We should always numerical notation this dapper dude

As these of an age could keep in mind, when Crimson Viper first made her debut in 2009’s Road Fighter IV, there was a typical opinion that in character design, character, and playstyle, the Secret Agent Mother felt like SF‘s reply to the fashion-forward King of Fighters roster. C. Viper match like an (electrical) glove, however one thing about her simply felt totally different — distinctly totally different from her SF brethren.

I lately visited Capcom HQ, the place I had the prospect to take a look at a full construct of Road Fighter 6, full with its launch roster. And whereas most of the new characters felt acquainted — retaining the talents of fighters who had perhaps handed by the World Warrior ranks earlier than — one character actually stood out, that includes a playstyle that felt borrowed from not only one, however many different preventing franchises.

And that character is the charming however extraordinarily unnerving gentleman, JP.

Road Fighter 6 walkout VS video: Lily vs JP #sf6 #StreetFighter pic.twitter.com/aNOa8WgaVs

— Chris Moyse (@ChrisxMoyse) Could 2, 2023

JP’s preventing model is considered one of excessive zoning, thoughts video games, and, finally, full-screen frustration. The sinister industrialist fights with emotional apathy, content material to face the complete size of the display and forestall his opponent from gaining any floor. JP is supplied with a number of ethereal projectiles, (“Torbalan”), which might be capable of assault at a number of heights, and, depending on the model used, can comprise the properties of overheads, lows, and even unblockable throws.

Along with these assaults, JP’s “Triglav” permits him to stab his cane instantly into the bottom, launching thorns at optionally available distances that create knockdown potential at full vary, whereas additionally defending him from incoming projectiles and airborne opponents. If this arsenal wasn’t sufficient, then “Departure” sees him create as much as two portals at will, that may throw out additional thorns on timed launch, (“Departure: Shadow”), or additionally act as teleportation portals, (“Departure: Window”), for when issues get somewhat crowded.

It doesn’t finish there, as JP can be capable of counter melee strikes into “Amnesia”, which sees a bomb of pure Psycho Energy chase down and connect itself to the opponent, detonating in a style to go away them open to assault or combo extensions — ala Rose’s Soul Sattelite, or Manon’s orbs. And even when an opponent does handle to lock our man down, then he can ship them reeling backward with “Stribog” a swift, onerous assault together with his cane, that additionally wallsplats at the price of meter.

In the end, JP’s sport plan is to maintain his opponent virtually full display, shut down all their routes of entry, push again on any advance, after which shock them with teleports — both for the aim of escape or assault. Primarily it’s a mixture of prediction (for him) and frustration (for them).

He’s a daunting entity. Which could see him grow to be a very standard selection in SF6‘s launch days.

Along with his oddly-shaped, ghostly projectiles, myriad directional choices, homing assaults, on-screen “traps”, and his beautiful visible design, he jogs my memory of a typical Responsible Gear fighter, whereas his barrage of tough-to-read, full-screen specials recollects the ungodly King of Fighters bosses from the ’90s, and even Misplaced Warrior from DNF Duel.

Maybe most bizarrely of all, JPs array of projectiles, diagonal air strikes, floor thorns, and “maintain away” gameplay immediately recollects the controller-snapping irritance of going through Mortal Kombat 11 Elder Goddess, Cetrion. On first impressions, JP is a reminder of so many various, non-SF fighters.

And all of them are a menace.

Whereas some characters ought to have little bother gaining floor between these assaults — assume Blanka Ball, Sumo Headbutt, or Yoga Teleport — I believe we’ll discover, in time, that the important thing to defeating these smothering specials can be deft use of the Drive Gauge. Drive Affect to energy by his close-distance pushback efforts, and Parry Rush proving the important thing to responding to JP’s projectiles — closing the hole earlier than he can get better.

Nonetheless, these are not newbie expertise, and I can’t assist however ponder whether On-line JP is to be topped the primary Road Fighter 6 nightmare within the early going…

…Effectively, you all did desire a villain, proper?

Road Fighter 6 launches June 2 on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms. Make sure to try my different ideas on the brand new construct, in addition to my report on Lily’s Arcade Mode. As well as, listed here are 50 issues I cherished within the beta, and my ideas on the ten World Warriors who would match proper into the brand new title as post-launch DLC.