Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighters Pass Vol. 2 is shaping up nicely with Min Min and Minecraft Steve already being some of the most creative characters yet.
With fans hoping that their favourite characters such as Waluigi or Crash Bandicoot would get the 78th invitation, Nintendo dropped another epic surprise in the form of the One-Winged Angel Sephiroth.
That’s right, the 78th character to join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster is Final Fantasy VII’s Sephiroth. For those who have never heard of Sephiroth, he is hailed as one of the most iconic villains in gaming.
His popularity has seen him crossover into other video games such as Kingdom Hearts and the Dissidia series.
Since Sephiroth has only appeared in one fighter before this, I was very curious in how Sakurai and Nintendo would build him to fit the game.
Players will instantly notice a few things upon playing with Sephiroth, firstly he is a lightweight character, which is a change from Nintendo making most major antagonist heavyweights.
This will help with nimble movements but at the same time means he will have a fast falling speed.
Sephiroth makes up for this with his legendary blade Masamune boasting the longest range in the game, alongside a deadly KO power.
Sephiroth will deal the most damage with his blade Masamune, the majority of his smashes, tilts and aerial attacks will incorporate it.
The reach of his sword makes it hard to defend against attacks, such as his down aerial Hell's Gate, which can pierce through platforms.
Or his up smash which covers a wide range, allowing players to juggle their enemies and dish out lots of damage.
The beauty in Masamune lies in knowing the blade's sweet spots for each attack- basically which part of the sword does the most damage.
For slashing attacks, players will deal more damage when the middle of the blade hits an opponent and stabbing attacks will be the tip.
Masamune can be used in many different ways, even for an unusual recovery. Sephiroth’s attacks may have a diverse range and can be used to target key areas, however, the attacks are relatively slow leaving him constantly wide open for counter-attacks.
In addition to Sephiroth’s well-rounded attacks, he has some devastating special moves in his arsenal. His neutral special is a fireball that can be charged into an explosion.
This attack comes in three different forms depending on how much the player charges the attack.
The major drawback is that the range of the attack shrinks the longer it is charged for, but with the amount of damage dealt, it’s an unavoidable asset.
His up special comes in two forms, once again depending on how long you hold the button down for. With both forms being used for recovery, they vary quite a bit with the Blade Dash only dealing a single hit and travelling less ground.
The Octaslash can hit up to eight times while covering a lot more ground during recoveries. These can also be used as great dash moves with the Octaslash being great for KOs.
The big drawback is that three arrows will appear showing opponents the direction you are going to attack from, giving them a massive opportunity to defend or counter
Sephiroth also has a special counter called the Scintilla which activates even if he hasn’t been attacked. It will deal more damage after being attacked.
The originality of the attack is fully welcomed, having the ability to perform a quick attacking counter is definitely going to cause problems, especially with blocking opponents recoveries.
Saying that there are a few drawbacks, such as players can be attacked from behind, it can’t reflect lasers and strong attacks will break it.
Sephiroth's deadly Shadow Flare attack is one of his most efficient moves that can be utilised in many ways.
Players will be able to create a ball of darkness that will circle the opponent for a short amount of time, then explode. Up to five of the Shadow Flares can be thrown at a single opponent.
This is a great attack because it opens up so many different strategies for players to enjoy, the right timing will make Shadow Flare prominent in most battles.
Depending on the amount of damage accumulated and a few other requirements, players will be able to unlock Sephiroth’s winged form.
While in this mode Sephiroth’s attributes will be boosted and he will gain an extra mid-air jump. His smash attacks will have extra armour and be unblockable, but this isn’t all-powerful as players can still take damage.
The Winged Form is a nice addition to Sephiroth’s moveset, however, the boost gain is quite drastic with each attack dealing significant amounts of extra damage.
It’s a slight overkill and with the extra jump, Sephiroth becomes almost invincible.
His final smash Supernova is one for the hardcore Final Fantasy VII fans. In a cutscene, Sephiroth transforms into his final boss form Safer and summons Meteor.
Taking inspiration from the original games, enemies that survive the attack will be afflicted with random status effects.
Adding to the fan service Sephiroth comes with a new stage called Northern Cave which is basically a love letter to Final Fantasy VII fans.
The overall layout is simple, but in the background, the final events of Final Fantasy VII will play out allowing fans to relive memorable moments.
There are also nine new tracks taken from the original game and the movie Advent Children, but sadly music for the remake didn’t make it into the game.
Verdict
Sephiroth does play like other swordsmen in the game, but his long-range and explosive projectiles will make him stand out.
He does have a few drawbacks that can make him less desirable like his charged attacks that can leave him wide open or his uninspiring grabs that lack range.
Saying that Sephiroth’s shortcomings are meagre compared to what makes him great.
The One-Winged Angel is a great addition to the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster with enough depth to become a deadly force.
Sephiroth can be purchase as part of the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 bundle for £26.99 or bought separately for £4.99
