Customer Reviews

Street Fighter IV GH

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(27)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

If you are intermediate or elite players and love SF II and good at it, then go for it. You can skip my review.

BUT if you are casual players, like me, and you didn't plan on training hard, please read my review and think carefully before buying this game.

Pros:
- Graphics and animations are top-notch.
- If you like SF II, this one goes back to the old formula and add some new tweaks into the battle system.

Cons:
- If you were forced to stick with only a few characters like Ryu or Ken back in your SF II days, that situation is coming back. Ryu, Ken, Sakura are easy enough to master all the moves. Others are useable (means casual players would be able to do some moves, but not all). But for many of them, most of the special moves are impossible for casual players to pull off effectively in the heat of the battle (ie. Vega). And the Ultimate move of some characters (ie. Akuma, Chun Li) are nightmares.

- If you couldn't use the special moves well enough, then casual players might end up with just a few useable character from 25 of them (or half of them, with some practices and a sore left thumb). And you wouldn't stand a chance even against Medium opponents on Arcade mode with the characters you can't use well. Let alone going online to be a sand-bag for those elite players. And $[...] for a game that you could only having fun with less than half of the character rosters, it's the money not very well spent.

- Controls can be too sensitive for casual players to do even some basic moves. For example, a split-second longer can turn command 'UP' into 'UP UP'. When you hold left and then quickly press right, if your left thumb is not precisely hit the RIGHT directional pad, you'd end up with 'DOWN+RIGHT' or 'UP+RIGHT' instead of 'RIGHT'. All these ridiculous sensitivity issues can really be annoying and ruin your moves.

- Practice mode doesn't help much. You can practice with the dummy, but there's no advice or video to show you the timing or even what the moves should look like. You're on your own. All the moves and combos must be done respectively, no skipping. If you get stuck with any move, you can't advance to the next.


This I'm not sure if I'm right or wrong, and it's not pro or con. But the difficulty level seems to be set higher. Medium level can be tough. Even on Easiest, computer can still put up a fight.


In conclusion:
I give this game 3.5 stars. Casual player might want to think hard before paying a full price.

I'm trying not to be nitpicking here. I like the characters and moves. But as a casual player who likes to enjoy ALL, or at least, most of special and ultimate moves of EVERY characters after some amount of trials, without losing my head and my left thumb, I find this game quite frustrating. For me, Marvel VS Capcom, Capcom VS SNK, or Guilty Gear are a lot more fun.

However, elite players may find this game fun and challenging and give it 5 stars, and they're not wrong either.

Someday it might go down to $[...], when that happens, everybody should pick this game up just for the sake of its phenominal graphics alone. But for now, rent it first, see if you're up to the challenge.

This game is a ton of fun. However, should you want to play with the extra characters in the upcoming, revamped Super Street Fighter IV, you might want to think about holding off on your purchase for a while. Super will NOT be a DLC add-on but a new disc-based version, so you'll have to re-buy the game to get Super. Further, Super will probably launch at below the standard $59.99. Food for thought....Fight!!

In my opinion, this is not only the best Street Fighter game but it is perhaps the best Capcom fighting game ever made and that is saying a lot because Capcom has probably made more fighting games than any other video game company (SNK is an exception). I think that this game is better than Street Fighter 2 because it improves on it in every way. It has 3D backgrounds and characters and 2D gameplay. You even have lots of spoken character diologue which is missing from any other street fighter game that I've ever played. I like the addition of EX Special moves which are actually pretty easy to pull off. Super combos are nothing new but the Ultra combos look very cool and powerful; this is one of the greatest new features that the game offers. The many different game modes are interesting, especially the versus mode. Versus Mode is a one player friendly mode because you don't need two people to play the mode. You can actually pick who you want to fight against at any time just like in Soul Calibur 4 versus mode. This is great for when you get tired of playing the arcade mode, don't have anybody to play with, or simply don't want to play it because of the final boss Seth. He can become a major headache and he is very cheap but still an interesting boss. He actually gets a lot harder if you manage to beat him in a round. In the next round after you beat him he has a whole new more powerful moves list so anybody playing against him better be careful. The Trial mode can also be hard because many of the moves that you have to do are hard to pull off with the standard controller. Custom configuration is a great thing that was added to this game and it makes some moves easier to do. Street Fighter 3, Street Fighter Alpha games, Marvel vs. Capcom games and Capcom vs. SNK games have nothing on SF4 either. This is defenantly one of the best fighting games of the current consoles.

This is an excellent and well designed and balanced game. I'm a huge fan of Street Fighter II and of the Alpha games. And Street Fighter IV seems to be a perfect melding of what I like about the two. The original, fleshed out and iconic characters of SF2 have melded with simple, but deep gameplay that is filled with variety.

There are plenty of features in the game as well. Versus mode gives you the choice to play versus a local player, the computer or to watch. Training mode is a handy way to brush up on your skill outside of the intense combat of arcade and versus mode. And challenge mode gives you something to shoot for as far as goals & trophies are concerned.

To be honest, the only problems I had with this game are some slightly annoying load times before a match, and the desire for a few more bells & whistles. Things like a more fleshed out story mode and a memorable final boss (not counting Gouken, Ryu & Ken's master) would have been much better. And I love anime, but the animated cut scenes are horrible and it would have looked much better if they did that stuff in engine, like they did with the cutscenes during the rival battle and before you fight the final boss.

Of all the defining video games that I grew up playing, the one that bears the most relevance to me is Street Fighter II. It's what introduced me to fighting games, as well as many others, and still defines what 2-D fighting is today. All these years later, Capcom unleashes Street Fighter IV, which combines all the old school elements you know and love with a glossy, next-gen look and feel; and the end result is one of the absolute best fighting games on the market right now. Very accessible yet deep and complex, Street Fighter IV brings back all twelve warriors from Street Fighter II, and throws in six new ones as well, including a powerful end boss. The first thing you'll notice when powering up the game is that there is some seriously stylish animation and absolutely gorgeous, flowing graphics. In fact, for a 2-D game, the overall presentation is a pure work of art in itself that looks and plays better than most current 3-D fighters. The single-player mode is fun, but the real meat and potatoes of Street Fighter IV lie in the online multiplayer modes, even if it is occasionally laggy. There's also unlockable fan favorite fighters like Akuma, Sakura, Cammy, and even Dan; all of which combines to offer a ton of replay value. All in all, Street Fighter IV is a pure blast that you will enjoy for a good, long time; and is right now the best current fighting game on the market, and it wholeheartedly deserves your attention whether you're a longtime fan of the long running series or a newcomer.

What a comeback by Street Fighter. I have always been a fan since the arcade days and then SNES and subsequent versions that came out on PC's and PS2. This tops the lot of them in terms of graphics as its redone in HD and looks superb with a very natural 3D/2D style of fighting. Superb detail in characters and fighting arenas - looks excellent on a HD TV.

All the old characters with their old moves are still there but now you have special combos and ex special combos and revenege attacks - brilliant. The on-line feature is a great bonus aswell which means the game keeps its playability and boredom doesn't set in just like the Arcade days when you'd get "Challanged" one after another. There's training mode to hone your fighting skills and get back up again to have another go. If you were a fan of the game or in fact of the fighting genre - this is a must have. Time to stop being a family man and be a kid all over again.

Street Fighter fanatics and fighting game aficionados should already own this game.

The only real question is whether you, the casual gamer, should also give this game a try.

What kind of casual fan are you?

Are you the kind who spent hours playing Street Fighter 2 in arcades, on SNES, or Sega Genesis 15+ years ago? If so, feel free to pick up right where you left off, throwing hadoukens, sonic booms, and spinning bird kicks just like you used to. All your favorite World Warriors are present and accounted for, and their classic moves have been reborn in an intriguing new 3D art style. At 60 fps, the game is truly a sight to be seen. Online Youtube videos simply don't do this thing justice.

But, what about casual gamers who've never played a Street Fighter game in their lives? Will this game be worth your time and money? That depends entirely on you...

Because with Street Fighter (and any fighting game, really) you get what you give. Initially, the game may seem difficult or foreign...but with time you improve and start to understand the nuances of the game. Eventually, what you once considered difficult will become second nature. And, by playing against friends both locally and online, you will have plenty of opportunities to hone your craft (and have fun in the process).

In this regard, replay value is nearly infinite. Because, even after you beat arcade/story mode, watch all the fully animated cut scenes, unlock all 9 hidden characters, complete challenge mode, and earn every achievement, you STILL have the main attraction to look forward to...versus mode. And, as long as there are willing warriors on the horizon, there will always be stuff to do...

...that is, if you're willing to put a little time into it.

This is the best Street Fighter that I have played since Street Fighter II Turbo.
The game is designed around an anime theme, which makes sense given the cartoons that were a spinoff of the series. The art is beautiful, but the stories are campy and weird in the classic style of the game.
The controls are awesome. I was usually very frustrated with pulling off special moves from previous installments, but now they are much easier to execute. I am not sure if that is a testament to the genius of the Six Axis controller or if it has something to do with the programming. Whatever it is, it works. I am pleased.
The matchmaking online is perfect. You can set up the arcade game to accept invitations from players outside and your game will be interrupted like the old arcade style: "There is a new challenger..." I like this a lot. It's like someone has come up to the arcade cabinet and dropped their quarters in. It is nice for me because I have nobody else to play with. It's a perfect addition. This function can be turned off though, for those who do not want the Arcade challenge interrupted.
There is also a way to simply go on the network and challenge anybody you like, but I think it connects a little faster when you accept the arcade challenge. No complaints, just an observation.
Anyway, trying to find a copy today (the day after release) will be very difficult. It was sold out at most locations I went to yesterday, but I was able to pick up the last copy just before I gave up.
By this game!!!!!!!!
Sweet.

First off, to dramatically improve load time between fights and overall performance you need to install this game to the ps3 hardrive(not default behavior)
Goto -> "Options" -> "System Settings" -> "Install - improves load times to 2-3 seconds.

PROS
- very nostalgic and all moves you knew from the arcade still work in sf4
- the graphics are amazing in HD and really bring the game to life
- new focus attacks, special/ultra combos add new life to series
- many more new characters to learn, master, play with
- very balanced gameplay
- playing with friends online w/ mic support is awesome and seamless
- fun, addicting ranking system online
- challenge modes offer unique play

CONS
- cut scenes are ridiculous and should be avoided
- unlocking characters is hard and cumbersome(there should be more than one way to unlock characters...based on matches played or something)
- i have a very hard time joining games online(either lots of bad connections, game full, or game error messages)
- no mini-games = not alot of depth(this would have been a nice touch like destroy barrels etc from sf2) would have added more depth to this pure fighter
- top boss very difficult to beat even on "Easy" setting!

Overall a very fun game but it will take practice, practice, practice (casual gamers beware as this game will take practice to learn and master moves, do not expect to pick up this game and own people based on your previous knowledge of sf2). I was frustrated at first too but I waited to review this game until i had put in some practice time and it really pays off and becomes a lot more fun. Great addition to the series.

I've haven't picked up SF in about 14-15 years. I played the game heavily at arcades up to the SF2 Turbo edition, and also played the Genesis and SNES plain-Jane SF2 ports quite a bit as well. I completely missed out on the SF3 generation. That should give one an idea of where I'm coming from.

I felt right at home with this one. Small things like the command to throw have changed, with some new innovations for balance, but overall this is quite an effort on the part of Capcom. A lot of love went into this one. From what I can tell, the game does not favor any one particular fighting style, so if you're a combo man like myself, you should have no problem. A scan of the literature about this game will tell you it's all about balance, balance, balance. Accessible to newcomers, but oldies should adore this as well.

I don't like the boy band music or the cheesy anime cut scenes.