Super Street Fighter IV Review: Iron Fist

“Super Street Fighter IV” is out, did you get your copy?  If you’re asking yourself what makes “Super Street Fighter IV” so super, we’ll break it down for you:

• 2 new characters: Korean fighter Juri, and Turkish Oil Wrestler Hakan
• 8 returning from previous series
• Custom graphical updates for those of you bought the game before and access to your purchased costumes (sumi brush overlay and cross-hatching overlay)
• Remixed audio soundtracks for each character (unlock-able)
• Improved online support and modes with Super Championship Mode on the way (for free)
• A reduced price of $39.99, slightly tweaked characters that once had too much of an upper hand
• New and updated stages
• Breaking the barrels and the car
• That new game smell

That sums it up and perhaps you can find greater rationale to upgrade but rest assured that everything that was in “Street Fighter IV” is here; if not slightly tweaked.  The challenge modes have been toned down in this version, opting out the Time Trial and Survival modes for the barrel and car bonus stages from previous “Street Fighter” games. 

Perhaps you can attest to the benefit/disadvantages of this change, but I for one will not botch over them.  One could easily look at this as fan service since so many gamers asked for the return of the old bonus stages after the release of “Street Fighter IV.”  For the online mode, new modes of play have been added that focus on group play.  In a way the Endless Mode replaces Survival mode from the previous game.

The trials mode was adjusted a little too.  Now, you can complete any of the 24 trials for each character at your own leisure - jumping to harder trials before completing easier ones.  Completing all of Trial mode will still be a buttonhole for some.  Users have already completed them over in Asia, so we have some catching up to do.  As a matter of fact some of us are still trying to complete all the hard trials in the first “Street Fighter IV” game. 

A lot of argument was raised about the Trial mode and it’s use in actual battles, but they do come in handy when you want to earn a sagacious understanding of “Street Fighter IV”‘s combo and cancel system.  At the same time, it forces you to explore things about the game that you otherwise wouldn’t through regular/online play. 

Anyone can still pick up the game and play though arcade and versus modes.  When you go online, you might still find a blitzkrieg of Ryu, Ken, or Akuma players breathing down your neck.  However, this time around, gamers may take a chance on using other characters because of one of the trophies in the game.  The trophy in question requires that you level up all your characters to C Rank via online play to earn it.  

Unlike “Street Fighter IV,” your battle points are now tracked on a per character basis, enforcing the opportunity to earn this trophy.  With a large roster of 35 characters, you can expect to be playing this game for sometime if you plan on earning the trophies or leveling up each character.  This system is somewhat like “Tekken 5″ and “Tekken 6″‘s ranking system.  Earning points online is no easy feat as it will take many hours and high levels of dedication. 

New to the online modes are Endless Battle, Team Battle, Tournament and the Replay Channel.  Endless Battle is a sort of survival type mode that you can customize.  The only difference is that you play against users online.  You can also use Endless Mode to set up your one on one bouts with friends; something that isn’t too obvious in the games User Interface (UI).  While playing endless mode, the game will switch up your position on screen - winners will take up preferred sides (left or right).  So if you have problems doing dragon punches on the right or left side, it’s time for you to practice.  

Team Battle works a lot like the battle system for “Tekken 6″ online but this one is done better. Since the net code used for “Street Fighter IV” is more stable than “Tekken”s’, it shines.  Even though you earn battle points on a per character basis, the game will also track something called Player Points that displays your overall level online.  All online modes will give you the chance to procure player points with the exception of replay mode.  The game also makes it easier for you to unlock icons and titles much more easier by playing all the different modes.  Most of them are not tied to the Trial mode this time around.

Tournament mode gives you the chance to host or join a room, which can hold up to 8 players at time.  You can set the game to randomly pick teams or the host can manage which users are on which teams.  The match up is simple – one player from a team battles another, and if he/she wins, that player takes on the next teams member.  Members can request who goes first, second, third, etc. between the two teams.  If you lose, you can request that your position for playing remains (kind of like “I got next” for those of who use to go to arcades) by hitting the select button.  Several users can request the same position and at that point it becomes random again.

There is one change to the UI has been updated a little and perhaps this is a personal quirk on my part, but the little icons that notify others about your mood, after/before a battle, have been completely removed.  It’s such a small thing but for some reason I miss the little icons.  Maybe Capcom should re-think this?  It was such a small thing but it gave the UI something that this one doesn’t have without them.

When you first start off the game, some of the features found in the ”Street Fighter IV” will be off.  In particular, you won’t be able to switch the region language for individual characters until certain conditions are met.  The entire roster will be available to you from the start though.  All the costumes you may have purchased from the previous game will also be turned on.  The assortment of colors that you choose from the default line up has expanded.  Expect to see colors that take on deeper, darker, and sometimes much brighter tones. 

I’m not so sure about the cross-hatch overlay effect that you can turn on for characters but the enhanced Sumi-Brush effect looks cool and gives the each fighter a more dramatic appearance.  The music was also updated, and in the case of Cody’s hip-hop soundtrack, that remind us that Capcom listens to their fans.   You can also open up the option to have remixed versions of each song play during bouts, which in my opinion sound much better than the default tracks.  To quote a friend online, “Cody’s remixed track is dope.”  The tracks are specific to the opponent that you are fighting if you turn on the remix option.  Perhaps this is a Capcom relay to those fans who asked for more hard bass tracks in ”Street Fighter IV”?  Whatever the case, this mix is much better this time around.

The new characters thrown into the mix of the existing roster make for some interesting play and of the best line-ups in a “Street Fighter” game.  Among the added characters are T. Hawk and Dee Jay, who were slated for “Street Fighter IV” originally.  Adon from the first ”Street Fighter” game and Cody and Guy from “Final Fight” have also made their way into the frying pan.  For “Street Fighter III” fans, Dudley, Ibuki and Makoto return to keep it real.  Cody has already taken on the popular spot as I’ve noticed that he is quite popular online.  Expect to fight him a lot.  Previous combo systems will not apply for these returning characters though since they all adopt the “Street Fighter IV” combo system.

There are some new stages added in this game as well. The Africa stage is perhaps the best looking stage in a “Street Fighter” game – hands down.  This one level does a very cool transition from light to dark as a solar eclipse occurs in the background.  There’s a tone of activity going on in this stage with the local denizens (the above image doesn’t do it justice).  Other stages added include a construction roof stop stage, in which you can spot Hugo in the background.  There is also a new stage for Dhalism and one returning stage from the Alpha series.  Some of the stages from “Street Fighter IV” also got a minor presentation updates. 

While the above two players (the two top players in the world) prove that anything can happen in this game, I can hardly begin to believe that the game itself is truly balanced.   Perhaps it’s my personal idea of what balanced is that causes that reaction but it’s up for debate.  Some characters will just have that extra edge for trapping, gate, and kara techniques.  Sakura can still keep you posted in the corner like the school dunce and the damage dished out by Zangief users will hurt so bad that your eyes will bleed from the demented damage he deals to your life bar.

If you pay close attention to the affect moves have on your life bar you may find something interesting.  Now, ultras do less damage when your opponents life lowers to a certain point on the gauge.  Players can take even greater advantage of the Revenge system in this way as ultras have a nasty habit of powering up the revenge meter expeditiously.  You can expect to see some intriguing comebacks. 

You might be hard pressed to upgrade to the new version of “Street Fighter IV” but the reduced $39.99 price, added features, modes, new roster, remixed sound tracks and stages make it attractive.  For fans of the series, it’s a no-brain-er purchase.  All the new additions make for an even better “Street Fighter” game and it’s obvious that this version is everything that the first game should have been.

Rating:
 
“Super Street Fighter IV” was developed and published by Capcom for the Xbox 360 and PS3 on April 27, 2010. This review is based on the PS3 version of the game.

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