The Charge
This is going to be one hell of a fight.
Opening Statement
Capcom returns to its bread-and-butter, unleashing the first true Street Fighter sequel in over 10 years. The mechanics are old-school, the plane is 2D and most of the fighters still aren’t wearing shoes–so why is it the greatest fighting game I’ve ever played?
Facts of the Case
Okay, let’s see. Apparently Bison died or something and reincarnates in a body but is also involved with building a new, more powerful being with an opening in his gut for him to inhabit, Krang-like. This sounds a little strange, perhaps. However, I will bet my money (party bets) that whatever Krang-like creatures sets up house in his gut will be nothing to mess with. In fact, staying very far away from this creature would be a good idea.
There’s another tournament and our fighters enter for various reasons, but ultimately they’ll have to square off with this guy Seth, who sounds less like a malevolent bringer of destruction and more like the starting fullback in a small Adirondack regional high school.
Blah blah blah ha-dou-ken!!!
The Evidence
So yeah, the story of Street Fighter IV makes little sense, but that’s not the point. Journeying through the game’s story mode really only serves two purposes: 1) to give you the opportunity to hone your fighting skills so you don’t get consistently horsewhipped in the online arena and 2) to grant Capcom the smirking satisfaction of subjecting players to yet another painfully cheap-ass final boss (though, in fairness, Seth is a far cry from the current title-holder of Cheapest F—— Final Boss, Gill from Street Fighter III).
As soon as you take this game for a spin, and would consider yourself even a mild Street Fighter aficionado, I have no doubt you’ll feel right at home, nestled in the warm embrace of quarter-circle D-pad motions. Unless of course you’re using the 360 D-pad, then you’ll be nestled in the embrace of an ill-tempered porcupine (if you have the 360 version and can find the Capcom fightpad –which I use and love–or the sticks, get them).
Gameplay is startlingly familiar. Were you a beast with Ken or Ryu or (shudder) Dan back in the day? You’ll be raining down Dragon Punches with ease. How was your spinning piledriver motion? Zangief players will have zero problem driving their opponents head into the pavement. Capcom has maintained the brilliant simplicity of Street Fighter II, making it accessible for newbies and easy to pick-up for rusty veterans.
And for the harder-core virtual pugilists, the addition of the Focus Attack (a charge move that can shield against some attacks) adds another layer of depth to master. Two gauges accompany, the Revenge Meter, which builds as you take damage and allows you to unleash a kick-ass special move to equalize the fight, and an EX meter, which you can tap into access special versions of the special moves or let max out and blast out a Super Combo.
My experience online has been virtually lag-free and the talent pool is varied. One moment I’ll be piledriving like crazy, the next some Ryu savant will smoke me. Offline offers challenges to unlock colors, icons, personal actions and titles. It’s a nice distraction but taking on humans is what this game is all about; if multiplayer isn’t your bag, this game may not have the lifespan.
Graphically, Street Fighter IV is a stunner. Though the fights take place on a 2D plane, the characters are 3D and they’re beautifully rendered. They’re highly detailed, well-animated and emotive (I can’t get enough of the wide-eyed “Oh crap!” expression on opponents as Zangief winds up for an Ultra Combo, especially if said opponent is that douchebag Sagat). Backgrounds are full 3D and great-looking, stocked with characters that react to the fight. The soundtrack is fine, reminiscent of the vintage themes, but not as memorable–for good or ill–as the Street Fighter III score. That opening rap song makes me want to claw out my eardrums with Vega’s claw, though.
The Rebuttal Witnesses
The training option really does kind of blow. It’s simple sparring against a CPU bot. Good to practice your thumb gymnastics, but you won’t learn anything, unless by accident.
Closing Statement
I made my pixel bones on Street Fighter II and my hype for this installment was stratospheric. It’s a testament to Capcom, that my expectations were eclipsed. It’s my all-time favorite fighting game, and brother, I’ve played a lot.
The Verdict
Platform:Xbox360/Playstation 3
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: February 17, 2009
Rated: T for Teen
Tags: fighting, PS3, street fighter 4, Xbox 360
