Street Fighter IV demolishes expectations
Morgan Haines
Issue date: 2/26/09 Section: Entertainment
Capcom's legendary franchise of two dimensional, side-scrolling, fighting games has returned with a bang in "Street Fighter IV." After several years of waiting, fans can finally re-live the days of their youth, which can be summed up in one word: "Hadoken!"
The story behind "Street Fighter IV" is very convoluted and doesn't get explained very well from playing the game. According to the instruction booklet, there's a world fighting tournament that is about to commence which draws all of the world's greatest fighters out from their training.
Each of the characters has a different reason for entering, varying in complexity and relevancy. Some characters are investigating mysterious actions and disappearances, some are seeking to be known as the world's strongest fighter and even a character searching for the world's greatest recipe. However, the game itself and the game play make the stories fairly unnecessary.
The controls are simple, which is good for a fighting game, especially one as fast paced as this one. It takes a while to get used to them, but once you do, you are a force to be reckoned with. However simple the controls may be, they allow you to execute some awesome maneuvers.
Another addition to the series is the "Focus Attack" and "Ultra Combo" moves. The focus attack is unique for each player and has three stages, the last of which enables the player to break the enemy's blocks and knock them down. The ultra combo is also different for every character. It is a special move comprised of several attacks chained together in one simple button combination that deals massive amounts of damage. There is also a "Super Combo" which is just like the ultra combo but not as lengthy. With eight difficulty settings, ranging from easiest to hardest, there should be plenty of variety to appeal to gamers and non-gamers alike.
The game consists of: "Arcade Mode" that allows you to play through a short, eight opponent story line with whomever you choose; a "Versus Mode" which allows you and a friend to play against each other on the same screen. There is also a "Xbox Live Battle" which lets you play against opponents over Xbox Live; a "Challenge Mode" that consists of three different types of challenges with normal or hard difficulty, with twenty or more obstacles for each; and a "Training Mode" where you can train against an immobile character to hone your skills. There are nine hidden characters that can be unlocked by completing certain criteria while playing through the arcade mode.
The art and graphics in this game are nothing short of amazing. With an almost cell-shaded look, the art designers made the Street Fighter franchise's transition into the 3D realm an easy and good-looking one.
The only complaints that I have with this game are the voice acting and the anime cut scenes that are played when you begin and end an arcade mode game. As I said before, the story is complicated and these brief cut scenes don't help to understand it at all.
As far as fighting games go, the Street Fighter franchise has always been one of the best in the business. Capcom refuses to relinquish their title by creating "Street Fighter IV" and raising the standard for all fighting games to come.
"Street Fighter IV" is an awesome fighting game and definitely warrants a rental for anybody who likes the genre, and even those who don't find it enjoyable.
The story behind "Street Fighter IV" is very convoluted and doesn't get explained very well from playing the game. According to the instruction booklet, there's a world fighting tournament that is about to commence which draws all of the world's greatest fighters out from their training.
Each of the characters has a different reason for entering, varying in complexity and relevancy. Some characters are investigating mysterious actions and disappearances, some are seeking to be known as the world's strongest fighter and even a character searching for the world's greatest recipe. However, the game itself and the game play make the stories fairly unnecessary.
The controls are simple, which is good for a fighting game, especially one as fast paced as this one. It takes a while to get used to them, but once you do, you are a force to be reckoned with. However simple the controls may be, they allow you to execute some awesome maneuvers.
Another addition to the series is the "Focus Attack" and "Ultra Combo" moves. The focus attack is unique for each player and has three stages, the last of which enables the player to break the enemy's blocks and knock them down. The ultra combo is also different for every character. It is a special move comprised of several attacks chained together in one simple button combination that deals massive amounts of damage. There is also a "Super Combo" which is just like the ultra combo but not as lengthy. With eight difficulty settings, ranging from easiest to hardest, there should be plenty of variety to appeal to gamers and non-gamers alike.
The game consists of: "Arcade Mode" that allows you to play through a short, eight opponent story line with whomever you choose; a "Versus Mode" which allows you and a friend to play against each other on the same screen. There is also a "Xbox Live Battle" which lets you play against opponents over Xbox Live; a "Challenge Mode" that consists of three different types of challenges with normal or hard difficulty, with twenty or more obstacles for each; and a "Training Mode" where you can train against an immobile character to hone your skills. There are nine hidden characters that can be unlocked by completing certain criteria while playing through the arcade mode.
The art and graphics in this game are nothing short of amazing. With an almost cell-shaded look, the art designers made the Street Fighter franchise's transition into the 3D realm an easy and good-looking one.
The only complaints that I have with this game are the voice acting and the anime cut scenes that are played when you begin and end an arcade mode game. As I said before, the story is complicated and these brief cut scenes don't help to understand it at all.
As far as fighting games go, the Street Fighter franchise has always been one of the best in the business. Capcom refuses to relinquish their title by creating "Street Fighter IV" and raising the standard for all fighting games to come.
"Street Fighter IV" is an awesome fighting game and definitely warrants a rental for anybody who likes the genre, and even those who don't find it enjoyable.
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