Another character is coming to Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition and this time it is a deviation from a standard Street Fighter V character we already know
Add yet another character to the roster of Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition as we now have Kage joining in on the fight. This would be a new-ish character to the lineup here although as you can see from the basic images, this is just a way for Capcom to fit in another character and further part of the story of Ryu a bit. I say this as Kage is a sentient part of Ryu that is here to prove Ryu is nothing without his darker part. Yes, this is the story, but it is also Street Fighter V so we have to give some kind of break when it comes to how things progress there. Video games are weird like that. Let us not focus on that though and just be glad we have another DLC to buy for the PS4 and PC here. If you are into all of that at least.
You most likely noticed that the look of Kage is a bit different, but still close, to Dark Ryu and that is a bit by design here for Street Fighter V. Even the moves the character has are close to the other, but it is a different character and has some changes that make him stand out. More or less, the character is like a blending of Ryu and Akuma in the game with minor tweaks. You know, because this is what the Street Fighter V fan base asked for and are now getting as of December 16th. Yes, it is already out there for you to pick up for $5.99 USD or the equivalent wherever you live in this world.
Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition — Kage Reveal
The Satsui no Hado is a dark force tied to the more sinister aspects of the human soul, including the hunger to survive, destroy, and conquer. Those who learn to control it become nearly unstoppable, but at the cost of their humanity. Akuma is one of these beings. In the past, Ryu was constantly struggling with keeping the Satsui no Hado at bay. If he was hypothetically unable to control it, Evil Ryu would manifest and bring a dark obsession to the otherwise peaceful Ryu. However, after the events of Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition, Ryu was able to overcome the Satsui no Hado’s temptation to ensure Evil Ryu would never see the light.
However, the Satsui no Hado living within Ryu became sentient and would rise as the entity known as Kage, meaning “shadow” in Japanese. Kage lives to prove Ryu is nothing without him and seeks to challenge Akuma and Sagat, two of Ryu’s most notorious rivals. Will Ryu succumb to Kage’s schemes?
If that intro for Kage was not enough for you here in Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition, we also have a better breakdown of the moves and skills that can be used in the matches. Most of which make little to no sense without the written descriptions, but it all looks damn cool in action. Maybe that is what Capcom was going for here. Either way, you can see more down below to make a better judgment on if you are going to add Kage to your version of Street Fighter V now. Have a look and enjoy.
Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition — Kage
Kage’s move set may resemble Evil Ryu’s, but the embodiment of the Satsui no Hado has his own twist on the abilities you may be expecting.
Hadoken — Kage’s Hadoken sees him emitting energy from his palm, but doesn’t create a traditional fireball, at least in the grounded version. The airborne version of Hadoken emits a fireball horizontally in the air.
Shakunetsu Hadoken — Similar to Akuma’s “red fireball,” Kage gathers energy in both fists and sends the projectile full screen.
Shoryuken — Kage wouldn’t come from Ryu if he didn’t have this iconic move!
Kurekijin — Kage jumps off the ground and rotates only once to deliver a single kick. Kurekijin can also be used in the air.
Ryusokyaku — Similar to Evil Ryu’s “Axe Kick” where he lifts his leg in an arcing motion and slams it down on the ground.
V-Skill: Senha Kassatsu — Kage gathers energy into his fist and lunges forward to punch the opponent. Senha Kassatsu has armor and can be charged for a more devastating blow.
V-Trigger I: Taigyaku Mudo — In this two-bar V-Trigger, Kage unlocks Ashura Senku, a teleport move that is performed by pressing HP+HK. Ashura Senku can be used on the ground and in the air as an air dash, which opens up multiple mix-up options and flashy combos. Taigyaku Mudo also improves Kage’s V-Skill so that he can now combo into it while the fully charged version will crumple the opponent.
V-Trigger II: Rikudo Osatsu — In this three-bar V-Trigger, Kage unlocks Misogi, a move that sends him into the skies before crashing down on the opponent by pressing HP+HK. Misogi can be canceled into by a number of normal and specials, including blocked sweeps, which makes it a pressure monster.
Critical Arts
Metsu Shoryuken — Ryu’s iconic super from previous games lets everyone know that Kage is indeed a part of Ryu. Kage does a devastating uppercut that ends in a flash full of red.
Shun Goku Satsu (V-Trigger II only) — Kage wouldn’t be the Satsui no Hado without having the Shun Goku Satsu! While only available in V-Trigger II, Kage’s version of the Raging Demon can be used to end particular combos with his signature red gracing the screen afterward.
Did you ever expect to get a character like Kage added into Street Fighter V or is it a happy surprise? Do you think the character is too close to other characters to warrant being its own DLC or is it enough to drop $6 on? Do you think we will have more original characters come to the game or will it be other deviations like this along the way? Let us all know down in the comments and then feel free to discuss. For more on Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition, keep checking in here. We will keep all of those updates coming at you as best that we can.