Since its unveiling, Street Fighter X Tekken's gem system has drawn the ire of devout fight-fans who have decried its inclusion as an unnecessary gimmick that can only damage the game's delicate balance and a sign that the series has at last sold its soul in order to appeal to the masses.

It's a notion that Street Fighter producer Yoshi Ono is at pains to dismiss, though he acknowledges that the manner in which Capcom introduced the controversial system did neither the development team nor the fans any favours.

"When we first announced the gem system at New York Comic Con we weren't in a position to answer a lot of questions and we really could have done better with that," Ono concedes. "Hopefully, we'll be able to clear up any confusion now.

"The best way to think about [the gem system] is as equipment for your character. So, like in football where you have your uniform and your cleats and boots; using this equipment doesn't automatically make you a better player.

"We certainly have gems that help beginners, but we can definitely say that if you're a beginner player you're not going to be able to beat a player better than you just because you have certain gems equipped."

Each fighter can be equipped with three gems, with different preset load-outs allowing for a more aggressive, defensive or balanced approach to be switched to between bouts, once you have the measure of your opponent. Key to the gem system is the conditions that must be met, or price that must be paid, for a gem's bonus to be activated.

For those getting to grips with the basic game mechanics, gems that enable easier special move execution or auto-escape from throws can be equipped. These aids come at the cost of a reduction to the maximum damage those moves can inflict or take a chunk of the Cross Gauge (special move meter).


For those with a handle on fight-game basics, the options are both numerous and varied. For example, several gems bestow a temporary damage-boost, but whilst the bonus is the same, the condition that must be met to activate that buff can be tailored to a player's specific style. It's in these choices that the flexibility of the system is revealed.

One gem requires five normal moves to be successfully landed, whilst another bestows the same attribute boost but requires five attacks to be blocked – in this case, the choice of gem will be dependent on whether your individual fighting style is predicated on aggressive play or counterattacks. If you've taken a beating in the previous bout you might select a gem that offers minor regenerative properties when taking a pummelling, or will increase the Cross Gauge acquisition rate if you can meet the more demanding pre-requisites.

In short, it is intended that the more accomplished you are as a player, the more options, strategies and nuanced tweaks will be available to you via the gem system.

Whatever choices players make in their gem load-outs, however, Ono is confident that the balance of the system and, indeed, the game as a whole, will be maintained.
"No gem is more powerful than another gem, so it doesn't work like 'this guy has this gem and that's why I'm losing'," he insists.


Overall, the gem system looks to have the potential to enhance bouts and has been worked into the overall balance of the game. That being so, what's Ono's opinion on the prickly topic of DLC and pre-order bonuses?

"From our standpoint we think that a lot of people don't really understand the gem system, and think that they have to buy a load of gems to stay competitive. They don't," he reassures.

"We don't have any set plans yet regarding DLC gem packs and we'll certainly make the pre-order gem bonuses available down the line, so people don't feel they're missing out.

"We also don't want people to think that we're trying to make them buy a load of gem packs; we want to have options for players so if there's demand for the packs of gems then we'll address the need at that time."


Moving away from the gem system, Ono addresses another element of Street Fighter X Tekken that has proven to be a bone of contention with seasoned world warriors: Pandora mode. In essence, Pandora mode is a means by which the tables can be turned if a bout is going badly, offering the possibility of turning impending defeat into a narrow victory.

By sacrificing a beleaguered team-member whose energy has been reduced to just 25 percent or less, the remaining character gains a significant boost to their attack power for ten precious seconds in order to mount a comeback. The twist being that if the Pandora-empowered fighter fails to KO their opponent within the time limit they automatically lose the round. It's a risk/reward mechanic that some may have dismissed out of hand, according to Ono.

"A lot of fans have been saying this is basically useless because as soon as it's activated, the other guy's going to just run away for ten seconds and win by default. Well, that's certainly a risk, but there are some interesting ways to use Pandora mode.

"One cool thing that you can do is to combo into Pandora mode. So, you can execute a wall-bounce and then combo into Pandora mode to carry on the combo. It's difficult but possible, and can set up your team for a crazy comeback.


Like much of Street Fighter X Tekken, both the gem system and Pandora mode are offering something quite different from what traditionalist fans of Capcom and Namco's fight franchises may be used to. It's apparent that Ono and his team are attempting to evolve the genre, not only to become more inviting to fight-game initiates but to also cater to grizzled veterans by providing game facets that require time and technique to master; ultimately rewarding skill and technique over luck and power-ups.

"We have a lot of familiar systems and also lot of new ones," states Ono. "Fight games in the past were predominantly created for arcade, where you put in a coin and have to know very quickly what you're doing. But Street Fighter X Tekken has been created with consoles in mind so we've been able to put in a lot more features than we would have been otherwise able too.

"We're hoping that this means that hardcore players will be able to look at the game and think that they recognise some of it, but they'll also understand that there's a lot more to it under the surface. That way, they can invest a lot of time with it to find all of its features."

Further analysis of Street Fighter X Tekken's myriad modes and mechanics will feature in IGN's preview, which will be published in the coming weeks. The finished game is due in March.

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