
Boulevard Fighter 6
Street Fighter has earned a reputation as one of the most important fighting game franchises of all time thanks to its recognizable characters and powerful techniques. The release of Street Fighter V was one of the most contentious moments in the franchise’s recent history, but CAPCOM hasn’t always regarded it that way over the years. We had a full-price game back then with very little content. Even though I wouldn’t describe myself as a die-hard Street Fighter fan, it was difficult not to feel insulted at the time. Does Street Fighter Six correct these errors and learn from them? Yes, and then some, I would say at the time of this review.
World Tour, Fighting Ground, and Battle Hub are the three main elements of Street Fighter Six. Before we cover the game’s World Tour mode, which appears to be CAPCOM’s attempt to give Street Fighter Six with hours’ worth of single-player content, let’s first talk about some new features. As a student of Luke, a mixed martial artist with his gym, who takes you on a journey through the streets to teach you the meaning of strength, you have the chance to customize your own unique Street Fighter character in this mode by choosing from a variety of different character customization options. Chapters make up the little open-world RPG experience known as World Tour. You can complete challenges in this mode, find items that give temporary or long-term stat boosts, and fight opponents of varying levels to level up and collect experience. By strengthening your relationship with prominent individuals or meeting predetermined criteria, you can acquire skill points that can be used to a complex skill tree and learn new skills from them. These maneuvers and unlocked fighting stances improve your fighting skills and let you explore more of the overworld, finding new mysteries and rewards. There are times when it seems like Street Fighter Six is just supplying material for the sake of it, and some tasks could feel a little bit like busywork.
Given the simple opening actions, the mode is somewhat geared for beginner players with little experience playing fighting games. Veterans may therefore find it less interesting on a technical level. However, these problems don’t totally take away from the novelty of the World Tour experience as a whole. World Tour in many ways embodies the character you are expected to play in this narrative: a young person with flaws but boundless potential to overcome obstacles. The original idea of employing different fighting moves, such as hurricane kicks or uppercuts, to explore different locations on the map is extremely astounding for a fighting game. Unlocking moves and experimenting with different fighting styles is incredibly exciting. Fighting opponents that are on par with your skill level or below is a good place to start, or you can go all out against high-level opponents. It’s great that, even while Luke’s chores theoretically follow a linear path for story advancement, players are free to take their time completing side objectives and gathering resources first. It all comes down to figuring out what you want to do in this mode, similar to what you want to accomplish as a fighter, and honing your talents to get there.
The fighting arena has vs battles, training, and arcade modes, along with everything you’d expect from classic Street Fighter action. Your standard light, heavy, and medium attacks are tied to particular buttons, and you may perform a variety of maneuvers by pressing certain button combinations. I like Street Fighter Six because it offers a variety of control possibilities. You can choose between a contemporary control setup, a dynamic control system, or a traditional control setup when you set up a match. The current one makes starting and stringing together combos considerably simpler. Dynamic gives you the ability to execute spectacular movements with the push of a button, whilst Classic necessitates more accurate button inputs to execute certain combinations. If you’re a new player, you can remain with the modern control scheme, but I also like how this option allows seasoned players to play however they see fit, exactly like in the earlier games.
Street Fighter Six provides a range of fighting mechanics, from parries to unique finishes, all of which serve different functions, regardless of the control method you select. Depending on the timing of your opponent’s assaults, you may occasionally be able to utilize a finisher to stop their attack. There are numerous ways for each character to get over a certain guard or barricade. All of these combinations are highly enjoyable for both experienced and beginning players. Some characters seem to require more technical skill than others, I’ve noticed. However, the variety on show guarantees that with enough trial and error, everyone can locate at least one character that comfortably fits them.
The Battle Hub is another location where players from all over the world can gather online for some traditional hijinks. You can play through Street Fighterr’s classic roster of characters here with amusing rules, in addition to bringing your avatar over from the global tour for some online matches in tournaments. You can build up odd rules and gimmicks, such striking a ball back and forth to each other, in the party mode called Extreme Battle. You can make hubs, follow the CAPCOM Fighters Network leaderboards, or watch other people play. With others that share your interests, you can even form your own team and clubs. According to what I’ve played so far, setting everything up didn’t take very long, and navigating the interface was enjoyable.
The overall visuals and presentation of Street Fighter Six seem to continue over to the following generation. Veteran characters have a presence suitable of a master martial artist who has undergone decades of training and appear notably older. Despite this, many of them still exude a sense of fun and passion that seems completely at home and haven’t lost any of their silly antics. The presentation of the game, which is vibrant and full of life, contributes greatly. Street Fighter Six appears to draw from urban street art if Street Fighter Four heavily borrowed from Japanese calligraphy in terms of its powerful black strokes and dark shadows. Various motions are accompanied by vibrant color splashes and strong framing. Everyone’s costume is a more contemporary take on classic, identifiable Street Fighter garb. With its character designs and actions, Street Fighter Six achieves a solid blend between realism and cartooniness. I would argue that the hair textures are the only negative aspect of this look. While some of the hair does seem fine, such as on the character Luke, others, such as Ken’s beard, and other of the character creation possibilities, don’t seem to mix in as well with the characters’ faces. Though it’s a small quibble, it should be mentioned.
Nothing short of energizing and heart-pumping describes the music. When carefully listened to, our lyrics and strong beats truly capture the spirit of a fighter. It’s all about overcoming obstacles and being stronger for enjoyment and personal growth. I’ve been wanting this from a Street Fighter soundtrack for a while, and I’ll be listening to these songs as I work out. Some of these rhythms are ideal for listening to after a sweaty outdoor run or while playing online matches for hours at a time.
Street Fighter Six so feels like a promise from CAPCOM that things would be much better going forward, even though it isn’t flawless. The theme of the game is, in many ways, a great reflection of what the game itself aspires to stand for as part of the tradition of this brand. Street Fighter Six honors the past while also passing the baton to a brand-new generation of combatants in various aspects. All of the veterans and newbies will be satisfied with the amount of substance included in this energizing aesthetic package. With only a few technological snags keeping it from being a perfect score, matches are exciting and dynamic. Hopefully, these issues will be resolved soon. Fighting game lovers are in for a treat this year, if this game is any indication of what’s to come.