17)Street Fight 4 Review PS3/Xbox360/PC

Review by Shin Kyo Kusanagi
"'The Answer Lies in The Heart of Battle'"
And so it does. In the new era of 'next gen' gaming many of us wonder how a 2D Vs game would hold up on its own against games that allow free environment movements.

With games like Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear Solid and an abundance of first-person shooters that filled the air of next-gen gaming, fighting games themselves have evolved in popularity. Once an age where 2D fighters ruled the arcades and home consoles, today many of which have been extincted and replaced by the giants of 3D gaming.

Or is it?

Apparently fans around the world think otherwise and so did Capcom. Being one of the three main companies to front the 2D fighting scene (along with SNK and Sammy) till this very day, many wondered if the 2D fighting spirit and gameplay would be able to make a revival in this spoiled new generation of games where players are given more roaming movements in and out of backgrounds (3D) and gorgeously outrageous graphics that the last generation could only dream of.

Welcome to Street Fighter 4 PS3/Xbox/PC

Before we talk about what Street Fighter 4 PS3/Xbox/PC is all about, we have to first go back in time to know what Street Fighter in general was and has always been, the frontline of modern day VS gaming.

The phenomenon that the Street Fighter series generated during the early 90s (particularly Street Fighter II) was unimaginable by today's standards. It was THE GAME to play, and it itself was a cultural shockwave. In the wake of it spawned hundreds of other copies that until today, become mainstay themes of existing fighting games (a main character like Ryu, and a rival like Ken).

As time passed, the Street Fighter franchise enhanced itself with various new updates that still place itself as king of 2D fighting games unbeated throughout the 90s and to many others till this very day. Though game mechanics may have been updated to keep up with the more upbeat generation of gamers, its form of games have remained tried and true 2D gaming.

Then came a period in which the 2D Vs gaming field was possibly wiped out in its popularity and only clinging on to what the late 90s and early new millennium offered. 3D gaming and no less, 3D fighters dominated the scene.

Foreseen a long time before this large switch took place, various 2D Vs game franchises have attempted to make their 2D life-span extended into the 3D world. Capcom's Street Fighter was no exception either with its EX series. Graphically 3D but 2D elements of gameplay. Everything seemed perfect, but alas it was not Capcom's answer to the solution.

With almost a decade of waiting, fans of the series as well as the fight scene awaited till the day Street Fighter would be revived and a true successor to the continuation would arise yet again. Though hopeful, many were worried with its popularity. The Alpha series did very well, but the Street Fighter III series though solid till this very day, lack the charisma that made its predecessor a world wide hit.

Fast forward 10 years and today we have Street Fighter 4. 3D art graphic settings and design with 2D style fighting system. Many question how would it stack up. After all SF3 PS2 and the Alpha series each covered a degree of area where fans were concerned with; balance and charisma. SF3 is by far one of the most solid 2D fighter out there today despite its more than a decade lifespan, and the Alpha series sparked the anime-art craze with vicious art effects and speed of gameplay to an upbeat mood. Can Street Fighter 4 live up to all the hype and continue on its legacy?

As the title implies; 'The answer lies in the heart of battle'.

To know Street Fighter 4 is to play Street Fighter 4 PS3/Xbox/PC. Understand what its all about in history and actually play the game to feel it. To date, it is by far one of the most balanced fighting game ever produced coinciding with Street Fighter's tradition of characters and moves.

Gameplay (10/10) - Simply marvelous. Very well balanced for a 2D fighting game. Despite 2D vs gaming having a longer history than most games including its cousin the 3D fighters, few come close to the balanced mechanics this game has to offer.

In essence it is a 2D fighter tried and true. So those expecting otherwise should look elsewhere and be warned that Street Fighter has always been about 2D fighting, not 3D. In that respect, the moves and counter system in this game offers creative challenges for players to work with. The 3 unique systems offered aside from your standard specials and supers are the Ultra Meter, Ex-Moves and Focus Attack.

The Ultra meter or also known as the 'Revenge Meter' charges up as you get hit. Those familiar with Street Fighter Alpha 3's X-ism mode and SNK's Samurai Shodown build up meter will be familiar with this feature. Much like your special bar, once the Ultra bar is filled players can unleash a devastating combo attack (powered up version of a super) to bridge the playing field gap or cause massive damage.

EX moves are essentially powered up versions of your specials. They are activated under 2 conditions; having filled 1 bar out of 4 of your super meter (an 'EX' will be written beside it) and when performing a special, press 2 of the same attack buttons instead of one (example, while performing Ryu's Hadouken, press 2-3 of the punches at the same time instead of just one). This causes your character to flash in yellow and that very move increases in range and damage.

Finally, the Focus Attack is Street Fighter 4's answer to a counter system much like how the Alpha Counter was to the alpha series and how parries were to Street Fighter 3. The Focus Attack works as a sponge buffer for a single hit. As it is used a portion of the player's life will be covered in gray. During this period if the player is not hit by the time the gray bar is filled he/she will gain back the life damage they took from the hit. In return if the process is not complete the player stands a chance at losing additional health if being hit a second time with a failed focus attack of before the gray bar is filled.

Following the process of the Focus Attack, players can either choose to cancel the move by dashing forward, perform an instant hit that may hit or knock out at opponent or to charge it to the fullest for an unblockable 1 hit. It is creative in the sense that there are many ways to go about it yet not highly abusable much like how SFIII's parry system works.

The cast from Street Fighter 2 with some Super Street Fighter II and Alpha characters are back along with 6 new characters. The characters themselves are balanced to a degree where every character stands a chance of dominating another character with the right skills and know how. Even with Seth, the last boss of the game once unlocked will prove balanced by human player standard. This game isn't exactly beginner friendly but it definitely is easy getting into. Those who button mesh will be hard pressed to find their days are numbered with this game.

Graphics (9/10) - Stunningly gorgeous in it's own right. Taking a theme from paint brush art with 3D modeling to a 2D touch create this unique art form of a game. Sure the graphics aren't that of 3D fighters, but it is artistic in its own way. Backgrounds are filled with movement and life combined with little details that give it a defined life of its own. Some may have less details then others, but even with those little details from how the buildings in the China Street stage to background effects made by characters slamming into the ground really gives a sense of being in position with an artistic feel. The anime animations for the characters aren't top notch, but because of their value, its a nice touch considering they don't drastically effect the game.

Sound/Music (10/10) - Sound effects are solid and the music is pretty good. Thought it may vary in taste depending on individual, as for me the music suits perfectly for a Street Fighter game. It takes a page from the Alpha series with some new tracks and remixed ones and away from Street Fighter III's more street jazzy feel into pop. As a bonus to those who are into J-Pop, EXILE (one of Japan's current popular soul R&B pop dance group) so it'll be a pleasant add for fans of them. Thought some feel the overall music the game offers is lacking, there are those like me who actually really like it and find it memorable to some degree. It may not have been the best, but it sure is good especially most of the remixed theme of the characters.

Assuming all fails for you, players can always load up their own personal music saved in the PS3/Xbox/PC and open them during matches. A neat feature for non-fans which adds to the score.

Replayability (10/10) - High. It is a fighting game overall and playing it over and over again for training purposes or a quick match is its niche. In addition there are tons of things to unlock from characters to titles found in the challenge modes which they themselves may take awhile to unlock. Combine that and the option to take your battle online is a fighter's dream where one wouldn't need to leave their house to fight an opponent. Hours of gaming ensues.

Overall (10/10) - Street Fighter 4 PS3/Xbox/PC is a solid package all in one. the great character cast which made the series what it is today but were left out in SFIII have returned. The added characters may not be fashion winners but are definitely unique. Capcom also made dreams come true by having Ryu and Ken's legendary master, Gouken finally making its debut as a playable character. Something fans have always wanted to see for a very long time. More characters could/should be included though, but thats just asking for more than what has already been given (which is pretty sufficient).

What I didn't include in my general overview was the story. Although there was nothing spectacular about the storyline, but since when was Street Fighter's story deep? Having said that the story behind this game isn't without its purpose and thus, is 'just right' where it belongs; not too long per-character yet small bits and pieces actually link to different characters.

A must buy? Definitely if you're a 2D fighter fan or a Street Fighter one. This game is a definite for keeps. Even if you aren't an old time gaming fan of 2D fighting and Street Fighter. Again this game isn't exactly beginner friendly but it definitely is easy getting into. Its a fun yet challenging game to some degree if you're new to it. Fan who have been playing Street Fighter games since way back then and never stopped may find this one easy to pick and play, with greater balance.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 02/20/09

Game Release: Street Fighter IV Ps3/Xbox360/Pc

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