User Review : Street Fighter IV

Street Fighter Is Easily One Of The Most Recognisable Franchises Ever Created.

However it has lost a lot of its charm. World Warrior was followed by Champion Edition, Hyper Fighter, New Challengers and New Challengers Turbo. All of which were the same game with a few extra tweaks. Then came Alpha Warrior Dreams, which was my favorite of the series. But then that was followed by Alpha 2, Alpha 3 and many other special editions. This cycle was repeated when Street Fighter 3 came out. This was the biggest problem with the Street Fighter series. And why Tekken eventually beat Street Fighter to claim the number 1 Fighter tag. Tekken did things differently to Street Fighter.

10 years down the track and Tekken, Soul Calibur and countless other fighters have done exactly what Capcom did with their earlier versions of Street Fighter. They followed the same formula and didn't offer anything new. Soul Calibur still feels like Soul Calibur 1. Tekken 5 DR still feels like Tekken 3. DOA 4, well need I say more. Fighters have lacked depth for quite a while now. A revamped Street Fighter is exactly what the Fighting genre needs.

And that is exactly what we got. Those who liked the EX series of Street Fighter will be pleased with some of the new editions to the game. At its core it is still Street Fighter, the moves are still executed in the same way as the older versions. But unlike other versions your Super bar is split up into a heap of other little bars. One of these little bars can be used to execute an EX move. These are stronger versions of standard moves. To execute them you use 3 punches or 3 kicks instead of 1 punch or kick. These come in handy. Anyone who is familiar with Street Fighter will be in the thick of the action instantaneously. Those unfamiliar with will struggle a little more. That being said Street Fighter 4 is the most button masher friendly Street Fighter I've played. One aspect of the game I really enjoyed was the inclusion of the Ultra bar. If you cop enough of a beating you can do an Ultra move, which is a fair bit stronger than your normal Super move. It can change the tide of the game really quickly if your not careful, and adds a lot more to the strategy side of the game.

The graphics are awesome. I feel I would of being a bit more impressed with the graphics had Prince Of Persia not come out. Even so, its still silky smooth. The character models are awesome and seeing their facial expressions change when you hit them is great. A testament to its graphics came when me and my brother were playing the game last night and our father was watching us play. The whole time he was watching he couldn't keep up with the speed of the game ! He was a little intoxicated, but he was blown away by it. And he hates Video Games.

Controls are awesome on the PS3. The D-Pad is super accurate. Anyone who uses the analogue sticks is stupid. No analogue stick can compensate for a decent D-Pad. Arcade Sticks are a different story, but if it isn't braced in a stationary position they become a chore to use. Ive always preferred a controller to a joystick. And a decent D-Pad certainly helps make the Street Fighter 4 experience a pleasant one.

All in all, the world has been waiting for a decent Street Fighter for next gen consoles. And Street Fighter 4 delivers in truck loads. Whether playing with mates or online it will be a struggle to put the game down. Its different to any current fighter out. And therefore better.

Great job Capcom, you have WengYong's approval.