Street Fighter 4 - My Review

Down - Down Forward - Forward - Punch. This is probably the second most popular button combination in video game history (the first being Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start). That's because the Street Fighter series is that damn good. Admittedly though, I didn't play much Street Fighter because my household was a Mortal Kombat house (classic rivalry). Yea, played a little Street Fighter here and there, but I never really got into it til the Marvel vs Capcom series, which is a shame because the series is fuckin awesome and can kick the ass of any fighting game series ever released.

Street Fighter 4 (SF4 for now on because I'm lazy) is more of a sequel to SF2 than SF3, so if you're expecting this game to be combo happy you're fresh fuck out of luck. There are combos, but not major ones like the 35 hit combos we've gotten used to, but you know what, it works. Now newbies can actually get into it and not be scared off. Other than that the main formula remains unchanged.

.....no homo

The usually suspects return to do what they do best (smack each other around with moves deemed impossible for humans to do), but you can't release a game without adding new fighters. There are 4 new characters and 2 new unlockables. There's Abel who likes to grab dudes...alot, Crimson Viper with a super-powered business suit with a tie that covers her cleavage nicely, Rufus who's.....fat, El Fuerte who's a cook so I don't know why he's here in the first place but hey he's fast as fuck so why not, Gouken who trained Ken and Ryu and therefore is kick ass, and Seth who is number 2 on my cheapest boss list. These additions make a total of 25 fighters. Yea, that's not alot for a 2D fighter by today's standards, but each fighter feels so different who cares?

Normally I don't talk about graphics because I don't believe they make or break a game. Take that into account when I talk about how pretty the game is. One of SF4 selling points is its paintbrush presentation, and dammit if it isn't awesome. The entire game looks like its been painted instead of handdrawn or CGI, kinda like Prince of Persia or Afro Samurai. Even some of the attacks has this black paint smear that appears. Even the opening cinematics looks awesome. When you buy this game (and you damn well better), don't press start. Just sit back and watch the opening scene (cover your ears though because the backstreet boys-like theme song is annoying)

Welcome to another episode of Blanka : the Crocodile Eater

So......how does it play? Well, it's Street Fighter. How do you think it plays? OK, there are a couple new gameplay elements that affects strategy a bit. Super moves are back and they hurt, but now added is your Ultra move (or as I like to call it, the get yourself out of some serious shit move). Your super meter fills up as you hit, but your ultra meter fills up as you GET hit. Once your ultra meter fills up halfway you can unleashed it on your hapless opponent. You can wait until your meter is completely fill, but since that requires getting hit more, it's probably not a good idea. The next new addition is the focus attack. Press and hold medium punck and kick to charge the attack. Hold it long enough and it because unblockable. While charging your attack, you can absorb one (and only one) attack. This is important for strategy. If you suck, practice in challenge mode. Of course, controls may be a problem with the xbox controller, but it's not that bad. Capcom did a good job making the analog feel responsive, and some of the moves can really only be done with the analog. Once you get used to it, it's all good. Still not as good as the D-pad.

Again.....no homo

Make no mistake; this is a fighting game, and as with all fighting games, this is meant to be played with other people, whether it be offline or online. Playing online is fun (as long as I don't play with some dick with a mic) and there is little lag. Unlike Neil, I like beating up on chumps who pick Ken all day every day. I just pick Sagat and tiger uppercut their asses. To make it feel more like an arcade experience, people can interupt your arcade play and face you online. It's a cool trick, but I wish somebody would have told me this before I started playing.

Does Sagat hafta choke a bitch?

I tried to keep it short because this review has been done before, but I guess I talked too much anyway. I think Neil and I are in agreement here that this is the best fighting game for the Xbox360 hands down (If he says DOA4, he's lying). I'm adding this game to the list of "You have no choice but to buy this" games for the 360 (that list is coming soon). Go buy it...now....do it....LEAVE!.....don't keep reading to see where I'm going with this, go buy the game!


Note: The outfit you see Blanka wear in the pic above is his alternate attire. To get alternate outfits, you have to buy them off the xboxlive marketplace. It's not worth it. Save your points for something awesome like Portal: Still Alive.