MARK OUT OF 10

GRAPHICS = 9

GAME PLAY = 10

REPLAY VALUE = 10

OVERALL = 9.5

REVIEW

The Champion of the beat-em up genre returns with a bang, with its first outing onto the next generation consoles (Xbox 360 & PS3). Street Fighter fans had been waiting for years for a true sequel to be released only to be disappointed year after year. Then the answer to their prayers, Capcom released a short teaser trailer in 2008. The trailer itself was very strange taking the form of Ink bleed art style, don't get me wrong the trailer looked cool and got the beat-em up world all hyped up for it. Then came the first screenshots of the game in action, but the fans didn't react positively instead bemoaning the fact that the game appeared in 3D. The fans feared a EX series (Street Fighter EX1, EX2 AND EX3) type of game, the EX Street fighter games where very slow and in 3D. So the fans of the game where all in tears, then came hope in that the game would feature 2.5D basically the characters would be in full 3D but the game would play in a 2D perspective. Slowly and surely the Street Fighter fan base began to tick again to the sound of Street Fighter IV, fans began watching the games production religiously and starting counting the days of a arcade release (console port wasn't confirmed as of then). The game was then released in arcades in Japan and it was pure magic, it was as if you where playing Street Fighter II but yet you where playing IV. The game removed the baggage it collected over the years such as Parries from Street Fighter III, it stuck to the traditional gameplay of SFII but added new features such as Focus Attack and Ultra Combo.

Now the game was then announced for home consoles (Xbox 360 & PS3) and a PC port was to follow. The console port wasn't a straight port as 4 exclusive characters where added Cammy, Gen, Fei-Long and Dan along with the playable bosses Akuma, Gouken and Seth. Now I just received my Xbox 360 version of the game on the 19th of Feb, 1 day before release and what can I say the game plays flawlessly. The graphics of the game instead of going for real life graphics such as Tekken, the game instead adopted a Japanese art-style it's as if you playing through a comic book on the screen. The stages look brilliant and the characters done up nicely in 3D even if they are steroid induced are all recognisable. Seeing a Street Fighter game in full 1080p is truly a sight to behold there's 1 thing watching the game being played and another playing it yourself on your television set at home. As for gameplay the game runs so smoothly all character move sets are displayed in the pause menu in an arcade style if you wish to see how to perform any move. There is a nice variety of game modes such as Arcade, VS., Multiplayer (locally and globally), challenge and so fourth. This makes the replay value of this game shoot through the roof, in Street Fighter IV player vs. player is where its at the only real reason you will play through arcade is to unlock secret characters and practice. Yes, the game is accessible for new players offering character move-sets and challenge and training modes to increase your skill level. Overall the game is a 9.5/10 because it does everything right, it would have been a 10/10 but the last boss Seth is broken and will cause many a curse words to be uttered through the walls of your home.

A must buy for old and newcomers alike.