Street Fighter IV
Preview
Ready to battle it out?
by Professor Layton
previewed on PS3
Gameplay
Though the actual gameplay is set on a traditional 2D plane, the fighters and backgrounds have all been rendered in 3D. Occasionally though, the camera angle will change in order to make an event more dramatic. Seeing as Street Fighter IV is an interquel rather than a direct sequel, the game will omit the parry system introduced in Street Fighter III and introduce an entirely new concept to the series referred to as ‘Focus Attacks’.
Focus Attacks consist of two phases and enable a player to absorb an attack and launch a massive counterattack. The first phase involves shifting a character into a new stance thus enabling them to absorb an attack. The second and final stage is the counterattack in which the longer a player holds down the medium punch and kick buttons, the more devastating the attack will be executed. If the buttons are held for a long enough period of time, the opponent will slowly fall to the ground. Attacks that were absorbed during the first phase still damage a character; however, life lost from an opponent’s attack will be acquired afterwards.
Though the statements discussed above basically describe what the focus attacks are all about, there are still a few things worth mentioning. For starters, by sacrificing half of your special meter, many special moves can be converted into focus attacks. When a focus attack is executed during a special move, the animation of the move will end and jump immediately into a focus attack.
Returning from previous Street Fighter games are super attacks, also referred to as super combos. Besides this, the game boasts a new concept referred to as ultra combos. Similar to super attacks, ultra combos are executed by using three attack buttons. Just as there is a super combo meter which fills as you inflict damage on a foe, there is an ultra combo meter that rises as you receive damage from a foe.
Head-to-Head
As with Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, Street Fighter IV will incorporate online play. Besides traditional fights, Capcom is looking into micro transactions in order for players to purchase downloadable content such as characters and stages. According to the producer of the game, Yoshinori Oni, the ball is in Capcom’s court about downloadable content.
Now what is a fighting game without an all-star cast of characters? All eight of the original World Warriors will be returning to the streets to fight, as well as a slew of brand new characters; like Rufus, a fighter that is determined to beat Ken and become the greatest fighter in the United States. Also making debuts are Crimson Viper, a female spy from America and Abel, a French martial artist, among many others.
Worth the Wait?
After a decade of waiting, Street Fighter fans finally get what they have been waiting for – the next numbered installment in the series. Come early next year, gamers around the globe will be able to hit the streets and battle it out head-to-head online to see who truly is the best ‘Street Fighter’. In order to toughen-up for the big brawl early next year, why not haul out some old Street Fighter games. Even if you don’t own any, you can always download one via the PSN, Xbox Live Arcade or the Wii Shop Channel. Whatever you choose, you had best be ready for the big fight in 2009.
