Fighting
EX Layer
ABOUT: Fighting
EX Layer is a 2.5D fighting game by Arika, the developers of the Street Fighter EX series
and Fighting Layer. The project is lead by the original Street Fighter 2
creator and co-founder of Arika, Akira Nishitani. The project was originally teased as an April Fools joke in
2017, with the company showing actual in-game footage. (I didn't get the joke,
because the game engine was clearly real. 
Arika wouldn't purposely
play with our emotions for no reason, because many fans have been asking for an Arika
fighting game successor for a long time.)
To catch you up on some of this history... around 2014 or 2015, Arika released some developmental footage of a fighting game project for the Nintendo 3DS, featuring
none other than Kairi and Hokuto. Sadly, the 3DS fighting game project never finalized,
but Arika kept developing their 2.5D engine and clearly never forgot about the SFEX
/ Fighting Layer characters that many of us old school fans know and love. Interestingly, the cancelled 3DS project features some of
the same updated mechanics found in Fighting EX Layer.
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Fighting
EX Layer character selection screen.
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Fighting EX Layer
borrows some familiar gameplay mechanics from the Street Fighter EX series. The
game features two settings: "Classic" which features familiar Street
Fighter-style special move inputs, and "Progressive" allowing for
simpler commands. Players who used Arika's characters in the Street Fighter
EX series will feel right at home, as many moves (and even animations) are
practically the same.
The "Gougi" system offers players a unique way to play their
character, offering a wide variety of options to "power-up" your character
during gameplay. By completing
certain tasks while fighting, players can unlock special abilities and buffs
during the fight. For example, the Juggernaut Gougi can activate "super
armor", the Sky Dancer Gougi can enable a homing jump ability + increased
chip damage, and the Infini Gougi can activate bonus meter gain + infinite
super moves. 
It sounds like a lot, but once you experiment with a few... you're bound to find
a Gougi or two that suit your style. The Gougi system's design changes the flow
and pace of battles, enabling players to utilize different strategies mid-match
(at their own leisure).
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FEXL
in 4K resolution is pretty crisp!
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The PlayStation 4 Pro version runs at 1080p with "shader level 3"
while the standard PS4 version runs at 720p with "shader level 1". Unfortunately,
FEXL currently has no legacy
controller support. Arika said if the game sells well enough on PS4 in the
first month, DLC characters (Vulcano Rosso,
Pullum Purna, Area & Sharon) will be added to the game. Arika also said if the game sells well on PS4
it's that "possible" they will consider bringing the game to Steam (however, there
are no official plans for a PC version). SNK icon, Terry Bogard, was announced for Fighting EX Layer at EVO '18 in
August 2018.
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Shiny
Skullomania skins. . .
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A Nintendo Switch port of the game titled Fighting EX Layer: Another Dash released in March / April 2021. This version
entirely removes Gougi decks from the game and adds the new EX-Dash and EX-Arrow systems. The core game is available to download for free, which includes Kairi, Shirase, D. Dark, and Darun. An add-on package priced at $25 adds the full roster to the game (14 additional characters including Terry Bogard), along with Training Mode and Online.
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Kairi
versus Garuda.
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FUN FACT:
The first beta test for
Fighting EX Layer took place on December 11th, 2017 exclusively on
PlayStation 4 and ran for 2 weeks. The PS4 online beta
featured 6 playable characters: Kairi, Garuda, Skullomania,
Darun Mister, Allen Snider, and Shirase.
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| Page Updated: |
April
30th, 2024
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| Developer(s): |
Arika |
| Publisher(s): |
Arika |
| Designer(s): |
Akira
Nishitani, Naoki Imai |
| Artwork By: |
Naoki Imai
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| Platform(s): |
PlayStation
4, PC, Arcade, Switch
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| Release Date(s): |
June
28th, 2018
PlayStation 4
Nov. 29th, 2018
 Arcade
Nov. 30th, 2018
Steam
Dec. 6th, 2018
PS4 - Physical Disc Version
Mar. 31st, 2021
Switch - as FEXL: Another Dash
Apr. 15th, 2021
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 Switch - as FEXL: Another Dash |
| Characters: |
Hayate,
Sanane, Shirase,
Hokuto, Kairi,
Allen
Snider, Skullomania, Darun
Mister, Doctrine Dark, Garuda,
Blair Dame, Jack,
Shadowgeist, Vulcano
Rosso, Pullum Purna, Sharon,
Area, Terry
Bogard |
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Featured Video:
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| Related Games: |
Fighting
Layer, Street Fighter EX, Street
Fighter EX2, Street Fighter EX3, Killer
Instinct (Season 3), Injustice
2, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Blade
Strangers, BlazBlue Cross Tag
Battle, Street Fighter V:
Arcade Edition, TEKKEN 7 |
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Gameplay Engine
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Story / Theme
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Overall Graphics
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Animation
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Music / Sound Effects
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Innovation
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Art Direction
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Customization
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Options / Extras
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Intro / Presentation
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Replayability / Fun
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"Ouch" Factor
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Characters
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BOTTOM LINE
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| First
Impression: |
Fighting EX Layer is
fun... but definitely "incomplete". This is an arcade
fighting game, folks. I can enjoy one. I don't need story, or gimmicky
advertising featuring over-hyped superheros, to get me to play a fighting game.
I released a combo video or two for FEXL... and it was fun to make. To
fully explore the combo system is like a story in and of itself.
However, even an old-school arcade kid like myself has elevated standards thanks
to the most recent console fighting games. What makes a
"complete" fighting game nowadays? More than what Fighting EX Layer
offers. However, it's still an interesting title for a variety of reasons.
The original Fighting Layer
(1998) was an obscure arcade-only 3D fighter that didn't get much mainstream
attention. I never thought in a million years they'd make a sequel to Fighting Layer (but
starring SFEX characters instead). On that note, the title of
this
game is a bit... strange. 
I was thinking something like "Arika EX"
or "Arika Fighter" would've been a more appropriate name.
Sounds catchier, right? As a matter of fact, the
title I'd choose for the game is, specifically: Arika Fighter EX
Plus Alpha. Maybe in a future update, they can switch it to that.
As one the first prominent 2.5D fighting games, Street Fighter EX had an
undeniable influence in fighting game history. Say what you will about Street
Fighter's humble beginnings in 3D, but those games were memorable on many
levels. Something about the SFEX
series is pleasingly nostalgic... it even aged well, somehow. Fighting EX
Layer bases itself on that nostalgia, banking on the fact that us old
school fighting game players will buy and appreciate the game.
One of the driving forces behind this
nostalgia is, of course, the memorable character designs of SFEX. Needless to say, it's
awesome (and almost unbelievable) to see the likes of Allen Snider, Hokuto, Darun, Kairi, Garuda,
and the fan-favorite Skullomania returning to center stage once
again.
Much like SFV in 2016, Fighting EX Layer launched in a very raw, bare
bones state. However, even though a small company, Arika managed to add Arcade Mode,
2 free DLC characters, and other updates in just a few months since launch. With
future DLC characters like Terry Bogard, Sharon & Area, FEXL's future is looking pretty
good.
Say what you will about FEXL in its early stages... but this is clearly
a fighting game made
for old school fighting game fans, first and foremost. That's a nice thing
to see in an age when "certain" fighting game companies are heavily pushing
DLC, Ultimate Editions, and dumbed down gameplay made to appeal to casuals (and
players too lazy to learn how to play fighting games in general). Even if you're
not an old school player, I'd recommend FEXL to you because the traditional
format and emphasis on strong fundamentals can teach you many lessons about
fighting games.
Fighting EX Layer not only packs fan service and nostalgic nods to classic gameplay
and visuals, but offers a "fun" fighting game experience with roots
from a past era - while innovating with exciting new mechanics. FEXL definitely
offers something unique and different to the
current climate of the fighting genre.
~TFG
Webmaster |
@FIGHTERS_GEN
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