So far, Capcom's been focusing on bringing a lot of classic characters back for Street Fighter V. Not just Ryu and Chun-Li, either: Street Fighter Alpha has had a surprisingly large influence on Street Fighter V, and rumors surrounding the game seem to hint that even more fighters from Alpha will be returning for the latest game in the franchise.
On top of that, Capcom has been teasing a return for Blanka for the past week or so — which is what makes today's reveal so surprising.
Ken, one of the most iconic fighters in the franchise, is officially returning for Street Fighter V. That being said, this Ken isn't just another Ryu clone: Capcom has made some serious changes to the man in the red gi, and from what the publisher has shown off, this is the most unique take on the character that gamers have ever seen.
First and foremost: don't expect to see any Hadokens during this preview. Street Fighter V's Ken is all about turning up the heat — literally.
Right off the bat, it's clear that the Street Fighter V version of Ken is basically an entirely new character. In the past (going all the way back to Street Fighter II), he's always been a reworked version of Ryu: the moves were the same, but the damage and speed were slightly tweaked. In Street Fighter V, that's just not the case.
While Capcom has yet to officially detail Ken's fighting style, his V-Trigger (a unique, character-specific skill that changes how they fight) looks as if it's built around extending combos. Specifically, command dashes and super move canceling: at several points throughout the trailer, it looks like Ken initiates a move, activates his V-Trigger, cancels the move and starts an entirely new one. It's similar to Focus Cancels from Street Fighter IV, but it looks like it'll be exclusive to Ken in Street Fighter V.
Also, there's the fire. Ken is constantly bathed in flames throughout the trailer: seemingly all of Ken's special moves burn opponents, and it's not just limited to Super or Ultra combos anymore. Judging by the trailer, fire will be a constant threat when battling Ken — with any luck, Capcom will detail how this will effect his character soon.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Street Fighter V trailer without another character tease — going by the expression on his face, it looks like said character will be yet another Street Fighter classic, E. Honda. It's a bit harder to tell just who it is compared with previous trailers (the M. Bison tease was basically a spoiler), but no one puckers his face quite like E. Honda.
There's no word on whether or not Ken will be included with the upcoming beta, but there's still a chance to get in on the upcoming Street Fighter V test — find out how right here.
Street Fighter V (Ken included) is due out early next year.
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