So I rented Street Fighter IV last night, and got around to checking it out today. Its pretty good, and I want to purchase it.
It plays a lot like SFII. It has the exact same original cast from the start (8 characters and 4 bosses), and also has 4 new characters, which unfortunately suck. One new guy is a fat slob, and his stomach disgustingly jiggles about as he fights, moves, or just stands still. Theres some lady who doesnt really have much going for her except that shes in a business suit. Then theres a French guy, but he talks so low you cant hear a word he says. I dont know if its supposed to be that, or if its a glitch in the game, but either way he doesnt stand out. The last guy is very unique…its a fast Mexican luchador, but he also likes cooking. Very odd. Oh yeah, theres also a new boss. Hes kinds interesting…he looks like Doctor Manhattan/Silver Surfer, and he has the powers of all the SF characters. Thus, he has long-range limb attacks like Dsalsim, sonic booms like Guile, and magical uppercuts like Ken and Ryu. As you play through, you can unlock new characters, which seem to be old characters from SFIII.
The controls are the same as in SFII. The game is still side-scroller-esque (no running around 360 like in Soul Cailbur) and the moves for the old characters are exactly the same. It took some getting used to with the PS3 controller, because Im used to the six-button controller I used for SFII on my Sega Genesis. But still, they didnt change that around, and added in a super duper move which I guess is kinda like a finisher. As you fight, your bar goes up, and once it hits the peak, you can perform a special move.
The graphics are amazing. The stages look good, and the characters look great. That is, most of them do, except Chun-Li. The internet jokes were right…her hands really are freakishly big. I dont know whats up with that. In fact, all the characters are very much buffed out and appear to be on steroids, but its weird to see Chun-Li like that.
So I gave the online matches a try, even though I expected to get my butt kicked. There are ranked and unranked matches. I tried to get into a ranked match, but stopped after ten attempts. Whenever I clicked on a match to join, it was suddenly no longer available. So then I tried for unranked matches, and I got in on my second try. I also tried making my own match up myself, and got someone to join me within ten seconds. So it seems that creating your own matches is the easiest way to get a game going.
Overall, the online gameplay was fine. I experienced no lag or anything else that would frustrate me. The game offers voice chat which is always a must. I lost my first match, and won my second. Its interesting, and I would like to play more as I get better at the game.
It was a very good game, and a real throwback for me, taking me back to my favorite fighting game. Im really tempted to run out and buy this game, because it really is wonderfully done. It is definitely next on my list, after I snag Sacred 2. If you used to love Street Fighter II back in the day, then this game is a must-have. Its a blast to play.
