Street Fighter IV

Game Info

Publisher: Capcom

Developer: Capcom

Platform:  PS3

Genre(s): Fighting

Players: 2

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: February 17, 2009

Intro:

Street Fighter IV opens with an FMV of fighting sequences.  Some are smokey, some appear to be a watercolor paintings.  Nature in full motion surrounds one fighter, conveying flow.  Colors drift, swirl and blend into one another.  This unusual and innovative beginning draws the player in easily, creating an atmosphere of exciting play against the pop-style original theme song. 

Getting Going:

The menu offers several modes of play to choose from including:

• Arcade
  
• Versus
• Network Battle
• Challenge

• Training

There is also a gallery of movies and screenshots, which are unlocked during play, and player data.  The player chooses a difficulty and may then choose from one of 16 fighters.  Each fighter has his or her own stats and skills.  Play begins and ends with a series of fights.  The player determines the win state by choosing how many fights.  For instance, a winner may be determined in the best of three fights. 

Fun:
As a fighting game, Street Fighter IV is fun for those who enjoy the genre.

Visuals:
The in-game art is in a comic book-style.  Each fight takes place in a seemingly random location and each fighter has his own set of skills and moves.  The animations for the moves and special moves are incredible.  Life bars at the top of the screen easily show progress and the amount of damage done, while gauges at the bottom give player a quick heads up for special moves and ultra combos.  As comic art, the fighters aren't wholly three dimensional, but neither are they flat and uninteresting.  The animations are smooth.  Small details in the backgrounds add visual interest and are in keeping with the overall theme of the game.

Sound:
The opening credits feature an original theme song which does a great job of setting the mood and creating an original experience.  Fight sounds during the game are a bit canned and the character barks are repetitive. Character barks do provide a fantastic insight into each fighter's personality, however, creating richer gameplay.  A fight announcer initiates each fight in similar fashion to any boxing match or WWF wrestling match. 

Intelligence:
Each player character has character-specific moves.  Gauges at the bottom of the screen determine when a player may unleash the special moves and ultra combos available to his fighter character.  There is very little benefit to button spamming here.  Opponents are tough; fights are well-matched.  There is a bit of a learning curve and a great deal of challenge, keeping the action moving throughout play. 

Immersion:
Street Fighter IV is challenging enough to keep the player practicing for a while or frustrated and losing.  If it's the latter, players will undoubtedly fail to find the game immersive.  If, however, you enjoy the challenge and step up, Street Fighter IV offers plenty of activity to keep you busy for quite a while. 

Cameras:
Street Fighter IV provides a straight third-person spectator view of the action.  There is no need, and no ability, to move the camera about during play.

Controls:
All of the controls are set easily at the player's fingertips.  Light attacks are on the right thumb pad.  Medium attacks are located in the L1 and L2 Buttons, while Heavy attacks are found at R1 and R2. The left joystick rounds out the controls.  Specific joystick movements are required, in combinations with buttons, to create a special move or ultimate attack.  These controls are optional; players may re-configure them in the options menu. The controls are easy to learn, but hard to master.  The pause menu also offers a quick review of character-specific moves, keeping the player in-game during even the most difficult fights.

Ideas:
Having the control menus and fight menus at your fingertips at all times keeps the player in the action, providing a more seamless play experience.  The controls are a breeze to use and get used to.  Street Fighter IV is challenging without being frustrating simply for the sake of frustration.  Neither is it overly simplistic.  Players are not simply going to pick up this game and spam a heavy attack button hoping for an easy win.

Memory:
A great fighting game with complex characters and a good balance of challenge vs. ease of use.