Street Fighter IV

"Delivers a Spinning Bird Kick To All The Other Fighting Games"

Street Fighter is one of those games that just grew up with me. Like any other kid in the 90s, I remember the original Street Fighter II. Having been a fighting game fan since the age of six, for many years I have played nearly every single fighting game in existence, to the Mortal Kombat series, every iteration and sequel of Street Fighter, to even the 3d genres including Soul Blade, Virtua Fighter, and Tekken series. Even now, although there are great 3D fighting games including Dead or Alive 4, Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe and Soul Calibur IV, none of them can truly match the nostalgia and memories that Street Fighter has.

Graphics (9/10): The graphics in this game are incredible as it takes a fresh new direction in terms of having a very 3-dimensional watercolor look but yet still maintaining that 2d gameplay that Street Fighter has always maintained well. The stages in this game teem with life; one stage takes place under a bridge where schoolchildren watch the fight and cheer for the winner, while another is one a cruise ship, on which one spectator gets so excited he falls out of his seat and into the ring. The crowds are realistic and human rather than sprites that just seem to "fill the gaps". The looks on the characters themselves are great, you actually get to see what Vega really looks like without the mask, the psychic orbs that hover over Rose are a real extension of her, it all looks fantastic.

Characters (10/10): Unlike other games in the SF series, which harbor a cast of widely new but unremarkable characters, Street Fighter IV goes back to the basics, with the cast featuring the original 12 characters that defined the series (always great to see Chun-Li in action), plus four brand new characters. C.Viper is a tough female agent which fits into the game nicely, though she has a steep learning curve when using her she definitely is a great addition to the cast. Abel is an MMA fighter with no recollection of his past, and almost seems to come right in without coming off as "new", meaning he's definitely Street Fighter material. El Fuerte, the luchador, is a humorous addition, and while they could've made a more serious, convincing latino character, there's nothing really wrong with El Fuerte in the cast, considering his style is fun to use and he's good for a few laughs within the game. Rufus, the fourth new character, is the only one I have a gripe about, and is there solely for humor.

Diligent players, however, can unlock notable characters that have impacted the series, such as Rose, the psychic and tarot reader (and my personal favorite character) who is a blast to play (just wait until you see her Ultra Combo), Cammy, another classic and MUST, as well as Fei-Long (the Bruce Lee knockoff), Sakura (the token schoolgirl), Gen (Chun-Li's master), and Dan (the shoto-copy everyone loves to hate). These characters make a great addition, and while fanboys can gripe over who could have been included, its clear the cast for this game was well-balanced, the developers have clearly listened to their fans. You can also unlock Akuma, Gouken, and Seth (the game's boss) with hard work as well.

Gameplay (9/10): The gameplay for this game is fast, furious, addicting and fun. Just basically think back to your original arcade playing Street Fighter II, splash some updated graphics, and you got this game. There are many modes, including trials which range from survival to time attack, and the classic arcade mode, complete with nice little anime sequences and that little story that we all love to follow. There is also online play, which is great once you get past the spammers, but the great thing is you can set online play to those who match your skill level or to whom has the best connection. In other words, online play is convienient, unlike other series in which you are either facing ultra-cheap spammers and/or those without skill (Soul Calibur IV) or you're lucky if you get to play someone at all (Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe). This game actually looks at your skill and abilities and even grades you and awards you points on such, which is much needed in a fighting game.

The only gripe I have about the gameplay is the difficulty at times. Even on Easy Mode, the game can be a frustrating challenge. Abel and Zangief perform their signature throws EVERY time you get close to them, Seth cheap shots you for every win, yes the game is very frustrating at the same time, but rewarding when you win. You can unlock colors, personal actions (taunts), and artwork and cinematic sequences, so the game's not cheap with rewarding your trouble.

Sound (8/10): While some of the music in this game is not all there (namely that opening sequence theme song), the sound effects and the voice acting is excellent. Characters actually sound like the countries they come from, Zangief with a perfect burly Russian accent, Rose with a thick Italian voice, Vega with a smooth, Spanish sound, and even the more clear english-speaking characters have decent voices. Some characters also have humorous quotes when he or she is defeated (namely Rufus, C.Viper, and El Fuerte). More importantly, however, the fighting sounds are excellent, you hear every jab, kick, and projectile coming, the ground makes a noise when you hit the floor (a metal floor sounds like metal, wood sounds like wood, etc...). Stage music is generally okay, some of it captures the Street Fighter essence while other tracks just seem to run in the background, nothing noteworthy.

Overall (9/10): Whether you are an old-school Street Fighter fan or a die-hard fighting game fanatic, Street Fighter IV has what you are looking for. The sheer nostalgia, excellent gameplay, and effort Capcom has put into this game is tremendous, and compared to other fighting games out there, this is mere proof Street Fighter still has what it takes.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/02/09

Game Release: Street Fighter IV (Collector's Edition) (US, 02/17/09)