Samurai Shodown 2

I couldn't find a thread for this. I've been getting back into SS2 recently as I've finally found a couple of friends actually willing to play it.

I've been reading up on tiers and character strategies as well as trying to find high level match videos on youtube. There seems to be precious few of them unfortunately.

The other reason for my renewed enthusism is that the PS2 anthology has a proper practice mode and a versus mode where you can change character. Finally. I think the emulation is great in Anthology but I'm not sure if it's perfect. I also love playing it with six buttons as I always hated the 2 buttons for hard moves bullshit.

Does anyone know if the XBLA version is good offline? I heard the online is shit. Is there input delay? Is there a practice mode?

At the moment I'm trying out all the characters in practice mode. Alot of them I'd never tried before. I'm loving Gen, people don't seem to know how to fight him and his taunt is hilarious.

I know it's an extremely combo unfriendly game but one quirk I hadn't noticed before is that if a normal attack is blocked then it won't cancel into a special but it will it is hits or wiffs completely. That seems pretty crazy to me and I don't like it as a system.

I hate playing the computer becauase the AI opponents are such throw spammers and many have to be played gimmicky to beat them.

Please share your general thoughts.

I hope there are no lag on XBL. Add me if you want to play KOF98 or SS2.

Cheers

XBL: Jindo510

I think it plays pretty good online if you can get passed the filters. Online is just like FFS, there's some delay with certain matches but overall it's a pretty fun experience. I played FFS a lot when there was only Hyper Fighting on XBL, I always liked FFS better but when HDR showed up, I left everything else behind.

I love SS2! Personally I believe it to be the best of the series, with SS4 a close 2nd. I've only ever played SSF2:HDR on XBL, and I hated it. People rage quitting all over the place before I can record a win, trash talking 12yo's who have no clue about... Well, anything really. I guess I'm just old skool, but I prefer my fighters on cab with my challenger sitting right next to me.

Jassin000 said:

I love SS2! Personally I believe it to be the best of the series, with SS4 a close 2nd. I've only ever played SSF2:HDR on XBL, and I hated it. People rage quitting all over the place before I can record a win, trash talking 12yo's who have no clue about... Well, anything really. I guess I'm just old skool, but I prefer my fighters on cab with my challenger sitting right next to me.

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Playing HDR when it was hot and playing it now are two different experiences. Next to no one uses the microphone anymore and you won't get many wins, that I'll guarantee you. You'll probably rage quit out of sheer frustration after realizing how much you need to improve on.

Being oldschool is great, however truth is you're never gonna get any decent competition that way. At less you're playing casual or you live in LA, online is the way to go for some fierce competition.

There's no filters on it, or, if there is, you can turn them off (which I must've done a long time ago, unlike FFS, where you're stuck with the filters). I sat down and played it last night with my kid. He got really upset when I (Galford) sent Poppy after Wanfu and he smacked him back, making him cry. I was then told that we don't hurt animals, and that I need to make him say "sorry."

Nevermind that he didn't say a word when I was cutting people in half, and blood was spraying everywhere.

Soilwork said:

There's no filters on it, or, if there is, you can turn them off (which I must've done a long time ago, unlike FFS, where you're stuck with the filters). I sat down and played it last night with my kid. He got really upset when I (Galford) sent Poppy after Wanfu and he smacked him back, making him cry. I was then told that we don't hurt animals, and that I need to make him say "sorry."

Nevermind that he didn't say a word when I was cutting people in half, and blood was spraying everywhere.

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It's strange how kids view death of humans so much lower than animals, and I'm not saying death or cruelty to animals acceptable, but it just seems odd from a child's standpoint.

ElectricGrave said:

Being oldschool is great, however truth is you're never gonna get any decent competition that way. At less you're playing casual or you live in LA, online is the way to go for some fierce competition.

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You are sure right about that, lack of worthy challengers has made me soft. If I decide to get another gold XBL account you've got a date!

Jassin000 said:

You are sure right about that, lack of worthy challengers has made me soft. If I decide to get another gold XBL account you've got a date!

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You got it brother!

kidpanda said:

It's strange how kids view death of humans so much lower than animals, and I'm not saying death or cruelty to animals acceptable, but it just seems odd from a child's standpoint.

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I still get a chill down my spine when I see roadkill and it ain't the gore that gets me but the thought that there's lack of care from some drivers. Sometimes things can't be helped but most of the time these type of things can be avoided by paying attention while driving.

kidpanda said:

It's strange how kids view death of humans so much lower than animals, and I'm not saying death or cruelty to animals acceptable, but it just seems odd from a child's standpoint.

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I've wondered this myself for years. I'd say this is the norm, not the exception. It's pretty f'd up.

SS2 is my favorite game on the Neo and I believe SNK's best effort. Perfection, just perfection.

kidpanda said:

It's strange how kids view death of humans so much lower than animals, and I'm not saying death or cruelty to animals acceptable, but it just seems odd from a child's standpoint.

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I think it was the dog yelp that did it. It's a pretty authentic sound. And, to be fair, he's seen me play a lot of games that involve zombie killing, assassinations, and brutal fighting. It's not like I've been able to condition him to be comfortable with animal cruelty by loading up Michael Vick's Dog Fighting 2: Tournament Fighter.

Its really not that strange at all when you think about it not as a loss of life, but the destruction of innocence. Same reason why people look at baby killers in a far worse light then a killer of a fully grown man. Its still a person, but not at all the same in your mind.

Michael Vick's Dog Fighting 2: TE! "Quick use the tazer power up on that pitbull's nutsack for a full rage meter!"

Supernaut_ said:

SS2 is my favorite game on the Neo and I believe SNK's best effort. Perfection, just perfection.

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I'm partial to SamSho4, mainly because I love the redraws/art-style, but SS2 is RIGHT behind it.

When you hear the drums beat as SNK appears, it's the baaaaallllsss...

Almost perfection IMO... Haomaru's Super Cheese Move, Zieg's chain cheapness, and Ukyo whores tend to easily make this game... "Annoying."

I love ss2, probably one of the best games on the neo and without a doubt the most iconic cover artwork of any game on the aes.

I enjoy SS2 but SS3(fixed) and SSVS will always be my favorites. Two skilled players dueling it out in SS3 is a real rush and requires the timer to be turned off.

SS AI is always shitty as it reads your inputs. Charlotte, Haohmaru, and Ukyuo really destroy all the other characters in SS2 as well. I have a friend who has played an amazing SS2 Haohmaru since he was a kid and when we fight, it is always an uphill battle against him unless I pick another top tier character.