PlayStation All-Stars Characters — PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale eGuide

A CLASH OF HEROES

The core appeal of any fighting game boils down to two factors: its combat system and its cast of characters. The Basics and Gameplay chapters have covered the former, but in this chapter, your journey toward All-Star mastery truly begins. Becoming an adept player with any of the 20 PlayStation icons is going to take many hours of Practice Mode sessions and practical match experience until you can perform their combos in your sleep. The book you hold in your hands now is intended to give you both a head start and a handy reference guide, giving you the tools you need to understand and explore the core functionality and focus of every character.

SELECT YOUR CHARACTER

All 20 characters have their own dedicated section within this chapter. Use the list of character names found on the top of each right-hand page to quickly find the  All-Star of your choice. Don’t be intimidated by the amount of information presented in this section: the layout is organized with the same key sections in the same order so that you can work at your pace. This guide offers everything from top-level match goals all the way down to detailed data tables for every attack each character has to offer. Explore each section and refer back to it as you continue to gain familiarity with each character. Below is a primer on the major components of  each character section to get you started.

ALL-STAR OVERVIEW

At the start of each section is an introductory overview of the character, serving as a sort of thesis statement regarding that All-Star’s overall strengths, weaknesses, play style, and their primary objective during a match. The ultimate goal of every character is to build AP energy and kill opponents with Super attacks, but how they approach this goal is different for every All-Star.

AT A GLANCE

This sidebar gives you a quick look at the basic stats for each character, including their total AP levels, best matchups, suggested items, costume colors, and biography.

SPOTLIGHT FOCUS

The Spotlight tip box highlights something special about that character, such as a unique system mechanic or navigational ability, warranting a brief discussion before the main text.

SUPER ATTACKS

Super attacks are main focus of PlayStation All-Stars , so they earn the first spot for more detailed information. Detailed data for all three Supers, along with a description of core functionality and suggested usage, can be found here.

THROWS

Throws can sometimes be overlooked when discussing overall strategies in a fighting game, but these unblockable attacks serve a special function in this game: throws are the only direct way to forcibly remove AP energy from a character’s Super Meter. As with Super attacks, detailed data tables break down the basic information of each throw, while the text underneath describes the nuanced details and suggested usage of each throw.

ATTACKS

Each character’s attack set is broken down by button input, then by ground and air attacks. Progression is laid out to mirror the DualShock 3 face buttons starting with attacks, then attacks, and ending with attacks. Detailed data tables and screenshots lead off each section, followed by an overall discussion of how those attacks fit into the character’s general gameplan.

COMBOS

Every character can combo attacks together in some way or another, and this section is where you can find a few examples to get you started. The first combo listed for each character is their “bread and butter” combo, or BnB for short. A bread and butter combo is typically a character’s most reliable series of attacks that work anywhere on a stage. Practice the application of these combos first, as they can serve you well as you get more familiar with the game.

ADVANCED STRATEGIES

This section discusses specific character strategies or concepts that deserve more in-depth explanation or don’t fall into any of the other subsections. Everything from Super attack set-ups to detailed character-specific mechanic explanations can be found here.

The ideas and strats presented in each section only begin to cover the possibilities of what lies ahead as players explore the endless combat options of PlayStation All-Stars . Fighting games are equal parts of knowledge and performance art, so don’t be afraid to express yourself and experiment to find your own combos and techniques!

Tip

DATA DECODING

The data tables for each attack are fairly straightforward, but you should be aware of the information each column contains for easy reference later:

# - Indicates which attack is featured in the screenshots below each table.

Name – The name of the attack. Attacks that produce unique animations with subsequent button presses are labeled with a number after each name entry.

Command – This column shows the button commands needed to produce the indicated attack.

AP Gain –  The amount of AP you gain from a successful hit. Multi-hit attacks have their values separated by a comma if the hits are guaranteed. If AP gain can vary in a multi-hit attack, the minimum and maximum values are separated by tilde (~).

Properties – This column contains information that pertains to the character performing the attack.

Hit Effects –  Here is where you can find any special hit or status effects that the attack inflicts on an opponent with a successful hit. Attacks with an empty Hit Effects box result in a basic hitstun reaction on hit.

CI – Short for “Cancels Into,” this column gives you a quick reference for the cancel options for each attack.

Notes – Any extra or esoteric information that doesn’t fit any of the above categories can be found here.

And one final note: remember that “knockdown” is abbreviated as “KD” inside data tables. See the glossary in the Basics section if you’re unsure about a particular term.