Tekken 4 release date?!!! (And more info on the game)

This is from IGN:

It looks like the summer is most definitely going to be an all out war between Tekken 4 and Virtua Fighter 4. AM2\'s Virtua Fighter 4 was revealed by arcade supersite Challenger HP as having a Japanese arcade release date of August 8th. Now the site is stating that Namco\'s Tekken 4 will hit Japanese arcades before this, on July 20. Keep in mind that this is not an official date; rather, it\'s the date Challenger HP, which runs a chain of arcades throughout Japan, expects to get the game.

In addition to this possible date, a source in Japan (known only as Jin-san) has provided us a few new details with what we can expect from the game. Apparently, the game looks somewhat like Tekken Tag Tournament. Don\'t look at this as being a bad thing, kids. TTT showed off the ability of the PS2 hardware as far as character models and background detail was concerned, but it was hampered by backgrounds that were obviously separate from the action, and by some early imaging problems with the PS2 hardware. Of course, the latter problem isn\'t much of an issue anymore (in fact, it was cleared up quite well for the US release of the game).

As for the other problem, Tekken 4 features more immersive backgrounds, including walls. In some stages, the walls take on varying appearances, aside from just surrounding the play field. In one stage, for instance, a bronze statue in the center of the ring serves the same purpose, gameplay-wise as a wall, while in a jungle stages, trees serve the same purpose. Offense and defense involving the walls will now play a central role in the game.

Expect image scans to start surfacing for the game shortly.

We might see in game footage, or for the lucky ones living in Japan, actually be able to play it as soon as July 20th!  I can\'t wait.

sounds cool although i don\'t like the sound of having trees and statues in the way of my opponent

takes away from the action - plus i am use to an open battle field

If it\'s done like it\'s done it DOA2, It will be great.

That\'s cool info. I like to see how the Tekken 4 back grounds will look.   I just got the Unison with DOA2 demo today in the mail.  I never played PS2 DOA2 before but everything change about this game.  It\'s the best fighing game I have ever played! Back grounds, detail characters, gameplay etc.  The Unison game is a fun game.  

Originally posted by IronFist
If it\'s done like it\'s done it DOA2, It will be great.

yea but in DOA2 there is not things put between you and your opponent - there is walls and fences and windows that you can be hit into but never a statue or trees in the middle of the battle field - just hope they know what they are doing and don\'t screw this highly anticapated game up

although i have confidence they won\'t

Actually, on some stages in DOA2 there were objects in the middle.  There were pillars in some of the indoor stages, statues that exploded when hit in some out door stages, and in DOA3, it looks like there is going to be a stage in the middle of a forest also.  I think it\'s going to be really cool, nomatter how Namco has set the environments up.

I think it is cool having things like statues and trees in the field, IF they do it right. You could step behind them to dodge an attack then spring out to counter attack.
Some new charaters with new fighting styles would be good. If thats possible because there are already so many different fighting styles in ttt already

well, when I first thought about it I wasn\'t too keen, it will REALLY affect old skool tekken gameplay by not only having walls, but interactive obstacles in the field of play. BUT, what it will do is stop a lot of cheapness. If there was one thing that annoyed me, it was getting caught by ONE hit that led you into a pushing juggle that pretty much took all your life. With trees in the way, the juggles wil either have to be timed very well, or they will be limited, and I like the sounds of that