Street Fighter IV brings back that "old school" feel again!

Author's Rating:

Pros: HD Graphics, Awesome Gameplay, 5.1 Surround Sound, & Online Fighting!!!

Cons: PlayStation 3 version only supports 720p resolution. No Bonus Rounds. Clunky controls at times.

The Bottom Line: 
"Hadoken in High Definition!"

Author's Review
I have been a fan of the Street Fighter series ever since it appeared on the Super Nintendo in the 1990's.  Street Fighter II was one of the best 2D fighting games to ever be released.  Solid and addicting game play is what made the game shine.  The series, however, has been criticized for its redundancy over the years.  I too have been a critic at times, but for the most part I have been a loyal and diehard fan.

I was pretty excited when I saw the announcement that Street Fighter IV was being released in the arcades, and I was further excited by the announcement that the game was being brought to the home gaming consoles (Xbox360 and PlayStation 3).

AUDIO and VISUALS

Street Fighter IV is a solid 2D fighter with amazing visuals.  The graphics are ultra crisp and look good in HD (High Definition).  The Sony PlayStation 3 version supports 720p resolution. All of the characters (especially Ryu, Ken, Akuma) look like they are on steroids.  Capcom went with the SF III style of artwork for the characters. I originally criticized that style of graphics, but this time around they look better.  The characters have a "cell shaded" look at times, which really looks great.  And other times it has that look of a "watercolor".  The backgrounds of the various stages really come to life.  From cars flashing their lights at a Drive-In to patrons sitting and watching you fight at a café.  The view point even changes to a cinema-like scene when you execute your "Ultra Combos".

The audio of the game is just fine.  The game features voice-overs for each character during the cinemas and fight openings.  The music is upbeat and gets the adrenaline going.  The opening cinema features the music from Japanese J-pop/Rock band Exile.  Critics have blasted the music because of its pop rock, redundant sound.  I don't mind it that much.  If you're busy beating the tar out of your opponent, you aren't going to be paying too much attention anyway.

The game also features Dolby® Digital 5.1 Surround Sound.  So you can hear (and possibly feel) every punch, kick, and "hadoooooken!" from everywhere in the room.

GAMEPLAY

The game plays pretty much like any other one in the SF universe.  The controls are highly responsive, but I would recommend getting an arcade stick.  Specifically the SF IV Arcade Tournament Stick by MadCatz. That is "if" you are able to find one.  You might have to settle with the SF IV Fight Stick which is a solid arcade stick too.  I have gotten used to the PlayStation 3 controller, so I really don't find any faults with the standard controller as of yet.

One of the things that Capcom did right was sticking to the traditional control scheme that's used in all of the other SF games.  The combos are the same with the exception of a few new techniques and moves.  Each character has a new set of techniques called "Ultra Combos" as well as a separate meter for these combos.  Every time you take damage from an opponent you fill up this meter that allows you to perform extra special moves.  There is the addition of the "Focus Attack" system as well.  The new Focus Attacks allow you to counter your opponents' special moves by pressing a series of buttons with the proper timing.

The game is extremely hard at times.  The difficulty level even on "normal" can get hard, especially when you come up to the boss Seth.  For the most part all the fighters are pretty balanced, with the exception of the big fighters like E. Honda or Rufus.  The big guys still feel a little clunky, but not as much as their past incarnations.  The game also features several new characters, four of them being playable from the start and two you can unlock.

The game also features Online Gaming, but as of now I have not had a chance to play it online.  The PlayStation 3 version supports the "Trophy" system allowing you to earn awards for specific things you do in the game.  I can't wait to play this game online.  It'll be like bringing the whole arcade home with you.


LIST of FIGHTERS (in Alphabetical Order)...

Abel*
Akuma**
Balrog
Blanka
Cammy**
Chun-Li
Crimson Viper*
Dan**
Dhalism
E.Honda
El Fuerte*
Fei Long**
Gen**
Gouken***
Guile
Ken
M. Bison
Rose**
Rufus*
Ryu
Sagat
Sakura**
Seth***
Vega
Zangief

*
 New Character
 
**
Unlockable Character
 
***
New and Unlockable Character

OVERALL

Overall this is one of the best games I have played in a long time.  SF IV captures the essence of the series and brings back that "new" feel that SF II had when it was released on the SNES.  I would recommend finding the "Collector's Edition" of SF IV.  It features some cool bonuses like, a full length movie titled Street Fighter IV: The Ties That Bind (Blu-Ray Disc), SF IV Soundtrack (CD), 3+ inch Ryu Figurine by NECA, and a voucher to download through the PlayStation Network the Brawler Pack (extra costumes for 5 characters).  The bonus items are well worth it.

The only real problem I have with the PlayStation 3 version is that the game only supports 720p resolution, when the Xbox360 version supports 720p and 1080i/p resolutions.  But with that being said, the game still looks amazing in 720p.  I have a 20inch Samsung T200HD LCD Computer Monitor/HD Television.  The game looks and runs great on the monitor.  And if the game supported a higher resolution it would look even greater because my monitor supports all available HD formats (720, 1080, etc.).
If you want a solid 2D fighter, Street Fighter IV is the right choice.  In fact it's the only choice right now!
  _________________________
[TITLE]
Street Fighter IV [Collectors Edition]

[PLATFORM]
Sony PlayStation 3

[DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER]
Capcom/Capcom

[YEAR of RELEASE]
2009

[GENRE]
Fighting

[ESRB RATING]
T for Teen
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© Copyright 2009 Chris_Billings