Fighting Vipers

[Asura]

Bit of an oldie, this one

So it wasn't technically my first play; however, I'm going to overlook 2 credits' worth, 2 years apart, in the mid-90s, while in a state of sleep-deprivation on a cross-channel ferry and in a service station.

I never owned FV for the Saturn, despite being quite a big AM2 fan. The main reason for this was that I was a kid, and didn't have much money to buy games. I'd scrimped and saved to afford Virtua Fighter 2, and after that, it seemed inadvisable to buy what is a reasonably similar fighting game instead of the plethora of new and diverse games available, so I missed out on it. I didn't even play that much of Fighters Megamix.

So with relatively little experience of it, I was happy when it came up on PSN, for the PS3, at a very low price. I snapped it up, alongside Daytona USA and Virtua Fighter 2, and I just got around to actually playing it just now.
[MENTION=3542]Team Andromeda[/MENTION] may want to look away now.

So, I know 3D fighters have changed fair bit since FV's time; in particular, they have become a bit looser, and generally more fluid. Even Virtua Fighter 5 flows quite differently to something like the original VF. Soul Calibur's 8-way run was something of a milestone. In any case, I guess what I'm working up to asking is this: Was Fighting Vipers always a bit, well, lacking?

I mean certainly, it didn't replace VF as Sega's flagship fighter, and it's a bit of a footnote in fighting games these days.

I have a lot of respect for Virtua Fighter 2. I still find that game extremely playable. It's fast, responsive, with well-designed characters, a great balance, and such superbly tuned gameplay... Yes, it feels at-times basic compared to something like VF5 but it still plays exceptionally well.

Fighting Vipers just seems... Strange. For starters, it feels a bit cheap at times because of how some of the animations are literally Virtua Fighter animations, and how the game feels so derivative of VF - in a way that Dead or Alive also is, but somehow doesn't feel that way. Even Last Bronx, which kinda also works of VF as a base, manages to feel like its own thing. FV seems to lack this.

But the characters and moves just seem to lack this sense of flow and fluidity. I know that was to do with how the game's "armour-breaker" moves were these big, powerful strikes, but I just mean how I don't "feel" the combos as much. Virtua Fighter's characters just make sense to me in a way that FV's characters don't. It's hard to describe.

So yeah, Fighting Vipers. What do people think?

[Team Andromeda]

I'm not FV biggest fan I liked it at the time, but it was little more than a stop gap, with Model 3 hardware being delayed and so VF3 got pushed back. I much rather Last Bronx and tbh I'm one of the ones who's rather VF over VF II too .

I did like the fast easier pick up play style in VF on the Saturn, it was a nice game to put on to have a middle bash with mates Instead for the far more deep fighting one got with the likes of VF II or SF III

[Asura]

I did like the fast easier pick up play style in VF on the Saturn, it was a nice game to put on to have a middle bash with mates Instead for the far more deep fighting one got with the likes of VF II or SF III

Yeah, interesting you would say that. I always felt the original Tekken was similar. It had a bit of depth, but not a huge amount. Most of the character shared a pool of moves and it was really quite basic, but very fun.

[Team Andromeda]

Yeah, interesting you would say that. I always felt the original Tekken was similar. It had a bit of depth, but not a huge amount. Most of the character shared a pool of moves and it was really quite basic, but very fun.

Yeah it was SEGA's Tekken. Tbh I wasn't the biggest fan of 3D fighters (VF IV Evo was somthing else mind) I love 2D fighters more and back then (and now) nothing came close to X-Men:COTA on the Saturn that was where it was at for me and my mates at the time.

[Super Monkey Balls]

I've loved it since I was 13 but maybe that's because you can get Candy down to her knickers.

[Asura]

I've loved it since I was 13 but maybe that's because you can get Candy down to her knickers.

I read once that this was censored a bit in the US.

[Leon Retro]

I read once that this was censored a bit in the US.

A lot of Japanese games used to be censored in the West, which is why I always go for the Japanese versions that are as intended. I can't stand thinking things have been changed in a game.

Anyway, when it comes to Fighting Vipers, I really liked the Saturn version. I had far more fun with it than VF 1 & 2. I liked the graphics, overall design, and range of characters. The way you can smash people through walls really appealed to me. So as much as it's not the best fighting game, I have fond memories of it and still enjoy playing it now and then.

[JazzFunk]

I loved the Saturn version as well, loved the armour breaker moves, felt so satisfying, cracking the walls as well.

I love the colourful, surreal vibe of the game as well. I bought the 360 version of this, too, more out of a hankering for that vintage AM2eygooeyness. Also got VF2 and Sonic The Fighters, the less said about the latter the better.

I'm more an SF or Tekken type of guy but I still think the amazingness of AM2 still shines spectacularly.

[randombs]

I loved it on the Saturn way back when. I bought it on PS3, too, and it's the lovely arcade version. The fighting isn't deep but it's fast and fun.

As for the walls, sometimes I'd knock someone into the air and they'd land on top of the wall and hang on it. Looked painful!