- Title: Street Fighter IV
- Publisher: Capcom
- Developer: Capcom
- ESRB Rating: "T" for Teen
- Genre: Fighting
- Pros: Gorgeous graphics; deep gameplay; solid multiplayer
- Cons: Seth is the worst boss ever; not worth it if you don't have human competition
Features and Modes
One thing that needs to be said right away is that if you don't have Xbox Live or at least local friends to play with, Street Fighter IV probably isn't worth it. The A.I. on any difficulty level, particularly when fighting the end boss Seth, will frustrate you and make you hate the game. It rewards you for being cheap and spamming moves rather than using actual technique, and that just isn't fun. It certainly won't prepare you for human competition, which is usually the point of fighting the CPU. If you only ever play Street Fighter IV against the CPU, you are probably going to end up frustrated and will hate it. Be warned.
Other modes include a training mode, which includes a neat feature where you can record up to ten seconds of your opponent attacking and then switch back to your character so you can learn how to defend, and Challenge mode. Challenge mode includes Time Attack and Survival, but also Trial mode which serves as another training mode by teaching you all of your character's moves and combos one at a time.
Multiplayer
The centerpiece of Street Fighter IV, and every other fighting game, is multiplayer. When two human players get together to throw down, SFIV is an absolutely epic game of counters, fakes, and mind games where you goad your opponent into making a fatal mistake.
Gameplay
At its core, Street Fighter IV is a cross between SFII and SFIII. It is still the same special move heavy affair as SFII, but also includes the more advanced tactics that SFIII introduced. On a basic level, the characters play pretty much like you remember them as the moves are mostly the same. When you dig into it a little more SFIV is quite a bit deeper. EX moves allow you to launch more powerful special attacks that drain your super meter. Ultra combos are a separate meter that builds when you take damage and let you unleash multi-hit, super moves that can turn the tide of a fight. The real game changer is the Focus Attack. By holding MP and MK you charge up your focus meter and, when used correctly, allows you an instant counter after the first hit of your opponent's attack. Another technique allows you to use your EX meter to stop move animations early so you can chain it into another attack.
Controls
Controls have been a topic of much discussion around SFIV. My conclusion: You don't need to buy an arcade stick or special pad to enjoy the game. Yeah, the D-Pad on the Xbox 360 sucks. So don't use it. I haven't had any trouble using the analog stick to pull off any of the moves in the game. My advice is to not try to do the motions too quickly. Slow down and really focus on precision and you can pull off Ultras and anything else just fine with the analog stick. Can an arcade stick make things more fun? Sure, but it isn't required hardware to enjoy the game like some people want you to believe.
Graphics
Street Fighter IV graphics are outstanding. The art style takes a little getting used to, but it packs so much detail into the characters that it is hard not to like it. The facial expressions you'll see during a fight are pretty goofy looking, but it is still nice overall. The animation is silky smooth and perfect and the game moves at a much faster pace than you might be used to with SFII. All in all, SFIV is a great looking game.
The sound isn't quite as good as the visuals. The voice acting during the little anime sequences before and after the Arcade mode is pretty awful. Likewise, the music ranges from acceptable to downright terrible. The intro theme is particularly bad.
Bottom Line
All in all, Street Fighter IV is a great fighting game that has something to offer for both novice and veteran fighting game fans alike. The core gameplay is classic Street Fighter, but when you dig a little deeper the game opens up into a surprisingly complex and satisfying world that truly separates the hardcore from everyone else. Multiplayer, either locally or on Xbox Live is flawless and fun and definitely the area you'll be spending the most time in. If you don't have anyone to play with locally or don't have Xbox Live, I really can't recommend it for a purchase. If you do plan on spending a lot of time playing other people, however, Street Fighter IV is one of the best fighters on the Xbox 360. It looks great and offers an amazing amount of depth that will keep you busy for the next 5-10 years while we wait for Street Fighter V.
