Developer: Dimps/Capcom Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: 02/17/2009 Platforms: PS3, XBOX 360, PC

Hey baby, do you like Street Fighter? They call me ‘The Hadoken’ because I’m down, right, fierce…

Well, It’s finally here everybody. The first true sequel in the Street Fighter series since 1997. I’m more than pleased to say that Street Fighter IV lives up to almost all the huge expectations that have been placed upon it in past months. Capcom had successfully whet our appetites with the outstanding Super Street Fighter II: Turbo HD Remix. They now stand poised to show us what a real current-gen fighting game is supposed to look and play like.

And hot damn, we had no idea what we’ve been missing. Check this out.

I usually address the graphics right off the bat as they really are one of the least critical aspects of a video game. But we have all seen the screen shots and know what this looks like, so I’m going to start with what the fans really want to know: playability.

Some people have said that the controls were off, that they couldn’t even pull off a simple fireball motion from the start. Sorry people, I had no trouble getting right down to business. The controls are tight. The timing is spectacular as is the balance between characters. There is the usual Ryu/Ken/Sagat argument over who is better in what iteration (this time I hear Sagat is best), but in actuality no character has an advantage over another given equal player experience, unless you’re insanely good. The real difference in this version is the integration between regular moves, special attacks and combos. The most interesting addition is the Focus Attack. The idea is to absorb an opponents attack and depending on the length of time before the attack is launched, its power increases (full power means unstoppable). A Focus Attack can be performed halfway through a special attack (at the cost of half of your gauge) or be canceled halfway through to do a dash forward or backwards opening up a slew of options. The Focus Attack was designed to counter the combo-aggressive aspects that have dominated the SF play types in recent years. Being a sort of anti-combo puris,t I think this is a great way to even the playing field, so to speak.

Speaking of combos, not only have the EX and Super combos systems from games past returned, but now a new Ultra Combo system is in place. As you take damage, your Ultra Combo meter known as the ‘Revenge Meter’ builds up. This dictates the damage the combo does. The idea is that the Ultra Combo is the top of the combo pyramid; it is a series of strikes that run on just long enough to let your opponent know how awesome you are versus how shoddy and homeless they are.

Now all this sounds great until you realize how unnecessarily difficult some of the combos can be, Ultra Combos especially. Any character with charge-based special moves has a Ultra combo that makes you want to knock on your neighbors door and rip out a chunk of his/her hair with little to no warning. Akuma’s Ultra combo is one of the coolest moves in any fighting game, but getting there barely makes it worth the effort. I find it amusing that Capcom wanted to get back to the basics by adding another couple hundred button moves per match. Weirdos.

Anyways, on to the graphics.

So yes, this game is gorgeous. The hand drawn style is complimented by the outstanding 3D watercolor-esque design and the not overly dramatic splashes of black ink. The overall effect is incredible. Your first few matches could easily be lost due to noticing the characters and backgrounds. My personal thanks to Art director and character designer Daigo Ikeno for proving that ultra realistic graphics can never stand up to creativity. Well done.

As expected, all the characters from SFII have returned (SFIV takes place between II and III chronologically) New additions include Abel, Crimson Viper, Rufus & El Fuerte (Rufus has some of the best belly animations ever). Characters from other entries include Gen, Cammy, Dan (Dan? Seriously?), Fei Long, Sakura & Rose (M. Bison’s ex). And then there are the ever sought after special characters. Akuma & Gouken (Ryu & Ken’s master) are great additions and of course there is Seth to look forward to after everyone else is unlocked.

Alright, I have to bring it up one more time. Dan, guys? Really? This guy was created specifically to mock the SNK fighting games back in the Alpha series. I mean, he’s OK and all, but there were so many more options available. I’d rather have Oro from SFIII or a character from Final Fight than this schmuck. Sheesh.

The game’s sound is probably one of the most overlooked aspects of gameplay (this seems true for most games I find). Composer Hideyuki Fukasawa has created a soundtrack that is thoroughly engrossing and adds the perfect amount of tension and achievement at all the right times. The one exception is the song from the home screen. Mid-eighties/early nineties crap like this may be popular in Japan, but over here it makes ears bleed. On the plus side, it makes me choose my matches as fast as humanly possible saving both my opponent and myself a heap of time. Did that sound convincing? No? Oh well, I tried.

And as far as gameplay goes…well, what can I say? It’s Street Fighter. It’s fast, furious, and has some of the most competitive player vs. player matches I’ve ever seen in any videogame, let alone a fighting game. While the multiplayer options are sparse both online and off, it’s forgivable considering how neigh-perfect the gameplay is. One of the only real problems lies in the incredible lag that occurs when a player’s internet connection is slow. There is also the curious lack of a tournament option. This is Street Fighter, after all. Really the only big issue for me is the difficulty. Good god. The Medium setting is enough to give a problem to even the most hardened SF player. I know tournament champions who can’t beat Hard without using almost ten continues. Then there’s Seth. What a cheap bastard. I suppose it wouldn’t be so bad if he actually fit into the series better. But as he is now, he feels like some sort of guest boss (hey man, nice friggin’ yin-yang). He simply can’t compare to M. Bison (then again neither could Gill from SFIII).

What else is there to say really? For those who have never played a fighting game before ,this is the time. You will be surprised at the accessibility from the get go, so pick this up ASAP. For those like myself who have been waiting for this release with bated breath, there is even less to say. The gameplay is so engaging, familiar & balanced that when you immerse yourself within it, everything flows so smoothly and comfortably you simply lose yourself; it can’t be helped. That’s why we have loved this series for so long.

As for the game’s issues, keep in mind that they arise when compared against Street Fighter II Turbo – one of the best fighting games ever made. To place another number against the Street Fighter name is to come under a huge microscope, and SFIV stacks up amazingly well. There’s something for everyone here, especially those who long for replay value. There are enough achievements/trophies kicking around that it will take your average player a very long time to even come close to unlocking them all.

If you need anymore reason to pick this game up, you better start studying programming, because I can’t think of anything.

Overall: 9 out of 10

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