Street Fighter IV

I picked up a copy of Street Fighter IV on Friday after not playing a SF game for ten years. The first thing that grabs you is how close the game play, and look, is to SF2. Its like playing the game you remember, but it has been polished to within an inch of its life. This thing looks stunning, and when an ultra combo is pulled off the camera zooms into the fighters face and then pans out to show the move off in amazing 3d.

When the developers were testing the game they had a new hit detection model, but the playtesters didn't think it felt right so they retuned the whole system to work like the old rectangular hit boxes used in SF2. Those guys really love SF2 and its fans. They have made this game with them in mind, and if you could pull off dragon punches and sonic booms in SF2 you will be instantly at home here. The move list is very similar to earlier games, and the charge back, forwards, punch for Guiles sonic boom or quarter circle punch for the Ryu hadouken are all there.

Oh, and did I mention the game is hard as nails. I consider myself a fairly good gamer, but I have found beating Seth, even on medium, a massive challenge. Don't get me wrong, this is not a complaint but more a compliment and a nod to the developers for having the stones not to fall into the trap of the casual gamer. Casual gamers will still love it, and get great pleasure throwing fire balls and doing special moves, but the hardcore players will get the real benefit. This is a HC gamers paradise, they will learn insane combos and know the animation frames for each move. New comers and casual gamers will be destroyed by the elite. Online this is no place for button mashers. It is like a baptism of fire, but practice makes perfect and after your first few hours, and some time in the training arena, it all starts to come together.

If you can afford it, I would strongly suggest you pick up the official guide by Prima games. It has invaluable information for both beginners and experts and could give you the edge.

This is stupidly addictive, and for those patient enough to commit it will bring pleasure for months and years to come. Only time will tell if this is to be a classic, but the signs are good.

SCORE 9/10