[PS4] Fire Pro Wrestling World General Thread

With the PS4 version of Fire Pro Wrestling World coming out tomorrow, I figured it'd be fine to create a general thread specifically for that version!

WHAT IS FIRE PRO WRESTLING?

First off, thanks for coming to this random forum for a game you've never heard of. Second, Fire Pro Wrestling is a long-running video game series dating back to the 16-bit era! Starting on the PC Engine (That's Japanese for "TurboGrafx 16") with Fire Pro Wrestling: Combination Tag, Fire Pro is a nearly 30 year old franchise that has featured renamed versions of famous Japanese and American pro wrestlers. From the likes of Antonio Inoki, Jushin Liger, and Tiger Mask; to American stars like Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, and Stone Cold Steve Austin, Fire Pro has been the game of choice for people looking to create dream matches.

And if your favorite wrestler wasn't in the game, the Edit Wrestler mode included in every game since Super Fire Pro Wrestling 3: Final Bout allowed you to make them yourself! Besides giving them attributes that determine how fast they move, how quickly they run out of breath, how hard they hit, and even whether they're dealing with nagging old injuries to body parts, Fire Pro separated itself from practically every other game on the market, past and present, with its "CPU Logic" feature, an AI programming mode that helps players determine exactly how a wrestler should act in the ring. As a result of the CPU Logic AI system, Fire Pro was also well known for its Logic Matches, or simulation/sims, where you let the CPU duke it out itself.

WHAT IS FIRE PRO WRESTLING WORLD?

12 years after the last installment of the series, PC players on Steam got to play a new edition of the game called Fire Pro Wrestling World. Featuring a mix of up-scaled graphics from Returns and brand new parts, Fire Pro World was the first game in the series to feature online sharing of player creations, such as their edit wrestlers, referees, and ring logos. It's also the first game in the series with online play, allowing for up to four players at once in tag matches and battle royales.  Wrestlers and referees can be uploaded in-game through Spike Chunsoft's FPW NET service, and users may browse the website -- at www.firepro-w.com -- at their leisure, in-game on PS4; as well as through PC and mobile web browsers.  Through the website, you can also upload ring textures for mats, aprons, cornerposts, and turnbuckles!  There's already a large selection of custom ring parts thanks to US users, so if you want to create an authentic WWE ring, it's quite easy.

Although Fire Pro World is the first game to omit the series' notorious roster of wrestlers with fake names that sound just different enough to avoid legal action; with the announcement of the Playstation 4 version on January 3, 2018, Fire Pro World is the first game in the series to include the real-life license for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Featuring an initial roster of 39 New Japan stars, referee Red Shoes Unno, and an authentic cerulean mat with brand sponsorships, the New Japan content comes with the PS4 version by default. The Japanese version came out back in August 9, 2018; with the US version slated for August 28, at an MSRP of $49.99; and the European edition a month later on September 28.

Besides the real life wrestlers, the New Japan Pro Wrestling collaboration introduces a new mode to the game, Fighting Road -- a multi-path single-player story mode where you rise up the ranks of the New Japan roster, joining one of the company's factions, and eventually making your way to Wrestle Kingdom to challenge your rival to the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Mixing dialogue scenes, traditional Fire Pro gameplay, and Jikkyou! Powerpro Baseball-style life simulation stat management, Fighting Road is designed to be played multiple times over.

DLC?! WHAT!?

Spike Chunsoft plans on supporting Fire Pro World with DLC for the rest of 2018. The first piece of DLC is the much-awaited Fire Promoter mode, a management mode based on the "Management of the Ring" mode from the Japanese version of Fire Pro Wrestling 2 on the Game Boy Advance. There are also two more story modes planned, one that lets you compete for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship; and another story mode that has yet to be announced. They will be available individually on the PSN Store, or you can purchase all three together for $49.99.

There will also be free moves and game modes added throughout the next several months as part of game patches; and a $2.99 charity DLC featuring Japanese wrestler and MMA fighter Yoshihiro Takayama.

SO ALL THIS SOUNDS GOOD, BUT I HEARD THERE WERE A LOT OF BUGS!

... Unfortunately, at launch, things were pretty rocky. There was an inexplicable bug where Kazuchika Okada's face wouldn't appear on his default model, which has since been fixed. Additionally, there were various crashing issues in menus and during Fighting Road, which you can see in the live stream of the game done by newLEGACYinc. During matches, the game would momentarily freeze, an issue inherited from the Early Access builds on PC.

Perhaps worst of all, the game's save data corrupted when you had more than 200 total edit wrestlers, an issue that hampered user reviews of the title and led in part to delays on PC.

This has since been worked on, and as of Monday night, Aug. 27, 2018, there is a patch out that addresses these issues in time for the US launch.

WHAT DOES ALL THAT MEAN, THOUGH?

It means that, for the time being, there are a couple of limitations on the PS4 version that are not present on PC. You won't be able to literally horde away every edit on FPW NET -- though, to be fair, the game simply fails to download all the edits on PC if you try to do the same -- but, for now, they still give you a fairly comfortable upper limit. Spike Chunsoft promised that they will be working to raise the upper limit on all downloaded and created wrestlers, refs, etc. in future updates, but for now, the limits are as follows:

- 1,000 edit wrestlers
- 30 created referees
- 100 ring textures
- 50 edit belts
- 200 promotions
- 700 stables

Again, these are temporary limits which Spike Chunsoft expects to raise in future updates.

ARE THERE UNLOCKS?!

Yes, just like the PC version, you are tasked with completing all 50 missions in Mission Mode to reach the maximum skill point total of 380 and unlock several moves. UNLIKE the PC version, however, you can easily cheat that without using a mod or downloaded a cracked save.

Per the director's twitter, on the main menu, hold down the L1 and R1 buttons, along with the triangle button. While those three buttons are held, press R3 (click down on the right analog stick). You should hear the menu confirmation noise. This will complete all 50 missions with a C rank. Note that it should not lock you out of the achievement for completing mission mode - simply play the missions and it should still let you unlock the associated trophy/trophies.

SO, WITH ALL THAT OUT OF THE WAY...

First and foremost, this is a thread for the PS4 version. As such, it's mostly for info, edit sharing, etc. pertaining to that version.

Second, I feel like I shouldn't have to say this, but -- please keep any sort of PC vs. PS4 arguments out of this. If you want to do this, please go onto the thread about the NJPW DLC delay if you feel the need to vent.