Yesterday we found out that Koei was giving Fist of the North Star the Dynasty Warriors treatment, and there was much rejoicing. Now, the very first screenshots have been revealed, along with leaked footage from Koei's recent Japanese press conference, and I have to say that it looks surprisingly awesome.
Warriors games aren't exactly known for their graphical brilliance, but this is looking like some of Omega Force's best work, visually. The gameplay looks suitably violent and unrelenting as well, which is exactly what you want from a game based on the rather brutal Manga where people regularly explode.
Oh, and speaking of exploding people? Yes, Hokuto Musou friggin' has them!
Hit the jump for the video (it's got no sound and is somewhat poor quality, hence being below the fold) and hit our gallery for the screenshots. I am now officially pumped for this game. I'm going to have to go back and re-watch the old movie in preparation. ATATATATATATATATA!
On Wednesday, October 14th at the Akasaka Blitz in Tokyo, KOEI Co., Ltd. held a press briefing to announce details on a new project that was first revealed by a teaser trailer shown last month at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show.
The new project, entitled "Hokuto Musou" in Japanese, is based on one of the most widely-recognized manga and anime series of all time, "Hokuto no Ken" or "Fist of the North Star" as it is known in English.
On hand were the legendary creators of "Fist of the North Star", writer Buronson, and artist Tetsuo Hara, who along with game producer Hisashi Koinuma, and Kenji Matsubara, president of TECMO KOEI Co., Ltd. introduced details about the forthcoming action game.
"Fist of the North Star" influenced entire generations of manga and anime creators for over 25 years, and established the tone for today's action comics. The game takes place in the manga's post-apocalyptic world where the remaining survivors of a nuclear holocaust roam the wasteland in an ongoing struggle against marauding tribes for food and water.
The game's protagonist is Kenshiro, true successor to the Hokuto Shinken, a centuries old art of assassination. Kenshiro was bestowed the sole rights to the art, but when his elder brother Raoh, refused to give up the style, Raoh killed their master and left to raise his own army. Kenshiro is now searching for his beloved Yuria, but like a hammer of justice Kenshiro is forced to fend off rioting mobs, barbaric desert gangs and savage fighters. Ultimately Kenishiro's journey will lead him back to Raoh who has set forth a path of vengeance.
Taking the role of Kenshiro, gamers will unleash a myriad of devastating fighting techniques and finishing moves powerful enough to bring down whole buildings. Channeling their energy into a single deadly blow, players can strike their victims and cause them to violently explode on screen. Gamers can also let loose with Kenshiro's signature move- a ruthless flurry of ferocious punches, triggering the instantaneous breakdown of internal organs, and death.
Game producer Hisashi Koinuma promises to be faithful to the spirit of the original manga. The game's story mode will follow the original series, while a second mode will introduce a completely new storyline.
The development team is also blending classic and original designs as they adapt "Fist of the North Star" to a three-dimensional, high-definition game world.
At the event it was announced that the characters of Kenshiro and Raoh would be voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi and Fumihiko Tachiki, respectively, and that a host of Japan's most prolific voice actors would also lend their talents to the project. Rising pop star Nana Tanimura, who appeared on stage at the event, is recording the theme song for the game.
"Hokuto Musou" is slated for a 2010 release in Japan for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Definitely looks better than Dynasty Warriors, although the AI looks similarly brain dead. Kenshiro also looks a bit slow to me, but maybe that's something you can upgrade.
As long as I can punch someone and say "You're already dead", then walk away and watch as their head explodes seconds later, I'll give this a shot :)
Eh, looks good. But the enemies just stand stock still as you hit them. Maybe it's a demo, maybe its the first easy level, I guess it's to be expected from Koei, though. It just looks kinda boring from a gameplay perspective, none of the emenies seem to put u[ any resistance or challenge, as awesome as Fist of the North Star is and all.
Incredibly fluid character movement, graphics and tone, incredibly lame AI. Then again, it's a Musou game. I want it badly, but I hope it comes with a variety of difficulty levels, and that raising the difficulty doesn't just break the game, as it usually does.
When I come to think about it, wasn't like Kenshiro faced much of trouble with goons anyways.
Would I buy this, being a big Hokuto no Ken fan? Maybe yes.
I still see a lot of things that could be improved, because it still looks like previous DW games in a different skin. The enemies do not look like competition with AI to use some degree of intelligence. As well as that, I'd like to see them use some better camera angles, when certain special moves are executed (eg SFIV), because a chase cam perspective all the time, while very DW, is lame by todays standards (correct if wrong). Add some co-op online play and I'd buy it. Maybe I judge it too harshly, as this is only an early video.
I think the Tecmo guys, have a lot to teach the Koei side, about creating good fab looking 3D games, since they've hardly ever deviated from DW games. This is why games like Fatal Enertia failed IMO, and another tale of japanese devs stuck in a rut of game design philosophy, hoarding money and taking few chances. I hope that positive change comes from such experiences.
Overall, I'm glad this game is being made. Strangely, Fist of the North Star has a kind of cult anime classic following, but the awesome manga never found an audience in the west. Lets hope that changes.
Oh yeah, this needs more exploding grey matter, too.
Oh MAN! This makes nothing but sense! AS opposed to Gundam Musou (Which I really like) this license is tailor made for the Musou treatment, and I am definitely jazzed. And those graphics! Wow. This could be a real treat.
Jim: The old movie sucked! It's all about the manga and TV series!! The story was actually good and had dynamic characters!! And fuckin awesome fighting styles~!
"Gamers can also let loose with Kenshiro's signature move- a ruthless flurry of ferocious punches, triggering the instantaneous breakdown of internal organs, and death."
INSTANTLY SOLD
＂Rising pop star Nana Tanimura, who appeared on stage at the event, is recording the theme song for the game.＂
I WILL SELL MY SOUL FOR THE GAME
I WILL KILL A BABY FOR EVERY MONTH I MUST WAIT AFTER THE JAPANESE RELEASE FOR A US RELEASE
And if Nana-chan <3 isn't in the English version. HELL WILL BE BROUGHT UPON KOEI.
what da hell man, koei games are bland and boring, i just dont understand u people. from past franchise experiences with koei, they can and will destroy all the good in games, no,no,no
That's my worry, dude. While I like the look of Legends of Troy and this Fist game, its still the same bland DW game underneath, that Koei have been selling for years. If you suckers keep buying these games, you are kind of prolonging Koei mediocre output as okay. Its just the same as jrpgs being stuck in a rut.
If this game played like Ninja Gaiden though, with more Tecmo influence and design, then I'd be safe in the knowledge of what I'd be getting. I hope it works out.
The understanding I heard a while back was that the merger was mainly for business reasons, but that design-wise they'd be left alone for the most part, other than the inevitable crossovers. The Ninja Gaiden SIGMA 2 purple smoke in place of blood is "ehhh," but on the other hand if it means exploding bodies in showers of blood in Hokuto no Ken... okay.
The 'Warriors' gameplay is still showing though with some iffy things, like how it seems only certain attacks can trigger such 'fatalities', and that chaining into another attack may cancel the 'blood explosion' fatality. Hopefully it's just from the video being low-res enough that I can't see that he's actually doing different moves.
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Contest:
9:40 AM on 10.14.2009
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As long as I can punch someone and say "You're already dead", then walk away and watch as their head explodes seconds later, I'll give this a shot :)
Anyway like you I'm gonna re-watch too when I get home from work
When I come to think about it, wasn't like Kenshiro faced much of trouble with goons anyways.
That said, this better be Mature/18s.
Would I buy this, being a big Hokuto no Ken fan? Maybe yes.
I still see a lot of things that could be improved, because it still looks like previous DW games in a different skin. The enemies do not look like competition with AI to use some degree of intelligence. As well as that, I'd like to see them use some better camera angles, when certain special moves are executed (eg SFIV), because a chase cam perspective all the time, while very DW, is lame by todays standards (correct if wrong). Add some co-op online play and I'd buy it. Maybe I judge it too harshly, as this is only an early video.
I think the Tecmo guys, have a lot to teach the Koei side, about creating good fab looking 3D games, since they've hardly ever deviated from DW games. This is why games like Fatal Enertia failed IMO, and another tale of japanese devs stuck in a rut of game design philosophy, hoarding money and taking few chances. I hope that positive change comes from such experiences.
Overall, I'm glad this game is being made. Strangely, Fist of the North Star has a kind of cult anime classic following, but the awesome manga never found an audience in the west. Lets hope that changes.
Oh yeah, this needs more exploding grey matter, too.
and yea..this surely is a step up for Omega Force.
Well, time to listen to Ai Wo Torimodose on repeat for the next hour.
Hell yes, I can't wait for this game.
Eh, I think DW6 is one of the prettiest games around this gen, especially given how much they have happening on screen at any given time.
Anyway, more Warriors action is always good.
INSTANTLY SOLD
＂Rising pop star Nana Tanimura, who appeared on stage at the event, is recording the theme song for the game.＂
I WILL SELL MY SOUL FOR THE GAME
I WILL KILL A BABY FOR EVERY MONTH I MUST WAIT AFTER THE JAPANESE RELEASE FOR A US RELEASE
And if Nana-chan <3 isn't in the English version. HELL WILL BE BROUGHT UPON KOEI.
Can't wait for the game^^
That's my worry, dude. While I like the look of Legends of Troy and this Fist game, its still the same bland DW game underneath, that Koei have been selling for years. If you suckers keep buying these games, you are kind of prolonging Koei mediocre output as okay. Its just the same as jrpgs being stuck in a rut.
If this game played like Ninja Gaiden though, with more Tecmo influence and design, then I'd be safe in the knowledge of what I'd be getting. I hope it works out.
The 'Warriors' gameplay is still showing though with some iffy things, like how it seems only certain attacks can trigger such 'fatalities', and that chaining into another attack may cancel the 'blood explosion' fatality. Hopefully it's just from the video being low-res enough that I can't see that he's actually doing different moves.