Street Fighter IV Review

Robust and challenging single-player modes, strong online multiplayer, and gorgeous visuals make this a must-have for any fighter fan.
Fighting game fans that don't have access to a current-gen console have been waiting for Street Fighter IV for a long time. Capcom's high-profile fighter continues a nearly twenty year tradition and it has finally hit the PC landscape, following a rather successful romp on the PS3 and 360. It's obvious that each iteration of the long-running Street Fighter series has been carefully tuned and tweaked to the finest degree, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Street Fighter IV. The lessons learned in the franchise's 20-plus years have been used to prune back the core fighting experience to create something truly special. Street Fighter IV is a resounding success not only because it's one of the most technically complex 2D fighters ever made, but also because it's also wrapped inside a layer of absolute accessibility. Never has the old "A minute to learn, a lifetime to master" adage been truer than it is here. Street Fighter IV is a great title and one of the most enjoyable fighting games u could have played in the past few years. The result is a game that plays very much like a purified, simple fighter -- but with several modern enhancements to enrich the combat. If you've been playing Street Fighter for years, this game will feel like an old friend. If you're completely new to the scene, Street Fighter IV is a great place to start.

BASIC GAMEPLAY
Street Fighter has traditionally been a game focused on one-on-one combat on a 2D plane. Over the years, the roster has evolved and various tweaks have been made to the formula, but

the core components remain to this day. Street Fighter IV lets you select a character and square off against another warrior in the ring. Each character has a variety of normal attacks and Special Moves to take advantage of. The Street Fighter fundamentals have remained consistent over the years; your job is to knock out the other guy or gal. All 12 of the classic world warriors-Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Blanka, E. Honda, Zangief, Guile, Dhalsim, Balrog, Vega, Sagat, and M. Bison-are back and playable from the outset, and they're joined by six brand-new and diverse characters.Each character has its own style,different normal and special finishing moves giving game a sleek and diversified look But the actual gameplay boils down to a balance between raw physical skill and the mind games that play out between players. There are plenty of modes to play into. Like there is training mode where you can even record your own actions for your sparring partner and play them back to suit your needs, but Street Fighter IV also boasts a suite of Challenge modes. Most interesting among the Challenges -which include typical Survival and Time Attack offerings -- is the Trial mode, which actually teaches you introductory and advanced combos for every character. If you're curious about what Special Moves cancel into what else, or how to set yourself up for an Ultra Combo, Trial is a brilliant place to start. This mode is evidence that Capcom wanted Street Fighter IV to appeal to a new generation of gamers -- players previously unversed in the intricacies of the series.

GAMEPLAY FEATURES
SFIV addresses this in three ways. First, the frame windows for combination attacks have been greatly increased, making it much easier to pull off short two- and three-hit attacks. Street Fighter Alpha tried something similar, of course, and was slightly too generous with its allowances for chain combinations here, it s balanced perfectly, to the point that a string of specific moves will work where simple buttonmashing won t. It s in combination with the second major change that this comes to the fore, however: special moves are now much easier to pull off. The inputs are the same as ever, but SFIV is generous in its interpretation of your intentions, and much less fiddly. Each characters has its own set of special moves, finishing moves like some has spinning fireball, some has body NEW MOVES:---One of the newest systems in Street Fighter IV is the Focus system, which allows a character to charge up an attack that will knock an opponent down if it connects properly. For a beginner, the Focus Attack isn't necessarily needed to win. He or she could simply rely on the traditional assortment of fireballs and dragon punches to get by and have a good time doing it. But if the Focus Attack seems appealing, performing it is a piece of cake -- just hold down both Medium Punch and Medium Kick together and charge it up. With a simple input, the player now has access to an attack that adds another layer to the combat. But that's not all there is to the Focus system. Players who want to dig even deeper into the technical elements of it all will learn that the Focus Attack can also absorb a single oncoming strike without being interrupted. Although you take damage for the absorption, that damage will heal given time. In this way, the Focus Attack becomes a defensive technique as well as an offensive one and offers even more strategy for players to consider. And there's even more. You can also cancel a Focus Attack mid-charge by dashing out of it, which can help you play tricks on your opponent. Or, you can expend a portion of your Super meter (which I'll touch on shortly) to cancel a Special Move directly into a Focus Attack.

HUD ELEMENTS:--There are a number of other systems in Street Fighter IV that players can keep track of. There are two meters that can be used during a match: the Super meter and the Ultra meter. The Super meter fills as you land attacks and fight normally, while the Ultra meter (or Revenge gauge) builds up as you take damage. You can use the Super meter to execute Super Combos, which are elaborate attacks that can be chained together with normal techniques for some spectacular combinations. On the other hand, you can use the Ultra meter to perform Ultra Combos, which are more cinematic, devastating attacks that can turn the tide of battle in your favor. Once again, these systems can be enjoyed on a number of levels. You can -- for the most part -- ignore them if you wish, or you can just wait for your meters to be filled and then attempt a Super/Ultra Combo. But if you're interested in even more technical applications, you can use a quarter of your Super meter to perform Ex versions of Special Moves, which generally strike in different ways than the normal versions. Street Fighter IV is a real blast to play. It's easy to see that plenty of effort was put into balancing and fine-tuning the game, as every match runs beautifully and controls tightly. Obviously some characters are stronger than others, as has been the case with the series for years now, but a truly skilled player can still take a weak character and do some impressive things in the ring -- much to the dismay of his or her opponent

GRAPHICS DESIGN
Although I was hesitant regarding the muscle-filled art style of Street Fighter IV, I eventually grew to like it, which helped me see the game's character models in a much different light. The animation of each character is fluid and some of the effects for projectiles and Ultra Combos are breath-taking. Street Fighter IV is a very good-looking game and I'm happy that Capcom went with the 3D models. I'm also equally happy that the gameplay is still on a 2D plane, even though the game's visuals are all 3D. This

allows for some impressive camera work during Ultra Combo execution that enhances the rush of a narrow victory against a skilled opponent.

Video/Audio
Street Fighter IV's visual presentation is outstanding. The art style appears a lot more adult this time around, swapping the bright Saturday-morning kids' cartoon looks of previous games for large, menacing characters with bulging muscles and environments with more muted colour palettes. The game's pseudo-cel-shaded character-art style uses thick black borders and splattered ink to great effect, while fast, fluid animation sees your favourite fighters dance across the screen with grace. Long hair flows and trails, facial expressions contort and grimace as you deal blows, and eyes bulge as opponents see an ultra attack successfully executed. Battle environments are a mix of old and new, reinventing favourites such as Guile's airbase tarmac, Blanka's jungle walkways, and Chun-Li's marketplace alleyway. New environments include a secret science laboratory, a highway underpass, a classic martial-arts dojo, and the rim of an active volcano. Audio is a particular high point in SFIV, and though the J-pop soundtrack and cheesy intro theme will be driven into your head within minutes, it's also worth mentioning the subtle environmental effects that go otherwise unheard in the heat of battle. The cheers of crowds, the rattle of old trains, and the barking of dogs in alleys all help create a genuine sense of immersion. Purists are even given the option to choose between Japanese and English voice-overs during cutscenes and as characters enter the ring.

Release dates and requirements

Game has already been released on PC ,Xbox360,PS3 in mid of 2009. If u r thinking to play it on pc u must have following minimum pc configuration:Minimum Pc System Configuration OS: Windows XP ,Vista,7 CPU: Intel Pentium 4 2.0GHz or higher RAM: 1 GB or higher HDD(hard disk space): 10 GB of free space or more Video Card: DirectX 9.0c/Shader3.0 or higher compatible, NVIDIA GeForce 6600 series, ATI Radeon(TM) X1600 or higher or higher, VRAM :256MB or higher Sound: DirectSound compatible, DirectX 9.0c (or higher) compatible Input Devices: Mouse, Keyboard (Game is more fun to play on 360 dualshock gamepad)

CLOSING COMMENTS
Street Fighter IV is a great game overall and Capcom should be commended for designing a game that can work on so many levels by appealing to both casual and hardcore players. Street
Fighter is now more about planning your attacks and responding to your opponent rather than worrying about whether you can physically accomplish what you want to. Never been able to pull off an EX spinning piledriver? You will now. Allied to the increased ease of combination attacks, it puts seriously damaging strings of moves within the reach of the average player and places the tactical depth that is the real genius of the series firmly within reach of all, rather than just the elite. The Good
y y y y

Gorgeous character models, animations, and background art Comprehensive multiplayer modes Accessible but nuanced gameplay Plenty of replay value for completionists.

The Bad
y

Online play suffers if either fighter's connection is slow

Keyboard controls works, but arcade sticks or gamepads are preferred.

Street Fighter IV will welcome you with open arms, whether you're a lapsed fan concerned that you've been out of the loop for too long or you're dipping your toes for the first time. Amazing presentation, intricate and enjoyable fighting gameplay, and long-term appeal with online play make this a must-have. Street Fighter IV is undoubtedly one of the finest examples of the fighting genre in this generation.

GAMER REVIEWS(out of 10)

Presentation 8.0 Generally well-polished and clean. Anime cutscenes, however could have been much better --should have been replaced with in-engine storytelling. Otherwise presentation while batteling is awesome. Graphics 8.5 This is a sharp, elegant and well-animated affair. I'm still amazed at how fireballs look in this game. Sound 8.5 Plenty of slick tunes to complement the fighting, with a sweet J-pop song serving as the main theme. Gameplay 9.0 Street Fighter IV is a wonderful step for the franchise as it -- in most cases -- returns to the roots of the series. Gameplay gets deeper with practice. Lasting Appeal 8.5 Plenty of unlockables keeps single-player sessions rewarding. Playing against like-minded Street Fighter junkies will keep the game relevant for a while, if the awful online community beefs up. Overall game gets 9.0 which is incredibly good so in the category of must play.

TRAILER
Watch official trailer of Street Fighter 4 on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uOt-XmNrQw HOW to GET a LEGITIMATE COPY

From net u can order it from ebay.in(at very reasonable rates and quick delivery easy way to get any game) , gamestop.com If u r not interested in bying a new one and spending so much money u can go to olx.in and see there if there is a game on sale at heavy discounts in any part of country.

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