It’s still too early anyway. We know nothing about the cast and the game mechanics. The few gameplay vids and players’ impressions from builds that kept changing…stuff like that doesn’t help.
I’m sure the Asuka fans will find a lot of great stuff post-release. Maybe she can’t be played like her Tekken counterpart, maybe some of her moves aren’t as obvious as they seem. And maybe she’s just weak and I’m clinging to false hope, but we can’t be sure until the whole fanbase gets their hands on her.
in SF4, counter moves are weak to moves that break super armor (even counters like Fei and Cammy’s Ultra 2). If such moves do not exist in SFxT, this means that the only way to get around Asuka’s counters would be to either throw her, or hit her with a low/high attack depending on the type of counter (just like in Tekken).
That wouldn’t be as much of a problem because there are always some moves that beat counters (throw-type moves for example) but SF4 made counters pointless in a lot of the situations where they’re usually good.
For example, counters can be good against invincible moves. Say you do a blockstring or knock someone down and expect them to immediately mash out a SRK. If you do a counter in this situation, you beat both the SRK and any normal they might stick out instead (they crouch tech or something.)
But in SF4, all reversal moves (any special move done immediately out of blockstun or on wakeup) gain armor break properties, which means they beat your counter. So pretty much all actual setups for your counter will lose to a reversal special move.
You might as well use a SRK in those situations instead - they beat throws too, and only lose to reversal moves if they have more invincibility. There’s nearly no advantage to a counter over a SRK in the SF4 system.
And yeah, a lot of the long-range telegraphed moves that you would want to counter are naturally armor-break as well.
Secondly, everyone in the game has access to a focus attack, which is a chargeable attack that absorbs a single hit and can be released at any time or canceled to a forward/back dash. This is pretty much like a cancelable counter that gives a bigger reward when it hits. In close-range scenarios (setups), the invincible moves are usually better than counters. In far range scenearios (I expect you to stick out a poke) it would usually be better to use the focus attack than the counter.
Neither of those systems are in SFxT, so counters have the same pros and cons they have in most 2d games.
Leg Cutter – Downforward + HK
–> Kariashi Shiranui – HK
–> Leg Cutter 2nd Hit – Downforward + HK
—-> Kariashi Shiranui – HK
—-> Leg Cutter 3rd Hit – Downforward + HK
——> Kariashi Shiranui – HK
THROWS
Cloud Taste – Neutral/Forward + LP + LK
White Mountain (?) – Back + LP + LP
Doesn’t need meter for damage, seems to have a good set of anti-air (hopkicks, AA grab, counter, backflip kick, standing jab?). They didn’t mention it but I bet you can duck under a lot of moves with that crouching forward.
Her command normals & target combos look strong. I’m glad someone finally explained how sweep throw works. I worry that she will have more issues with keep away/zoning than many of the other tekken cast.
im not the best judge on these types of games but from that preview she looks more than viable
good damage
dat jumping fierce
ex counter
ex low throw?
aa crossars
aa falling rain
easy whiff punish that covers a lot of ground with f.lp + full combo
invincible DP
Her pokes do seem pretty short on average. Need more experience to see how effective the hitboxes are. But I do think her crouching forward looks very interesting. You can see it at 6:44 if you pause during the combo. Overhead also probably has deceptive range.
Reminds me of Ibuki pokes overall, which isn’t bad.
I had no interest in this character because (and I’m being honest) I felt she was painfully bland. However, this gamesradar vid really turned me around and Asuka looks very fun to play. All of her launchers look to make her an excellent point character to tag into things like King’s knee juggles.