Remaking Fatal Fury’s Art History
The iconic series is back with Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, and its return is a welcome one – the dev is even having fun with its new character design, with the reveal of Christiano Ronaldo starring in the game.
Remaking Fatal Fury’s Art History
The technology used to make games 26 years ago and now is completely different. In that sense, we believe that it’s inevitable that the appearance of a game, no matter what you make, will have to eventually give off a different impression from past entries in the series.
Crafting Fatal Fury’s Character Design
Given the decades-long gap between entries, it’s important for there to be continuity in character designs. Many returning characters have kept their previous designs, such as Terry, who had already made a drastic change in Garou, ditching his signature red cap and sporting a brown leather jacket, or Hotaru Futaba with her blue and white Chinese martial arts outfit (along with her pet ferret).
But unlike The King o’ Fighters, which Kuroki and Soeda refer to as a ‘festival’, which doesn’t strictly adhere to a canonical timeline, time has nonetheless passed in the story of Fatal Fury, so there are still some ways this is expressed. Perhaps the most obvious redesign is for the series’ most popular character Mai Shiranui, who is no longer dressed in her iconic (and revealing) red kunoichi outfit, at least not by default. "Mai herself has grown as a character, though some aspects remain the same," Soeda explains. "We designed her black leather-based costume to portray the image of a stylish and cool older sister."
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves arrives high on a wave of a new golden age of fighting games, and while the competition is fierce, its long-awaited return definitely looks fighting fit.
Crafting New Characters
When it comes to new characters to the series, such as Preecha with her vibrant colors, the old veterans give the credit to the new young generation of developers they’re working with. "Veterans like ourselves shared our opinions on characters that have existed for a long time, but for new characters, we wanted them to be created with the sensibilities of today’s youth, so I didn’t give much input," Kuroki explains. "I thought that was the best way to please both the old fans and new players."
Conclusion
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a long-awaited return for the iconic series, and its new character design is a welcome one. With its blend of old and new, this game is sure to please both old fans and new players.
FAQs
Q: When does Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves release?
A: Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves releases 24 April for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X, and Series S.
Q: What is the story behind the new character designs?
A: The story of Fatal Fury has progressed over the years, and the new character designs reflect this. The old veterans have passed on their experience to the new generation of developers, who have created characters with the sensibilities of today’s youth.
Q: What is the difference between The King o’ Fighters and Fatal Fury?
A: The King o’ Fighters is a ‘festival’ series that doesn’t adhere to a canonical timeline, while Fatal Fury has a continuous storyline.
