SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos (エス・エヌ・ケイ バーサス カプコン エスブイシー カオス, Esu Enu Kei Bāsasu Kapukon Esbuishī Kaosu) is a 2003 fighting game produced by Playmore (now SNK) for the Neo Geo arcade and home platform. It was then later ported to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, although only the Xbox port was released in North America[1] and both platforms were released in Japan and PAL regions.
In a post-apocalyptic future where civilization is scarce and desolate, both famous fighting tournament rosters such as the Garcia Financial Clique (SNK) and the Masters Foundation (Capcom) are under an end-times crisis; a majority of fighters have been deceased, a minority of them went missing, and only 30 surviving fighters (counting out Athena, Red Arremer, and the four evil clones) of the small total are still at large while locked in a war between Order and Chaos to decide the fate of the universe, whoever wins will return back to their centuries peacefully.
Gameplay
Arcade version screenshot showcasing a match between Kyo Kusanagi and Ryu.
The gameplay is based on the KOF series (particularly The King of Fighters 2002), with the same four button configuration and many of the same techniques. However, the game does not use the Team Battle format, but follows the traditional round-based one-on-one format. Each match begins with a dialogue exchange between the player's character and the opponent. One new technique introduced in the game is the Front Grand Step, which allows the player to cancel attacks with a forward dash. The player can perform this technique while guarding from an opponent's attack, which will consume one Power Gauge level.
The game uses a different type of Power Gauge known as the Groove Power Gauge System, which has three levels. The Groove gauge fills as the player lands attacks against the opponents or guard attacks. When the gauge fills to Lv. 1 or Lv. 2, the player can perform Super Special Moves, a Guard Cancel Attack or a Guard Cancel Front Step maneuver. When the gauge is full, its reaches MAXIMUM level and a MAX Activation occurs. During MAX Activation, the gauge will change into a timer and the player gains the ability to cancel any of their moves anytime (in addition to Super Special Moves and Guard Cancels). Once the timer runs out, the gauge returns to Lv. 2.
In addition to the regular Super Special Move, each character also has an 'Exceed' move which can only be performed once when the player's life is less than half.
An eight-volume graphic novel series of translated Chinese manhua was published in the U.S. by DrMaster Publications Inc., originally created by Happy Comics Ltd.
SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos has received mixed reception, such as the rushed and bland presentation of the game (as seen in stages with very few colors and devoid of "life"), and the low resolution of the Neo Geo (320 × 240) made the game's visuals considerably rough considering the game's 2003 release. The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[4][5] In Japan, Famitsu gave the PS2 version a score of three sixes and one seven for a total of 25 out of 40.[8]
In 2012, Complex ranked it as the 14th best SNK fighting game ever made, adding that "the game’s secret characters (Firebrand, Mars People, Zero, etc.) had to be the best part about this game," as well as newly animated sprites (Demitri, Earthquake, Tessa, etc.) But it was also criticized by others due to the lack of certain "token" characters (like Haohmaru, Benimaru, Zangief, etc.), and the omission of the selectable fighting styles showcased by Capcom, instead featuring only one-on-one modes with extended vital gauges, not giving any choice to players who favored other styles, even those created by SNK itself.[18]
References
^Sheffield, Brandon (May 16, 2004). "E3 2004: SNK Interview". Insert Credit. Archived from the original on June 10, 2004. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
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