Virtua Fighter 5 has been given a new lease on life with Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown, which recently launched on PS4 every bit part of either PlayStation Plus or PlayStation Now subscriptions. This puts the game into the hands of millions of players instantly, and millions of people who have never had to put their skills on the line in a competitive online fighting game.

Well the good news is that VF5's netcode is broadly smashing, with my own experiences of losses I can blame on my connexion existence few and far between. This is a great identify to jump in, and since it'southward part of your PS+ subscription, there's more reason than e'er to give information technology a shot. At present all y'all need to do is learn how Virtua Fighter v works.

While the game volition give you a bones tutorial, learning how a Virtua Fighter game works tin experience like an uphill battle. In this guide we're going to lay out some basic tips to help y'all suit to a 3D fighter similar VF5, and instruct you on how to offset stringing together short combos that can conduct y'all through the lower ranks in online play.

Your Three Buttons

Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown - Akira vs Kagemaru

Virtua Fighter five is a game that can exist played with only three buttons, which might seem like it limits your options, just instead, it just makes it easier to understand and execute combos in. Yous have Punch (P), Kick (Thou), and Guard (G). I will not requite y'all any advice on what each push does, because I'm hoping y'all will have already figured that out.

Having a block push makes this more similar to Soulcalibur than Tekken, merely only having two assail buttons likewise makes the philharmonic system more approachable. Now it's just a case of pressing those buttons at the right time.

Blocking Basics

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In the lower ranks of VF5 yous are unlikely to find many players that are blocking, to exist honestly. This might actually be more hard to fight against than players who are going to terminate pressing set on buttons constantly, merely this is exactly why you lot need to learn to fend information technology all off.

Attacks in VF5 come in three varieties, High, Medium, and Low. While in Training Mode the game volition tell you lot what type of striking each assault is. When an opponent is standing they cannot block a Low hit, but they will block all High and Medium attacks. Conversely, High attacks will never hitting a Crouching opponent, Depression hits volition be blocked, and Medium hits volition always brand contact.

While blocking y'all will stand in place and not motion. You essentially need to get a feel for when your opponent will use Low or Medium attacks, and block appropriately. If you want to sidestep an attack, you lot will demand to permit go of the Guard push. This ways if you see an opponent is moving, they cannot exist blocking.

If your opponent isn't very proficient, they'll likely be using a lot of Loftier attacks, rarely going Low or throwing out Medium hits. You will be able to crouch under the attacks, and then counter while they're whiffing (hitting the air).

Know Your Attacks

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Yes, there are merely two attack buttons, but there'due south plenty of depth hidden behind them. You should commencement by getting used to what each push does in isolation. Endeavour tapping the button multiple times, try pressing it while crouching, try pressing it while property the stick in any of the viii cardinal directions, and so endeavor pressing information technology while striking a direction at the same time, which can often event in an entirely new movement. Finally, printing both buttons at the same time while experimenting with directions.

All of this tin can produce unique moves, and you will want to adapt to them quickly. In one case you've learned a few nuts, decent moves which hit Low and Medium, it's fourth dimension to find some slightly more constructive and lengthy combos. Every graphic symbol in the game has unique combos and framedata which mean it's impossible to sum it upward in a single paragraph, but for a good case we'll focus on Lau, who has excellent scrub-killing tactics that can acquit yous through the depression ranks as you acquire the fundamentals of the game.

Basic Combos

Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown - Akira Yuki posing in the game's opening

Focusing on Lau exclusively, we can see how combos are formed in VF5. A perfect example is a simple jump in combo which can exist performed repeatedly, and fifty-fifty carries the opponent a bit, assuasive you to push opponents closer to a Ring Out.

Here's how to combo is performed:

  • Up-forward Kicking
  • Punch (up to three times)
  • Crouch Kick

It'south every bit simple as that. The first attack volition send Lau spinning forrad into the air, and will hit whatsoever enemy in the fashion as a Medium, striking even Crouched and blocking opponents. This will send them into the air somewhat, and a quick burst of punches will strike them. As soon as your punches are finished, press your stick low and hitting Kick for a concluding sweep, knocking the opponent to the basis.

Pretty much every character volition have a combo that is similar to this, allowing you to quickly string low and high punches and kicks together apace. Try a variety of combinations with your called character in Training Way, and keep an centre on how high the striking counter goes to observe true combos.

Getting Up Off The Ground

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown

In 3D fighting games, getting upwards off the ground is surprisingly complicated. Sure you can just go upwards, but you can also roll in a direction, or attack while getting back on your feet. In VF5 you have two get up attacks, and a multifariousness of rolls, depending on how you landed.

If you merely want to get dorsum on your feet, yous should hitting your Yard push button immediately. To gyre with it, you should press G and a direction but be warned that the directions you tin can easily roll in are express by the position y'all landed in. Your character can easily curlicue forwards, back, and to their side, merely which direction is that in, because where they landed? Minor things similar this tin can hamper your efforts.

You lot can also Kick back opponents on become up, punishing enemies that are sticking too shut without blocking. Pressing Thousand on wake upward will take yous delivering a High kick, which has decent range and can keep back enemies. Pressing G and holding down will deliver a Depression kick, which volition hitting opponents moving to the sides more than finer, but also has a more shallow range. In the low ranks you tin corruption become-up kicks for great success, merely in the higher ranks players will work around your wake ups and factor information technology into your gameplan. A get-up assail can leave yous broad open for a whiff punish, so be careful, depending on who you're fighting against.

Next: Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown Perfects A Beloved Fighting Game, Yet Feels Locked In The Past