Game Sample - PS4
94Well, let me give you just a brief overview of Arika, as this particular upload is particularly important to me. Arika was a company formed in 1995, by former Capcom employees, and was originally known as ARMtech K.K, before changing to the now much more known name of "Arika". The company is perhaps best known for four things --- "Fighting Layer", an arcade fighting game that was mildly popular over 20 years ago, "Tetris: The Grand Master" (series), a few "Cardcaptor Sakura" games, and "Street Fighter EX". Get some more info on Arika at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arika
Despite the games I mentioned, Arika, in my view, had a knack for making interesting games that were strangely captivating to me. Games like "Endless Ocean" and "Everblue", and the wonderful and quirky "Technic Beat", for starters. While everything they made wasn't "a winner", Arika made games that satisfied particular niches and it is always fun to discover one of their games, often made on relatively low budgets, and discover a product greater than the sum of its parts. Nowadays, most probably only remember Arika from Street Fighter EX...and that's to be expected. It had "Street Fighter" in the name...but despite working on such games, Arika is currently struggling, and the video I am sharing can sorta show that. Arika wants to stand on their own, strongly, and make quality games like this one, but they need some help.
Fighting EX Layer is a game that, with polish and refinement, will be an excellent fighting game...I tend to look at this as a sort of a fighting game "No Man's Sky" situation, except FEXL was not crowdfunded. However, the developers did something rare in the gaming world...something that is worthy of respect --- they spoke with honesty. They showed pieces of this game as an April Fools some time ago, but because a large crowd of people pined for a continuation of the fun "Street Fighter EX" style fighting games, Arika delivered...but with a plea --- they will continue to develop the game, as it started admittedly bare bones, but to make it the best it can be, it needs fan love. The way they delivered their message was not cocky; it was a message dripping with humility...and while the game started with 13 characters, new characters have been added for free, and, in a rare move, they are releasing MORE free characters...with one "paid guest character".
They expressed that the move is risky, but they want to make free characters along with the pay-for characters. Out of 3 upcoming characters, 2 are free (Area and Shannon), while one you can pay for (Terry Bogard, who is a guest). If they continue that same practice throughout the development cycle of the game (release 2 free, 1 PDLC, etc.), I will support the game as much as humanly possible. The Street Fighter EX series was fun (as was Fighting Layer, etc.) and Arika holds a bit of a special place in my heart, as one who has dabbled in a lot of obscure games and came across the developer unexpectedly numerous times. The game looks nice enough (MY GOODNESS, THEY DID MY CINNAMON ROLL, PULLUM, SO MUCH JUSTICE!!!) and even has cool stage changes (with rain making characters look "wet", while also making characters splash as they move across the wet stage, etc.), sounds great and it plays good. FEXL even has a "classic" fighting scheme ("technical" or "hardcore" fighting fans, rejoice!) AND a "progressive" scheme (an "easy command" mode, to welcome newcomers)...which seems to be becoming rarer these days, as games favor ONE OR THE OTHER.
You can read more about this game at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_EX_Layer
The game is getting more content, so if you are the one who now thinks games like No Man's Sky is good, after what was done to it, think of this being the same deal. Right now, it feels a bit "tech demo-ish", with no opening movie, fine details like that...but it is getting there. If you don't want to support Street Fighter V, support this instead. Arika has a good thing here --- it just needs TLC.