BEST 4: PS All-Stars Problems

Back in 2012, the Playstation console line was going on its 20th anniversary of entertaining millions over the decades. What better way to celebrate Sony’s own game system than to release a crossover fighting game, amalgamating just about every character from each Playstation game… on a budget, of course. Development for the game itself wasn’t without its fair share of troubles: Restricted budget, an inexperienced developer, and a questionable roster are some of what resulted in PS All-star’s downfall. But like with most games, fans who’ve enjoyed it regardless of flaws demanded another chance to fight as their best PS All-Star. As much as I myself would definitely enjoy playing a few rounds with my mains, even I need to question if that’s ever gonna likely happen at all.

Roster Count:
The obvious complication many will be quick to notice is PSAS: BR’s launch roster. Aside from the fact that the selection had a varying number of fighters from a set amount of games, the choices were hit & miss. Good choices like Sly Cooper, bad choices like DMC Donte, and questionable choices like Big Daddy, all somehow negate each other for players & the game as a whole. Since then, fans have been customizing their own dream rosters for when another installment or Reboot would ever be released. Personally, I would recommend including more characters from non-western games due to the lacking number being present in Battle Royale. Some characters I feel best to include would be Sol Badguy (Guilty Gear), Klonoa (Klonoa series), and Sora (Kingdom Hearts). Although, the roster shouldn’t be too overwhelming.

Style of Fighting:
One criticism about All-Stars is how it was claimed to be a “Smash Bros. clone”, despite how different they are (Execution wise). Personally, I don’t mind how the gameplay functions,
Which it does fit best for the ample roster. The style does elude to the first-gen platforming titles, such as Crash Bandicoot and Spyro. Even the weapon drops from their game of origins were unique as well. Although, I felt it could’ve benefited more if it was more styled like a 1v1 or Tag-Team fighter than a party brawler. If PS All-Stars does get a new game, I’m hoping they go for the traditional style, or IF they want to try the Party Brawler again, they’ll need to rework it better.

Where are the REAL Fighters?!:
With this being a crossover fighting games feature some of the consoles iconic heroes from various games, it should be reasonable that there are Fighting games for the PlayStation series. Some games that come to mind are Guilty Gear, BlazBlue, Arcana Hearts, and more. The thought of Both Sol Badguy & Ragna the Bloodedge fighting each other or side-by-side is a sight to behold.Though restricted by Superbot’s Budget for development, it was understandable that it wasn’t possible at the time. While we do get Heihachi from Tekken onboard, another fighting game representative could’ve been welcome via DLC.

Polygon-who?:
Before the console had (Multiple) mascots like Crash and Spyro, Sony had one that was planned for the PlayStation. His name was Polygon Man, and there was a good reason why he’s never seen until PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale. Developers at Sony felt he’d be too aggressive for audiences, since then he was never seen again. The Idea of making a forgotten mascot the central villain was an interesting concept, especially for the console’s anniversary, though the execution fell flat on his handling. Only available during arcade/story mode, his presence feels more of an afterthought than an idea. If they were planning on giving him more agency as a villain, then it’s understandable with the situation at Superbot Entertainment. Though, he got his revenge in the long run.

Conclusion:
About 7 years after the release of PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale, the servers for online multiplayer were sadly shutdown on January 31, 2019. This date alone shows just how dedicated the fanbase of this game was. Despite the behind-the-scenes dilemma & initial launch, the game was able to sell about a million copies. While not a contender for the “Playstation Best Hits” tag, it still garnered an audience nonetheless. It is now 2021, and hope for a new PlaySation All-Stars title is still being held on by many to this day.

All Images used belong to Sony Entertainment & Google Images