Street Fighter EX3

"Street Fighter meets the Playstation 2...For somewhat normal results."

Street Fighter, after so many years, has gone 3-D to counter the likes of Tekken and Dead or Alive, only to find a lukewarm welcome. Now, here comes Street Fighter EX3 and this is nothing more then the awful child of Street Fighter and Tekken Tag Tournament.

Graphics: 9/10
This is the biggest thing going for them, and the fighters look great..If you're into plastic-like fighters. Arika finally got rid of the blocky graphics that scared people away, but it seems like they can't make them look real. For the most part, they did a great job.

Sound: 10/10
The most surprising thing of EX3 is the reintroducing of the older music from the original EX, and that is a very good thing(Even the new guys have GOOD music). The Sound Effects are the same old Hado-ken's and Sho-ryu-ken's and that is nothing new. The score, being as high as it is, was for the music, but the sound being unoriginal almost blew that perfect score.

Gameplay: 9/10
The same old engine is used and if you don't know how to play, you've been living under a rock for way too long. EX3's game engine sticks to the EX formula and that is great for either the newbie or the expert who thinks he's unstoppable. This score gets knocked down because the engine is based of the old school SF2 engine, but with some kinks in the fabric, which is a no-no in my book.

Plot: 0/10
Capcom must REALLY think games like Devil May Cry and Dino Crisis get all the stories, do they? SFEX3 has no plot whatsoever and that(even for a fighting game, none of the less)makes me give it a big old goose egg.

Buy or Rent?: Rent
With Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore and Tekken Tag Tournament out for your PS2, you'll feel better if you don't get SFEX3 unless you're a Street Fighter fan or someone who wants some old school fighting action that is not found in the two games mentioned above.

Overall: 8/10
SFEX3 has the looks to show that Street Fighter is ready to jump the 3-D rumble for the top of the fighting heap, but too many problems and the lame notion of having NO plot whatsoever drops it into the third tier behind Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore and Tekken Tag Tournament. Give Capcom 4 or 5 years to make Street Fighter 4 and call me then.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/04/01, Updated 11/04/01