There’s something endearing about fighting games. Perhaps it’s the old-school, classic charm, or the timeless factor to them, but there’s no denying their relevance to the adage “old is gold”. The one-versus-one mechanics may be shrouded in simplicity, but in them lies a layer of complexity, one that’s a testament to a player’s sheer ability and reaction time.
And while the fighting game genre is different from the first-person shooter (FPS) category, they are fundamentally similar in the sense that reaction time helps to determine a win or a loss. Apart from that, however, there’s little that can bring the two together.
Not in the eyes of Youtube channel TGN, it seems.
In a highly convincing effort to reimagine Overwatch as a 2D fighting game, TGN has managed to execute the improbable marriage between both genres – and with great detail, too.
Not only are the Reinhardt-Zarya and Genji-Doomfist battles done tastefully well, the signature elements of a fighting game are present as well, including health bars, super metre, and timer. Attention is given in the smallest of details; on the player select screen, the square “moves” from one character to another, just like how one would expect from Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat.
Street Fighter 2 fans will also recognise the inclusion of its iconic bonus stage in the video, where Doomfist can be controlled to cause as much wreckage to a thrashed motorcycle in the familiar terrains of Junkertown.
While the fighting animation is borderline-choppy at times with much room for improvement, it’s indeed a very commendable attempt by the guys at TGN. Besides, the ingenious idea to convert the ultimates and highlight intro animations to super moves and character intros respectively is masterfully-executed, retaining the charm found in Overwatch and other fighting game titles.
With the popularity of Blizzard’s shooter juggernaut, this is hardly the first time where fanwork has been created to great success and recognition on Youtube – past projects include an Overwatch-inspired RPG game, and a fan-created custom Cairo map.
The world could always use more heroes, and for many in the community, that would mean the many brilliant individuals who have continued to bless the fandom with their artistic and highly-creative content. Never stop, guys!
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
The Baroness
Edwin Teo
