As arcades slowly fade into obscurity, developers are ignoring hardcore fighting game fans more than ever. Even though series like Soul Calibur, Tekken and Virtua Fighter keep coming out, none of them come close to the balance of the Street Fighter series. Combo mastery and timed button presses still determine the winner, but competitive play has quickly become an afterthought as new Street Fighter games have been notably absent for nearly a decade. Capcom’s latest entry, Street Fighter IV, is a return to form and one that captures the essence of an authentic arcade experience.
Street Fighter IV takes place after the events of the second game and before the events of the third, and that is all that needs mentioning as far as plot. The specific details aren’t worth noting, since each character has his/her own motivation for letting fists fly; but this game’s placement in the overall timeline does affect the character roster. Fighters from Street Fighter III are absent, and the different endings per character have large inconsistencies. Video game narratives have improved significantly over the past few years, and I should, perhaps, be demanding more creativity. However, the fact of the matter is that fighting games have never needed to use story as a crutch and, frankly, I hope they never do.
The genre is all about the gameplay and, thankfully, Street Fighter IV nails this aspect perfectly. As a fan of 2D fighting games, I was skeptical about the series’ transition to 3D character models. The movement still takes place on a 2D plane, but I was worried the new graphical design would alter very specific things like hit boxes and move priority. After a number of long sessions, I can safely say this game feels very much like Street Fighter II, the widely proposed peak of the series. From the very beginning, I felt right at home with the controls.
Merely copying and pasting the best parts of previous games doesn’t result in a winning formula. Innovation is what differentiates the good from the great. For Street Fighter IV, the developers added focus attacks and the revenge gauge. Focus attacks are the game’s system of parrying and countering, and they are much easier to pull off than techniques in Street Fighter III. The revenge gauge allows for many last-second comebacks through ultra combos (upgraded versions of the series’ super combos). Smart design choices like these make every match as exciting as the last.
Street Fighter IV is a testament to how great design makes a game worth playing. Even though there’s a lack of different modes to choose from, I felt fine with only the standard arcade and versus setups. Online play has been added, and it works despite the importance of a lag-free experience. Personally, I loved how an online opponent could join in the middle of a single-player session; it’s just another feature that emulates the arcade feeling. The challenge mode is lacking, however, since it only teaches new players combos and not the context in which to use them.
Speaking of new players, this game isn't for them. Those looking for something meant for parties and get-togethers should look elsewhere. It's easy to grasp some of the basics, but the deeper aspects require hours of intense practice, a good arcade stick and a well-written strategy guide.
Aside from the subtle gameplay changes, every other revision is obvious. First, the graphics have undergone a new direction, opting for an art style largely inspired by sumi-e (Japanese brush art). The game screen fonts and focus attacks accentuate the look and the colorful palette was pleasing to my eyes. Animations and facial expressions are more prominent and no longer confined to a few frames of character sprites. Artistically speaking, Street Fighter IV is the absolute best in the fighting game genre.
The sound is probably the game’s weakest part, but that’s not saying much. Punches and kicks making contact are gratifying and the voice acting is well-done once the option to switch languages per character is unlocked. The announcer helps the game feel like a spectator sport and he certainly sounds better than the nonsense-blabbering narrator from the Soul Calibur series. As awesome as the sound effects are, the music is another thing entirely.
The song used for the intro, “The Next Door” by Exile, is a rather infectious tune that I’ve had stuck in my head for the past few days. The only problem I have with it is the fact that it sounds like an upbeat, cheesy Backstreet Boys song. It’s not necessarily something I want drumming in my mind. Other pieces of music, like the ones used for the various stages, are rather bland. The stage music wasn’t really engaging aside from a few exceptions (which were just remixes of previous favorites). However, music is a rather small issue in a much bigger picture.
Overall, Street Fighter IV is a solid package of pure arcade bliss. It truly demonstrates that traditional gameplay is still engaging as ever, and I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes the new standard for competitions. For anyone who doesn't understand the impact of a great fighting game, I recommend searching "Daigo" on YouTube and watching the first video on the list. I firmly believe Street Fighter IV will be remembered for many years to come…at least until another Street Fighter comes out.