The Phoenix Cyclops DLC for MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls now has a release date: November 2. Arc System Works says the character, voiced by Ray Chase, is the first fighter in the game's Year 1 Pass, and his "Classic" and "Legacy" costumes go on sale the same day.
Producer Takeshi Yamanaka explained the thinking behind the Phoenix Cyclops DLC in Arc System Works' write-up. Cyclops was an early contender for the launch roster as part of the Unbreakable X-Men team, but he has turned up in so many Marvel fighting games that the team went looking for a different angle. The narrative staff proposed the Phoenix-powered version, and the studio kept reworking him until he felt new to the genre.
The July reveal of the Phoenix Cyclops DLC came without a date or a look at his moves. Now the kit is described. He plays as an all-rounder with Optic Blast variants for long and short range, plus rushdowns, throws and setup tools. Every Optic Blast fills a meter of Solar Shards, and at four he can turn into Dark Phoenix, a nod to the Avengers vs. X-Men storyline. Yamanaka says that form brings a large temporary power boost at the cost of his health, and wide fire attacks from the Phoenix Force are meant to control big areas of the screen.
Players who want the familiar look get it as a separate purchase. Arc System Works says it expects to offer classic-inspired outfits whenever it heavily reinterprets a character, which is why the two costumes for the Phoenix Cyclops DLC ship alongside him.
Two promotions aim to widen the audience before the character arrives. The first sale for MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls has started on PlayStation Store, with the Ultimate Edition discounted, and PlayStation Plus subscribers can try the game through a 3-hour trial. For anyone who wants to play Phoenix Cyclops sooner, the game's booth at EVO France runs October 9 to 11, and Arc System Works says visitors will be among the first anywhere to try him. Neither the sale price nor the cost of the Year 1 Pass that includes the Phoenix Cyclops DLC has been announced.
