Street Fighter has returned for its generational debut in Street Fighter V with hopes of reclaiming the status of best brawler on the block. The fighting is defiantly an improvement from the last iteration with a huge emphasis on the fundamentals, but outside of fighting there is next to nothing in terms of content.
The bread and butter for any fighting game is of course the combat and how well it’s executed. Street Fighter V does a fantastic job of weaving together creative fighters with intuitive move sets while creating a challenging, yet balanced fighting system. Veteran players will instantly notice that the V-trigger system is a welcomed replacement for focus attacks from Street fighter IV
V-triggers, and the actions associated with them, vary from fighter to fighter. Allowing characters to cover a specific niche pervious left exposed or providing temporary power ups or special moves. EX moves and ultras, now known as critical arts, make a return with a greater balance and shortened special meter. Along with a considerable rehaul on move inputs there is a lot of new to learn here, but it never strays too far from the classic Street Fighter formula. Despite the fighting being some of the best the genre has to offer sadly Street Fighter V fails to deliver on anything else.
The new visuals get the job done. They are crisp and the animation pop, but there isn’t much to see. Street Fighter V feels more like a bare bones beta than a complete AAA title. While online networking works without a hitch the lack of matchmaking options are disappointing. The user interface is also a major problem. You have to pick your favorite fighter, which will be the only fighter you will be allowed to play with in online matches. To play with a different character you are required to exit to the main menu and pick an all-new favorite. Other navigational missteps make for a constant annoyance that could have been easily avoided.
The biggest blunder for though is that the story, modes, and fighters are all gradually being released over time. You only have 16 fighters at lunch, which isn’t bad but when compared to past titles is a letdown. Challenge mode won’t be available until after the free update in March so you’ll have to wait to discover those new links you never knew existed. While the story mode boils down to about five minutes of a prequel fights for each character with the complete stories being updated in June. It is refreshing that players will not be required to purchases these additions, yet it is still frustrating to be subjected to these time gates.
Street Fighter is still the epitome of fighting games with great fighting mechanics and depth, but the tickle of content and navigation make it feel like an unfinished project. This series’ fifth entry will undoubtedly be the best fighting game of this year, but for now it’s still training.
