Japanese manga publishers Kondansha have denied early access for their latest action fighting game, Family Battle 2vs2 Arena.
From the manga publishers that published works for Attack on Titan, Sailor Moon and Akira, Kondansha Ltd. adopted a new art form to showcase their work. Recently this week, Kondansha released early access to their PC game, Family Battle 2vs2 Arena on Steam. The publisher emphasized the importance of teamwork in this 3D action, 2v2 co-op fighting game.
The game had a very interesting description given by Kondansha: “Karaage. Japanese fried chicken. Do you squeeze a lemon or pour mayonnaise on this delicate bite-sized delicacy? When presented with just one plate, the dispute over this age-old question leads to an epic feud between the two rival factions of this super-powerful family!”
The theme they mentioned was around the “family feud” of how each family member has a different take on the perfect karaage dish and how they can be resolved in 2v2 co-op battles. Indie game creators, Kondansha Game Creator’s Lab (GCL) explained that the importance of having two players on each team was that one player would be the Attacker and the other would be the Support. The basic idea would be that the Attacker would swoop in and do a lot of melee damage, while the Support player would help out with ranged attacks and a varied skill set.
Kondansha GCL noted that “teamwork is key”. They stated how each character can be played as an Attacker or a Support, but their skills change depending on the role they would choose to play. For example, the eldest son came equipped with a high movement speed, so being an attacker can be advantageous. Then, if Grandpa is equipped as a Support, he will have a skill that will allow him to throw bouncing bombs that would limit the opponent’s movements.
So far, there have been four characters revealed: Brother Kwon, Sister Akane, Grandpa Ryugen, and Father Kokushi. Of course, each game had a backstory with different personalities and skills. They have already teased that more characters will be introduced later. With the rise of fighting games like MultiVersus and teases from Riot Games’ League of Legends-based Project L, the limits may be endless for the fighting genre.
While Kondansha’s game will focus on the 3D aspects, Project L will use side-scrolling 2D art. And MultiVersus reflects the style of the Super Smash Bros. games that came before. The fighting genre quickly evolved from the roots of Tekken, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and many others.
Kondansha GCL revealed that early access will last for about three months. They noted how the price could change later, especially if there is additional content. So far, Family Battle has been listed for around $9.00 with its small introductory sale, but $11.49 for its regular price.
The game team also answered questions about the available game modes. Currently, players will only be able to participate in Online Custom Match Mode and Online Match Mode. However, they have already said that the full version will have an online ranked matching system. Game publishers acknowledged that three months would be enough time to gather community feedback through videos and actual gameplay.
Like many Japanese games, Family Battle will not be supported in English for now. The interface, symbols, and menus will be in Japanese text, and the audio will be in Japanese. The creator of the game, nekometeacher (Yoshiaki Nakamichi) is known for his other games such as Super Drink Bros. and Spy Rumble.
When Super Drink Bros. was released on Steam on November 13, 2020, Nakamichi continuously posted and streamed his footage of the game’s development on YouTube and Twitch. He was known for his live stream on Twitch that showed his attempt to create a game within 48 hours and was titled Ultimate Super Powers Old Maid ~3 Days~.
All in all, the game felt like Nakamichi’s biggest project to date – especially with Kondansha Ltd’s considerable support. Family Battle 2vs2 Arena is currently available to purchase and play on Steam (PC) starting August 5, 2022.
Here’s a list of the four characters and their descriptions to whet your appetite:
- Brother: Kwon
- Calm and collected, he tends to follow his father. However, he talks a lot and has a somewhat terrible love of starting arguments on social media. However, for some reason, he finds it hard to show confidence when his sister is around. Kwon’s weapon of choice is his trusty laser pistol. When it comes to karaage, it usually goes with neck meat.
- Sister: Akane
- Always overconfident, she is the most competitive member of the family. However, she loves them very much and often dedicates poems to them on her social networks. Her weapon of choice is a giant hammer. When it comes to karaage, thigh meat is her choice.
- Grandfather: Rügen
- Dedicated tinker and inventor. Although he holds a large number of patents, few of his inventions are of the kind that actually benefit society. His weapons consist of various junk and mechanical firearms of his own making. When it comes to karaage, it’s all about cartilage.
- Father: Kokushi
- A typical workday consists of battling against pesky sales quotas by using his unmatched clerical handling skills. However, when the real battle begins, he intervenes in the fight, wielding the power of darkness. Due to his inability to properly express his feelings on the outside, a powerful storm of human emotions is hidden in his heart. When it comes to karage, he prefers wings.
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