Since Season 3 has came out the cohesion of the overall game has become less and less. Its becoming a jumble of great ideas but very little to tie them together.
Over the seasons new modes, colours, accessories and what not has come into the game.
Story mode over the seasons has changed from stills at S1 to Rivals with cutscenes in S2 to Shadow lords in S3. But if you go into story mode is there anything to tell you this? The 3 seasons vary wildly. S2 had the best delivery of this.
Shadow Lords is great but as a story mode not so much ( zero endings for the S3 characters )
S1/S2 each character had a stage but S3 only had 4 ( 1 of which was for a guest and one was an after thought )
If S4 happens does it go back to a stage per character because we have SL and re lighting done?
Does that leave Mira and Eyedol out in the cold?
TBH id be happy with existing stages being redone for the new guys and mira/eyedol.
Stage Ultras is another weird one. Zero in s1 stages, 5 in s2 and only 1 in s3 and that one was on the guest stage.
The UI on the fight screen still baffles me as to why thereās several different fonts used on it. The metal ready which is the best font. The combo names are different as to the names of characters and what they say.
SL tutorial lifts the entire section from another section, fonts and all and sticks out like a sore thumb from the rest of the mode.
Practice mode you can unlock KI1ās music and stage to use but not the inclusion of the KI2 stages/music.
1 character has colours but no accessories and 1 has 6 colours and a handful of accessories.
The S3 guys have a retro 7 but the rest donāt.
Gameplay mechanics that are getting wilder.
The disc release has other features that the download doesnāt.
I downloaded the S3 soundtrack this morning but it isnt on par with the previous releases. Only had 9 tracks ( A warriors journey is a massive highlight ) but just under the same price as the others. I wouldve thought some remixes wouldve been added.
I know the Soundtrack has zero to do with the game.
I think the problem has been the season approach. I like that you get it sooner but you get different modes / add ons that donāt gel with the others, thatās why I think the disc release would be the best.
These flaws just become more and more obvious over the seasons to me. Iāve played the game less this S3 to the point I rarely even thinking about playing it or come to the forums to see whatās new.
I hope if there is a S4 they go back to basics and tie everything up.
Re-reading this it comes across as a love letter from someone that has fallen out of love with someone/something.
Maybe thatās exactly what it is.
I love this game but maybe iām burnt out or Iāve had my fill.
I hope S4 brings me/it back and it makes the overall experience flow more easily.
I love the devs and studios for everything theyāve worked on within the game, I just question some of the choices and directions that have come about.