This isn't Mega Man related, per se, but it's something I'm sure many of you would like to see. Just announced at BitSummit, this is Azure Strike Gunvolt -- a brand-new 2D action game from Inti Creates and Keiji Inafune. From graphics and gameplay to music, it's pretty much Mega Man Zero (and a little ZX)... and that's a very, very good thing.
Gunvolt is currently slated to hit the Nintendo 3DS eShop this summer (Japan and North America). Expect more details to bubble up in the very near future. In the meantime, head over to 4Gamer for additional screens. This is definitely one to keep an eye on.
Source: BitSummit
Do note the jumping sprite. It's pretty much a 1:1 of Zero's.
ReplyDeleteHe even has the dash phantom!
DeleteNuoh my god.
ReplyDeleteThese poor people. They just want to make Mega Man games.
It's really sad that the fanbase has only these spiritual successors to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteAre we going to see: "Legends of the Dashing Hero" next? "App Fighters Network EX"? "Wally and Dark's Paperboard: That's Nirvana"???
If the next big Mega Man news we're supposed to get excited over ends up being the RKS English releases we'll know the franchise is well and truly dead.
DeleteWell, Mega Man Zero is as much an Inti Creates series as it is a Mega Man series. I wouldn't say the game is "pretty much Mega Man Zero"... rather, it's what I'd expect from Inti Creates. Like, the music; their other games, like Speed Power Gunbike and Power Rangers Samurai, sound similar. The gameplay also looks to have some interesting mechanics that set it apart from Mega Man Zero. Either way, I am excite.
ReplyDeleteLooks more Mega Man ZX than Mega Man Zero. Either way, it looks FUCKING AWESOME.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Prof. 9. It definitely has its own unique share of differences from the Zero Series, and even ZX. It's simply the style of IntiCreates at work. Of course, that's not a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteI'd be shocked if this wasn't in the pipe before MN9 if it's actually going to launch this summer.
ReplyDelete"Azure Striker". Azure Striker?! What, is Inafune's new life mission to reference all things Rockman until he can buy the rights? Seriously...
ReplyDeleteI know I'm pessimistic, but seriously... This and Mighty No. 9 are both pretty blatant "screw you" messages. Even with the differences and such, it's just Inafune pissing and moaning.
Oh, and whatever happened to that other game anyway? Isn't that supposed to release next year? Would be nice to see some progress. I'd like to be reassured that people didn't just blindly piss away their money -- which is one reason I didn't contribute myself. What guarantee was there that Inafune couldn't just take the pledges and run? I'll probably stop being so negative when, you know, Comcept gives us something with some actual solidity. (And I don't mean the Unreal3 Engine demo that we've seen time and time again.)
Relax, you're overracting.
DeleteWhat guarantee was there that Inafune couldn't just take the pledges and run?
DeleteI'm pretty sure Kickstarter has things in place so people can't just do that. Otherwise, I'd be crowd-funding my car payment every month.
Also, relax a bit. Mighty No. 9 was a CONCEPT that needed crowd-funding to become a reality. Development began when the game got funded, and the game is being developed by an up-and-coming company with a release date of Q2 2015. We're not even done with Q1 2014 yet. To actually expect some kind of solid content out of the game (like trailers and screens) with over a year of development time left is absolutely absurd.
And you can't compare Azure Striker with Mighty No. 9. AS is being developed by Inti-Creates, an established company with several successful games under their belt. Inafking is serving as director, but this isn't a Comcept game. Based on its trailer and screens and early release date, it's obvious that AS has been in development for some time before being formally announced. AS and MN9 do not go hand-in-hand. AS does not mean MN9 has slowed down or been halted or was paused while AS was developed.
Dude, there are plenty of progress videos about MN9. If you can't find them, it is your own fault. Use the mighty power of Google and stop whining, please.
Delete@Steven Chase
DeleteWell now, that's the magic of the internet. So long as you can cobble together a proof-of-concept in some form or other, such as Inafune's low-budget introductory video... which actually had no gameplay footage or anything "tangible"... you can start raking in pledges from gullible folks the world over. (If there's interest, of course.) How is Kickstarter going to know what the money is actually spent on? Do they install cameras into the project founder's workstation or home?
@11:22 AM Anon
Right. Let's execute a little Google-fu and see what comes up:
- The official site seems useless. It seems to focus mostly on individuals bosses and fan stuff. I don't see anything even remotely helpful as far as seeing progress on the project itself.
- Kotaku has less content, but has actual (mock-up) screen shots of the game. February 7th, January 24th, October 1st (2013)...
- N4G has a more or less the same stuff Protodude's posted, as well as some random related material. (Biggest Kickstarters of 2013, and so on.)
- The Mega Man Network, the one place you'd think would have the most information, has very little. Video of the Unreal Engine 3 ROM, PushMo Beck, the Call polls... Nothing relevant to showing the game itself, really.
So basically, all Comcept has right now is a private UE3 pre-alpha and maybe some 3D models. And let's see... the Kickstarter drummed up how much? Let's see... Roughly $4,000,000.00? Money well spent, I'd say, considering we've pretty much gotten art and only art so far. Oh, and a single piece of music.
I don't think I'm asking for that much. A little progress report now and then. And I don't mean in a podcast. I want something I can read -- or better still, something I can look at and go, "Oh! This looks like it's going to be a great game!" Is that really so unreasonable to ask considering they have four million dollars to work with? You could, however, flip it around on me... tell me that since the only timeline they have is self-imposed, they can take as little time or as much time as they want. Which is absolutely true. After all, the more time you take on a game, the more hype builds behind it. Like with Duke Nukem Forever, the game that took over a decade to come to fruition, and that game was absolutely worth the wait!
Wow, I found the one guy who actually thinks the Roman Colosseum was built in One day!
DeleteTell ya what, if the release date is still April 2015 (More than one year away), how about we wait a couple of months more, maybe until E3 or at worst, TGS, to see if the game's really not progresing at all and Inafune (a known name in the JP gaming bussiness and with a long list of videogames in his credits) actually used Kickstarter to steal some dollars from random internet people.
Deal?
@Joseph Collins: Hey man you sound ridiculous (as usual). 4mill isn't really that much for a game with that amount of effort put into it. Let's see, next gen technology check, high end graphics engine check, porting to every single gaming system relevant these days, check, having some of the most renowned devs form similar games come in to work on your project, check. Not only this but most of those donations guarantee the backers the game and then some. Mean while games with much less effort sale billions and are still considered flops.
DeleteDude, did you pay a dime for the kickstarter? If not, why are you complaining? And about some progress info... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_-3HPGNI7A
DeleteThat looks really nice, I'd play it if I get a chance.
ReplyDeleteAnd a UK & European release? Seriously seem to be cursed when it comes to releases sometimes
ReplyDeleteRelax and have a break. It will come eventually ;)
DeleteI'm not sure how can anyone complain about it. I hope it does well and become a franchise, I think Inti will put a lot of love in this game like they did with Zero/ZX, but this time, they own the IP, something that will lead to better things.
ReplyDeleteInti Creates can make this little game and I beat it will be profitable, why Capcom can't do the same?
He may be an Azure Striker, but he ain't a Blue Bomber.
ReplyDeleteanyone else hear some of the same same music remixed from the Zero 1 theme or am I just going crazy? lol
ReplyDeleteIs it just me or is Inafune starting to seem like a one-trick pony?
ReplyDeleteWhy, because he finally can create all the games he can do?
DeleteNo I think he's calling him a one trick pony because everything that's come out of him since he's left Capcom well... Haven't exactly screamed original. This and Mighty Number 9 are pretty much Megaman Classic and Zero/ZX clones, Soul Sacrifice is Monster Hunter with a lesser difficulty curve and a trick or two, and Ninja Gaiden Z is.. well.. Ninja Gaiden with Zombies...
DeleteSo is ever other game, since there was one game of each genre before. But this is different, because people wanted this and Capcom gave nothing. Inafune at least gives the people what they want.
DeleteI suppose the "originality versus innovative" debate rages as strongly as ever.
DeleteTo be honest, I will be content with whatever we may be provided as long as it's good fun and worth the purchase price. On the one hand, when a game ends up being a point-blank reskin or copy-paste, then there's no denying it would deserve some criticism; on the other hand, with so MUCH content and whatnot out there, it's tricky to pull off something that is a completely new animal-- especially when one's specialties are defined as staples throughout prior work.
I won't ignore that Comcept seems to be dealing in a field that's a blend of "been done" and "things that we love", yet I still don't think there's much purpose in being heavy handed about a game(s) that may lack an entirely unique "Je ne sais quoi" (and moreso when it's not even released yet. Who is to say that it's similarities will overshadow it's new qualities?).
Plus, this is what the audience has been asking for~
I'm personally pretty excited to see this. It does look good. I hope more people click the 4gamer link, it has some really nice artwork of the characters. It looks like there's even a fairy/cyber-elf character.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.4gamer.net/games/249/G024999/20140306072/SS/007.jpg
My only worry is that we're skipping away from Mighty No.9 a little too soon. I REALLY hope both games are part of the same world, and there's an opportunity for continuity and possibly crossover. It would seem like a big missed opportunity if they didn't.
i just stocked up on some eshop funds due to the recent BB 20% sale. i might bite on this, depending on the cost.
ReplyDeleteLooks good. All except the typical, tired, uninspired, 999999 out of 1000000 anime art style of the characters.
ReplyDeleteOhhh! So *this* is what happened to ZX3 after Capcom ceased all Rockman productions, then? I was wondering why Inti Creates hadn't done anything much (and certainly nothing with Capcom) for such a long time. I guess they just kept on working on this. Well-played, Inti Creates. I'm looking forward to the European release and will snap this up on day one. :)
ReplyDeleteEnglish & Japanese comparison:
ReplyDeleteAzure Striker Gunvolt = Armed Blue: Gunvolt
Lumen of "Muse" and Joule = "Cyber Diva" Morpho and the imprisoned girl Cyan
The Wormhole Maker: Melac = Sloth Holer Melac
The Explosive Rage: Daytona = Burnt Wrath Daytona
I WANT THIS. NOW.
ReplyDeleteSo if MN9 is a spiritual successor to the original Megaman, then this one would be the spiritual successor to the Zero/ZX series eh
ReplyDeleteWell, color me interested
Well it looks really fun. Much like Megaman Zero.
ReplyDeleteI just hope it isn't as dialog-heavy as MMZ (sadly, the video gives strong indications that it is).
If so, it'd be like driving the coolest car in town with a boot locked on the wheel...
In the words of Sir Joel McHale: "...........holy crap!!"
ReplyDelete