Street Fighter IV Comments by Simon Parkin

There is some 6 button dpad thing apparently. £35ish or so.
THAT is a decent price. £100+ on a stick not so.

Also fighting games @ £20 is a decent price.

Only a 10?

Very short campaign, no co-op mode, very shallow RPG elements, terrible weapon selection and poor (no) use of a cover system

3/10

My copy from Play Asia arrived today, and so far it seems brilliant. Now all I need to do is get an arcade stick and I am all set.

sold :)

Hmmm... 10/10 for a mere fighting game?!? We'll see...

Granted I'm no fan of the Street Fighter games or even 2D fighters in general - I got into beat 'em ups with the 3D Virtua Fighter 2 on the Saturn - but I confess to loving Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on the Dreamcast. That's probably the only 2D fighter I've ever really liked actually.

I've ordered Street Fighter IV (on the PS3) to see what all the fuss is about; to see what I've been missing and whether it's warranted but I'm expecting most of it will probably be lost on me. Still beat 'em ups are usually good fun when played against friends so I expect I'll get enough enjoyment out of it even if I'm not someone who'll spend ages learning a character's moves. Life's far too short for that...

@Kyron - Read the three IGN reviews... the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions are practically the same but the latter has the advantage of quicker loading times with the *optional* HDD install and, arguably has the better D-pad for playing this game. That's the only reason I've opted for that version otherwise I'd have automatically gone for the 360 version on the basis that it was better (as is usually the case with 99.5% of multiformat games). However, the 360 controller's D-pad is beyond awful and this being a 2D game means that I have to consider the controller first and foremost.

I'm not someone who plays fighting games a lot so there's no way I'd waste money on a chunky, oversized, overpriced arcade stick for a couple of games that I only play now and again. They're just not worth it IMO and when I'm playing against friends whoever is using the stick would have the unfair advantage.

Great review. I really enjoyed reading it.

Yesssssss!

"The question for Capcom - the looming problem for a company whose game exemplifies its genre more than any other - is only this: where next?"

Next? I haven't even got this one yet. Who cares when this is this good.

I love the Parappa reference!

I have totally sucked at SF all my life, yet I still want this. Even though it will probably make me feel incompetent yet again.

"No comment on PS3 vs 360 game quality and joypad suitability? "
Exactly. A 2 page 10/10 review, and not once does the review mention on of THE most import factors. Not all of us have Hori sticks y'know, and I suspect the majority of us will be playing on the bog standard wanky pads.

GOTY for me no doubth. And its only February. I will be playing this for many months. This will be the game that make me cross the 100 hour barrier for one game.

U.S.S.R.........Thailand

Round one...FIGHT!!!!! :)

This game (and this review) gives me a semi. I just hope my FightStick arrives in time for release day... then it's full on boner time!

@muscleblade
'This will be the game that make me cross the 100 hour barrier for one game. '

Crikey, I thought the matches only lasted 60 seconds!

I would buy it if my 360 didnt have RROD :/

Sagat? The most powerful fighter?

My years of training playing with him will pay off.

Better than...???

GOTY?

/orders

You know that Capcom will remake all their fighters with this engine now. Bring on Darkstalkers!

fucking get in there! I've cancelled all plans this weekend, just gonna sit in front of the xbox playing this to death!

Does the 10 apply even if you think all previous SF games were shit?

i wanna kiss somebody at capcom. finally somebody listening to decades of fan begging, we now have a proper 2D (yeah i know it's 3D, but it still plays like 2D) fighting game again. hallelujah

"Granted I'm no fan of the Street Fighter games or even 2D fighters in general...."

Sorry Darren I like you but you brought this on yourself

"BURN HIM!!!!!!!!!"

/ lights torch

"What? He does like MvC2? Oh that's alright...BEAT HIM!!! HE STILL DISSED 2D!!!"

/ picks up baseball bat

¬_¬

"Can't wait to try the console version. my local is getting his copies on Wednesday - two days to go! "

Same here. Wednesday it is.

The 360 analogue stick is a perfectly serviceable replacement for a Dpad, and knocks both the PS3 and Xbox Dpads into a cocked hat... as my HDR Dee Jay will testify.

Wow, really? I never even considered using the analogue sticks.

I hope that's true for me too because although I'm on PC I'm using 360 pads also, and it's very unlikely I'll splash out for two new controllers for this game.

Im afraid i have to put GTAIV DLC on hold atleast until the weekend. My girlfriend is taking the kids on a weekend trip with her parents. I will be playing games and party all weekend. Wooohooo.

No marvel vs capcom 2 for xbox live yet?

Let's be serious, this game doesn't look that good... and online is useless Ryu vs Ken will be like everybody choosing manchester U in fifa 09...

WOOT!

And its the first game i want to buy for my PS3 instead of my Sexbox

"Let's be serious, this game doesn't look that good... and online is useless Ryu vs Ken will be like everybody choosing manchester U in fifa 09.."

If SSF2THDR is anything to go by Ryu vs Ken isn't that much of a problem, sure it's there (but it is in every fighter) but you do get a varied selection of fighters out there thankfully.

(I myself always go random online with fighters to add some spice!).

Pfft. Guys, prepare to be dissapointed. I guarantee that in a few weeks there will be thread after thread of disillusioned gamers who rushed out to buy this because they saw OMG 10!!1!! :/

Remember this: It is only a fighting game which still has NOTHING on the superior fighting system of the King of Iron Fist - Tekken.

Cool, did expect a very good score after reading other reviews, been looking forward to this for a while.

From all the videos/previews i've read you can tell this game is special, I suck at fighting games but have ordered as Capcom have made the game accessible for all.

Bring on Friday. Or hopefully sooner if Shopto ship the game early!

Heh, I like Tekken but it's looking at lot more tired and old than it's older (by some years) rival SF :)

T: DR is now forgotten thanks to SSF2THDR and I don't see T6 beating SF4....

@bad09 - I'm guessing you grew up with the Street Fighter series but despite having been playing many, many games since 1983 myself, I somehow missed the Street Fighter games completely as I never owned a SNES and I ony had an import Genesis for a few months before it was even released in the UK. I was an Amiga gamer for many years and as people will know playing fighting games on that platform with a joystick that had a single button was no fun at all. So I never bothered.

Basically, I never discovered the pleasure of a 2D Capcom fighting game until Marvel vs. Capcom 2 on the Dreamcast but by then 3D beat 'em ups were the "in thing" so even that game was comparatively dated alongside the Tekken, Dead or Alive and Virtua Fighter games. For me, Soulcalibur is the absolute best fighting game I'd ever played and really nothing has come close to that, and certainly not a 2D fighter. Sorry. Being able to evade a combatant in 3D adds an extra tactical element to fighting games I feel and adds a little realism that is completely lost in 2D ones for example.

I may not like Street Fighter IV at all, I'm buying it more out of curiosity than anything else. I mean it looks fun and everything - I wouldn't be buying it if it wasn't - but I expect it'll be one of those games I'll dig out to play with friends offline for a laugh rather than something I'll spend hours playing alone. I certainly won't be playing it online.

Had Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix been available for the UK PS3 then I'd probably have bought that instead but SCEE being the incompetent a***holes that they are, we're still waiting for that to appear (if it ever does!) despite SFIV being released this week. Aren't they just great!

3 days! The countdown says 3 days!

How horrid is the 360 pad for this? As bad as SF2 HD or have they managed to make it a little more forgiving in the interpretation?

@ Darren

Yeah I've grown up with the old SF. It seems to follow me everywhere through the years. Of course I love all 2D fighters as well (like SNK a lot). 3D is cool (mmm, Soul Calibur, Tekken 3,) but 2D can take it head on no sweat (ESPECIALLY the SF gameplay).

Amiga? DUDE HEARD OF BODY BLOWS?????!!!!!!! ;)

It is a shame about PS3 SSF2THDR (man that's getting boring typing!) I'd be screwing if I didn't have my 360!

SFIV is bukkakke central for fighting game fans/young uns

it does sound rather good but i expect my socks to stay firmly on my feet

I saw this in Japan around six or more months ago and it looked real good. Didn't try it though so I have no idea of how it feels but the kids seemed to enjoy it :)
Will buy on day one!

Been playing this for the last several days and I have to say this:

Believe the hype.

Yes, it is THAT good. My only gripe are the long loading times on the 360 version. That's about it for now. Buy it if you like SF in any shape or form, you won't regret it.

Edit: Oh, and while the 360 Dpad is useless, the stick holds out pretty well. I am not saying I'd dare take on a tournament player with it but it works quite well.

"since the mediocre EX spin-offs"

The best versions so Street Fighter imho.

If I was to own fighting games, this and DOA4 are the most appealing. You can get into both without having to become some memory rhythm machine. I could never be arsed with putting in the effort with Tekken to become some character master.

"Remember this: It is only a fighting game which still has NOTHING on the superior fighting system of the King of Iron Fist - Tekken."

Comedy Gold.

I hate fighting games but I love the enthusiasm that shines through in the review. Great work!

Button combination games, which includes every beat-em-up ever designed, are the most frustrating, annoying, and teeth grindingly difficult games to play.

Analogue control scheme, like the mercurial Fight Night Round Round 3, or I shan't play. So there.

@ Darren "Hmmm... 10/10 for a mere fighting game?!?"
Stopped reading your comment after this... "mere"... sad.

Epic want!

This is great got my first kickboxing fight Thursday night and then got Friday of work to recover and hopefully hammer SF4 thats if I do not have 2 black eyes lol. Gonna have the remixed street fighter theme as my ring entrance music.

Awwwww SHIT!

Now I'm gonna have to run out and buy this on day one, with 2 control pads!!!

WIN!! That's all I needed to invest in this one.

Wonderful!

Good one, Simon.

I have to be nerdy, though. Yes, you can use Focus to absorb one hit without taking damage - but technically, you DO take the damage - it just regenerates as long as you don't get hit again immediately. This really keeps you honest - I barely dare to use Focus yet, but it is certainly the key to high-level play.

And while I am all giddy and feel like a the 12-year-old boy I was when I first saw Street Fighter II in action on an arcade machine, I have one large niggle with this - where's the spectator mode? Where are the multiplayer lobbies? I really hope that Capcom will include these features soon, because Street Fighter IV truly is a dream come true (I am fortunate enough to have a copy for review for the website I work for). I've had a few days of puzzlement about the ways in which the game has changed (read: my Street Fighter II skills proved less than effective), but yesterday, things just clicked for me. There is an elegance to this game that SFII simply doesn't have, and it's achievable for most players in a way that SFIII was not.

But Capcom is listening to the players this time, by the looks of it. I'm sure we'll have our lobbies and whatnot in due time. And the reported Championship Mode that should be available in the launch day patch sounds intriguing as well, as does the promise of being able to save and upload replays. The best way to learn the game is not only to play against stronger players, it's to watch them play as well, without having to sit in a corner, panically blocking 10-hit combos.

And now I'd better get some work done, so I can get home and play some more!