Incoming from Comic Con: Hands-On with Street Fighter 4

Alex here. My experience with SFIV was pretty limited, as you only get one match before you have to swap out. Here’s the breakdown of my experience.

I ran up against Blanka, who was, as always, an annoying ass. I picked Ryu, and started pummeling. Ryu plays a little bit slower this time around, not super-noticeably slower, but a small chunk slower. Twice during the match I managed to pull off Ryu’s signature super move, the Shinkuu Hadoken. For all of the best attacks, SFIV makes use of the 3D engine to cut into a cinematic on the attack, making you feel about 50,000% more badass for pulling it off. All of Ryu’s classic special attacks are in place, of course, and EX moves make a triumphant return from SFIII. There’s also some kind of parry/counter system in place, but things were a little too hectic for me to study them intently. Another new mechanic SFIV incorporates is an “Ultra” meter, which fills as you take damage and lets you unleash your character’s ultimate attack. I have a slight beef with this, which was perfectly summarized by watching the Street Fighter professional player Capcom hired to hang around the SFIV booth to hammer the common folk. Move after move this guy perfectly executed, smashing his opponents into the ground, getting a perfect or near perfect every round, barely taking any damage. Yep, and with him barely taking any damage his ultra meter barely filled, almost punishing him for being so good. The better you are at SFIV, the less likely you are to get to pull off your coolest move. But, on the flip side, the meter does fill pretty generously so this would only really be a problem for the perfect paragons in the game. And if you’re that good, I’m sure you can screw around and take enough damage to get what you want. Long story short, SFIV looks absolutely stunning, everything flows beautifully, the characters just feel ‘right’, and everything feels both classic and brand new at the same time, bringing forth in my mind an ambivalent wistfulness for the old and excitement for the new.

-Alex L.

 

Nick here. I had some hands-on time with Crimson Viper. It was only for one fight, but that was all I needed. I managed to pull off all of her moves, including her super and ultra moves. This character has captivated me so much that I called "dibs" on her since she was first introduced as one of the new characters for SF4 months back. She reminds me a lot of the character designs from Viewtiful Joe.

Crimson Viper felt like an amalgam between Rock Howard from SNK and Sol Badguy from Guilty Gear. She's got a lightning punch, a leaping fire kick, and a ground slam. Her super move is an uber-lightning punch and her ultra move is a combination that starts with a beefed-up ground slam to knock your opponent into the air where she unleashes a rapid fire kick. It felt good playing her.

The game has been simplified as compared to Street Fighter 3: Third Impact, which was very deep, complex, and very polished. Street Fighter 4 has removed the parry system but retains EX moves. SF4 is still just as balanced as SF3. Everyone can keep their own with Ken and Ryu. It looks like all of the Street Fighter 4 characters have just 3 special moves a piece, but I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Bringing the series back to its Street Fighter 2 cast was a genius move and making it a little simpler is to keep it as appealing to a broad audience as possible.

What I don't agree with is the system in which you fill your Ultra meter. By taking damage it fills up, thus rewarding those who get schooled during a fight with a big special attack that can completely change the tide of the fight. I don't know if there are other methods to filling up the meter, but I don't know of any yet. Successfully pulling off a "Revenge" move (a counter-attack) may fill it up, but I just didn't get to spend that kind of time with it.

The new art direction is really fantastic. I would compare it more to a comic-book than I would a manga or anime.

This game will do phenomenally, as it deserves.

-Nick L.