The importance of story in fighting games.

[chronotigger65]

How important is the story in fighting games? I often see it as not so necessary as the genre is more about playing against others and the competition. Often times the story is an after thought but some have very deep interesting ones. I don't play this genre much but I tend to follow the story for Tekken over the years. With part 7 on the way I'm looking forward to the latest developments of the story.

[susanismyalias]

Never ever ever important or even good.

[Colonel Kurtz]

Just terrible, terrible stuff. As for Tekken, didn't the first installments have absurd endings that had no relation to anything?

[Weasel]

Overarching story? Not really important. But I do like when characters have a reason to interact with each other, like the KoF games.

[moran]

A little background story doesn't bother me. Just a reason why people are beating the crap out of each other. Like Mortal Kombat. It doesn't bother me if there isn't one though. Like Marvel vs Capcom. But, if it weren't for story, we'd never have seen Zangief dance with Gorbachev.

[Allie]

If you're in it for SRS BUSINESS tournament play, then not at all.

If you aren't, I guess it all depends on how much you like the character designs.

For most of the anime-style combo-heavy fighters (hi there, Blazblue and Guilty Gear), I really couldn't give a damn about the story, because the character designs aren't all that appealing to me.

For licensed fan-service fighters, it can be disappointing when the story mode is underwhelming (thinking specifically of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure for PS3 here).

[JDarkside]

After the disaster that was Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, I am convinced fighting games should never do anything with story ever outside background info. They are historically terrible at it, and when it is at least attempted in a serious way, it doesn't mesh with the one-on-one fights well. They have to mechanically break from the established formula to really function.

SSB Brawl's Subspace Embassy mode was a really cool way to do a story mode (if a little bland at moments), with a lot of interconnecting, voiceless scenes that told a surprisingly complex narrative through only visuals and actions. The platforming sections kept things from being stale ...until they got a tad too long towards the end and the cool fanservice moments became less common.

I thing Capcom Vs. games are ripe for amazing story modes, especially by forcing the player to try different character combinations through restrictions in the story. The problem is they never actually bring on a writer and stay too traditional, just offering different arcade mode endings (and usually in text, lazily). Capcom never goes the extra mile for content, because they know the tourney scene will just eat things up anyways.

Arc Systems tries, but they make games with too little cast members to really justify the sheer length of their story modes. The multiple ending VN thing was a bad call, they should have put more effort in a single narrative of solid length that gets the most out of all its characters.

Namco fighters have a ton of potential (especially Soul Calibur), and they almost had something going with the single player story mode in SCIII, where you could change who your character faced and the events around those fights through choice. Unfortunately, Namco loves fucking up promising narratives (I am still pissed over what they did to Sophitia and the sheer dumbfuckery that was Tekken 6).

[Reiji-kun]

Really, fighting games are about just that: The fighting. In the long run, they're mainly about people beating each other up. Although giving them a good reason to fight does help give the characters a sort of appeal, and can give the game itself personality, which can help it stand out, so the story can play a role in the game... but as a supporting role.

Whether they're nonexistent, complex, or cliche, don't worry too much about them. They're only there to give reasons as to why these freaks are throwing fireballs at each other.

[The Great Klaid]

They can be a complete after-thought. I have a weird infatuation with Street Fighter's canon. Or most Fighting games' canon. But I love it. Like so much. I'd be sad if there wasn't one. It can be as dumb as all get out and be a complete afterthought.

[Sturat]

For people who like fighting games but aren't particularly good at them, I think seeing the way the characters change and interact over the years is one of the main things that keeps people coming back for multiple sequels. It's why I prefer SNK games over Capcom games, and it's probably the reason people are willing to buy annual updates to sports games, too.

[Reiji-kun]

I can see that as a reason for their appeal to some, too. And I always sort of like seeing a good character evolve or have some sort of interaction with another, wither it's in the story, or through win quotes. That's always interesting.

[Allie]

Honestly, one of the more interesting things about KoF is seeing who ends up losing half of their moveset from one game to the next.

[Reiji-kun]

Feb 26, 2015 22:21:59 GMT -5 Allie said:

Honestly, one of the more interesting things about KoF is seeing who ends up losing half of their moveset from one game to the next.

Personally I never really paid that much mind... mainly because I never really cared much about it, even if there was at least one move I liked from the previous game.

[Allie]

Feb 26, 2015 23:18:43 GMT -5 Reiji-kun said:

Feb 26, 2015 22:21:59 GMT -5 Allie said:

Honestly, one of the more interesting things about KoF is seeing who ends up losing half of their moveset from one game to the next.

Personally I never really paid that much mind... mainly because I never really cared much about it, even if there was at least one move I liked from the previous game.

I thought I'd feel that way...

...and then they took away Benimaru's Shinkuu Katategoma...

[Deleted]

It would be great if fighting games had absolutely no story to them at all. It's not as if they're going to make any damn sense after a few sequels, anyway.