Line #62 Sandbox/SpectacleFighter


1	! Core definitions from TRS thread.
2	* '''Stylish Action''' is an ActionGame where combat is not only a complex endeavor but also stylish because of the complexity, with SomeDexterityRequired, and being rewarded with some useful things for doing cool things in the game. The game will expect you to do ever cooler things, and maximize the use of all of your capabilities in the game. -- Getta
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4	->''"This is simply the benefit of training!"''
5	-->- '''[[GlassCannon Rosa]]''' from ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2'', spoken only when the player achieves a [[RankInflation Pure Platinum]] combat grade
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7	%% I Will be honest: my english isn't that good to meet the TV Stardards, so I will try to make a skeleton and put some comments why I made the changes and what I think it's important on that part so that you can hopefully rewrite it without losing the essence
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9	'''Stylish Action''' is a sub-genre of action games that especially deals with unrealistic combat and [[RuleOfCool having fun creating it yourself]]. Their main point is to use a deep set of mechanics to be stylish, rather than the style coming from the animations itself. In short, the style is because ''you'', the player, are being stylish, not just the character.
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11	%%this was the most simple description that I could make, I know its long, but it do encapsulate the genre and I hope it will prevent some of the most egregious examples from coming back, I also put the alternatives names down below so that I can hope people will pay more attention to the description itself rather than whatever they think those names means
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13	Unlike most action games, stylish action is just a particular way of engaging players in good combat, so it's crossed over with a few established genres. The most famous examples are based in beat 'em up and hack and slash, but the third-person shooter genre has seen some attention lately, too; as long as a genre relies on real-time action and isn't riddled with scripted GameplayRoulette, it can work with stylish action.
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15	Three elements are the backbone of stylish action:
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17	* '''Combat depth''', or giving players options besides modifying how much damage they're doing and how fast they're doing it. Stylish action enemies can be interacted with in numerous ways; they can be knocked down, [[GrievousHarmWithABody picked up and thrown into others]], stunned in place, stripped of their weapons, or killed instantly with finishers, for example. The character themselves will have combat options that aren't direct attacks; they could dodge, block, counterattack, [[BulletTime stop time]], [[PracticalTaunt provoke enemies]], [[StanceSystem switch styles]], [[{{Shapeshifter}} forms]], [[RealTimeWeaponChange or weapons]], or [[SuperMode power up]]. PlatformFighter variables are key, since they allow players to move the fight anywhere. Movement and launch speed, direction, and distance, transitioning between ground and air, using the environment advantageously, and dashing to a target are standard fare. Weapons and attacks tend to serve their own purposes, so no one option will be clearly better than another.
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19	* '''Teaching through difficulty'''. Similar to old arcade games [[NintendoHard and Nintendo's earlier work]], stylish action teaches skills by making it difficult to proceed without them. To do this, stylish action games present a diverse cast of enemies which must be interacted with differently. For example, heavy enemies cannot be staggered or grappled, EliteMooks can break up lengthy combos, and aerial enemies cannot be hit from the ground. Unlike ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' and the like, there are no OneHitPointWonder mooks and even the easiest enemies require a decent amount of attention to kill. [[WakeUpCallBoss Boss fights are designed to put]] [[FinalExamBoss these skills to the test]], but the most common archetype tests the player's raw skill [[TheRival against someone]] [[MirrorBoss with similar combat capabilities]] [[NoNonsenseNemesis and no exploitable weaknesses or behavior]], [[RecurringBoss often more than just once]].
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21	* '''Providing some motivation to improve'''. Stylish action always encourages skill improvement in some tangible way, not just by letting them complete fights quicker or without taking damage, and this is done by judging the player's performance. Individual combos get scored, whether by a simple hit counter or a complex ScoreMultiplier, while fights and chapters as a whole get [[AwesomenessMeter ranked battle reports]]. The battle reports generally use some well-known ranking system (letter grades, or metal trophies or medals) so that players with mediocre performance know how much room they have to improve. Multiple difficulty settings generally fulfill the same purpose.
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23	TropeCodifier was the original ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry1''. The director, Creator/HidekiKamiya, stated that his inspiration for the game's combat came from his days of playing at arcades, where he often found the ability to make a cool move because he knew people were watching. Subsequent improvements to the genre have made ''Devil May Cry'' seem shallow by today's standards, but since the core vision behind it is the same, it remains the genre's most well-known example.
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25	%%Depending on which of the main page's examples make the cut, DMC might be labeled the Trope Codifier if there's an example that predates it (and I think there was one). -Orb
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27	%%I Wanted to put some explanation for the genre origins, and I also think it would help make people understand more of the point of the genre by describing it
28	%%I'm putting this because by today standard the original Devil May Cry isn't really that deep, whoever due to its status as the TropeMaker it is still considered a StylishAction, not to mention by the standards when it was released it was way deeper than other games. And I also don't want to run into the problem of "b-but X-game is deeper than the Original Devil May Cry"
29	%%I think some of the problems with the trope os that people don't realize that the entire reason this genre exist is to separate GoW from Devil May Cry, I'm not trying to sound like a dick, but I simply don't know how people are missing that if GoW and [=Suda51=] games are StylishActions, then the entire subgenre loses it reason to exist, because it would basically be referring to simple Hack n Slash/Beat em' Up 3D Games
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31	Over the years the genre gained a '''lot''' of alternatives names such as '''character action''', '''cuhrayzee games''', '''spectacle fighters''', '''deep action''', and '''extreme action'''.
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34	!! The following are examples of the genre:
35	* ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta 2}}'': The spiritual successor to ''Devil May Cry'', the most famous modern example, and exhibits every characteristic listed above. Both games are known for their wide selection of open-ended weapons, combos, and techniques, and defensive play revolves around well-timed dodging to trigger brief BulletTime. The first ''Bayonetta'' is considerably less forgiving than ''Bayonetta 2'', although combat in both games is famous for its complexity. A explanation of some mechanics can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqzztvoVngY here]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOVVmm4KOm4 here]], while an example of high-level play can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiPnBzaxKvo&t=378s here]].
36	%%I decided to put some examples here to see if people can understand what the hell we mean by deep mechanics
37	%%Good idea. If anyone can find more combo videos for the rest of the gang, particularly if you've played the games in question yourself, that would help.
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39	* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry1'': The TropeMaker, and the first game of which was directed by eventual ''Bayonetta'' creator Hideki Kamiya.
40	%%I insist on not putting the Reboot as a separate entry here, whether the reboot counts or not is a HIGHLY controversial topic on the community mentioning the Franchise as an example serves to let it up to the read imagination whether the Reboot counts or not
41	* ''VideoGame/FairyBloomFreesia'': A 2D indie title that features extensive ground-to-air combo capabilities similar to ''Bayonetta''.
42	* ''VideoGame/GodHand'': An over-the-top hand-to-hand fighter that lets players assign techniques to three attacking buttons in lieu of weapons. This was the last game made by Clover Studios before they became stylish action-regular Creator/PlatinumGames.
43	* ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'': A hack-and-slash series featuring chained swords, grapples, and magic as its combat components, and perhaps the genre's most basic example. ''God of War'' features easy-to-master combat, a few token combo setups, and a simple scoring system that rewards extended combos at certain lengths. While nowhere near as deep as genre classics like ''Devil May Cry'', the series' accessibility makes it a good choice for casual players trying out stylish action for the first time. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjTG5LpaG3o This video]] from ''God of War III'' shows the best of what the series allows.
44	* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfKorra'': Another Creator/PlatinumGames work, which features deep combat based around physical combat and "bending" four elements with different uses. While the scoring system is shallow compared to other Platinum games, its versatile combat and surprisingly harsh difficulty still make it one of the genre's most complex games.
45	* ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'': A Creator/PlatinumGames title with a steep learning curve. The game's combat is based in bladed weapons and realistic cutting physics, along with ''Metal Gear'' stealth. Defensive play is mostly reliant on parrying attacks and potentially counterattacking with frame-perfect timing, while players can also "stab-and-grab" repair units from foes to recharge their health and energy. A example of advanced tech being used on the final boss can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgsp4oasfAY here]].[[note]]The player in this video is cancelling the animations of two tech options, a slide attack and a sidestep-slash, by briefly entering "Blade Mode", the game's at-will BulletTime mechanic. The sidestep normally grants brief invincibility, but when cancelled correctly with Blade Mode, the player can effectively stand in the way of an attack without taking any damage. This use for Blade Mode is never taught to the player in-game.[[/note]]
46	* ''VideoGame/NierAutomata'': Somewhat simpler than some of ''Platinum'''s other works, and slightly more reliant on stats and equips, but it still requires precision for high-level play, and it's significantly more skill-based than your typical ActionRPG.
47	* ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'': Primarily the ''Devil May Cry''-like 3D games (and the ''God of War''-like ''Yaiba'' to a lesser extent), the originals being a side scrolling Beat 'Em Up, and a high-speed action platformer trilogy.
48	* ''[[VideoGame/RainBloodChroniclesMirage Rain Blood Chronicles: Mirage]]'': A 2D game whose feudal aesthetic and style mechanics.
49	* ''VideoGame/{{Stranglehold}}'': A third-person shooter directed by John Woo. Comboing in ''Stranglehold'' is based around interacting with the environment in scenery-chewing ways; props can be used for mobility, shot and dropped onto enemies, or destroyed to change the terrain of the fight. A simple scoring system rewards players for creative use of the environment and efficient shooting. The game's generous BulletTime and basic, relaxed combat make it an easy choice for players getting used to gun combos.
50	* ''VideoGame/TransformersDevastation''
51	* ''VideoGame/{{Vanquish}}'': A fast-paced third-person shooter from Creator/PlatinumGames. Guns, grenades, powerful melee attacks, and cover are standard fare for the genre, but ''Vanquish'' adds stylish action with two mechanics: the first is a high-speed powerslide that gives players unrivaled mobility, and the second is "AR Mode", an at-will BulletTime that players can trigger at almost any time and combine with the game's basic mechanics to create combos. A video of high-level play in the game's first level can be found [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tysaJyJ1hA here]].
52	* ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe''

Context Sandbox / SpectacleFighter