Ok, so I've put off writing this review for a really long time, because I really am not sure how to approach this. I did not enjoy SF4 very much, but I can't really say that it is the fault of this game in particular, more because of issues I have with fighting games in general. I generally write reviews 100% based off of the gut reaction I have to a game, and pay less attention to whether it is bringing something new or improved to the world of gaming and such. If I did that here, I would be blaming Street Fighter 4 for every issue I have with fighting games, and somehow that just feels weird.
So, I'm going to talk about things I did and didn't like that I think summarize what Street Fighter 4 is about, without really worrying about breaking down every little aspect. Ugh, here it goes.
Things I thought were positive. The main one is a large cast of characters. I like having a lot of choice and SF4 gives you that. They also seem varied enough that you could really find one that fits your playstyle, and with the exception of a few select characters, they seem pretty balanced. I also think online play is a necessity in these types of games, and the online play here worked perfectly for me each and every time. I also have to say I really like the visual style of SF4. The characters and all of their moves are interesting and flashy, and really keep your eyes stuck to the screen.
Then there are things I don't like, but, as I said, they are mostly all things I don't like about all fighting games. I'm sure I'll get some crap for this, but I just don't see the reason for the complicated move lists and how some characters best moves are harder to pull off, yet worse. This brings me to one of my main complaints about fighting games: I don't understand why you would want to make a game that needs a freaking arcade fightstick controller to play well. I'm so tired of buying game specific controllers it isn't even funny. For me, simplicity in a game is a powerful thing, and I think the mantra of the fighting game genre is complexity. I guess the two of us will just never get along.
The point I guess I should make is that Street Fighter 4 seems like a solid fighting game from what I know about the genre, and I give it props for keeping up the trend of producing games that people can get really excited about. This game was my attempt to finally break into the fighting game genre, but ultimately I think I realized it really just isn't for me. Maybe in the future if some things change, I'll give Street Fighter 8 or something a go.
