Kotaku
While Crecente and McWhertor will be flooding your consciousnesses with Street Fighter gameplay impressions later, I wanted to start things off with an amuse-bouche and just focus on one thing: just how freaking gorgeous SFIV is in person.
Because while I was initially skeptical about the 2.5D art direction, now I'm a total convert. SFIV's graphics dropped my jaw in a way that hasn't happened with a fighter since the original Virtual Fighter. Even when you don't have the pleasure of actually playing, the game is pure eye candy high fructose corn syrup concentrate.
The Hadoken
Ken and Ryu's hadoken attack is, quite honestly, the most gorgeous video game animation I've ever seen. Highly intricate, flame-like energy erupts out of nowhere, darting in front of your eyes momentarily before it is gone, as if nothing special ever happened. And the only thing you can think is, "Wow, Crecente's bitch move is really a delight on this cabinet." (That's before crushing him 4-0 with Abel, btw). These visual effects masterpieces aren't limited to that one move, either, as Crimson Viper's jet boot sends out a glorious circle of flame around her figure that looks like the lovechild of fire and pure bliss.
The Backgrounds
We were only able to preview 3 stages at Capcom's GDC event, but if their quality was any indication, you'll have motivation to squint your way through the hadokens. Here's where we see the 2.5D really pay off in an interesting way. Instead of just stacking 3D buildings on a 2D plane, which would look fine, the backgrounds actually have a roundness to them that enhances the effect. In other words, as you advance forward, your perspective will actually change. As you approach your opponent, alleys will open to reveal inner activity, or buildings will rotate as to offer a glimpse of what's hidden on what could have been an unseen side.
The Characters
The characters were the only visual point over which I heard any criticism, and it's obvious why. While the models themselves, for the most part, look excellent, the game's entire art direction becomes confused when you examine the faces. While it's obvious that designers are hoping to keep the game light by including funny expressions and bug eyes, it's just not quite congealing with the rest of the world.
And while I could continue about the visual style forever (I haven't even touched on the subtle ink splatters or dynamic lighting), I should probably end this little article so you have some steam left for Crecente and McWhertor's impressions to come.
But if nothing else, SFIV is a testament to two things: HD gaming, and the viability of 2D games in a 3D-obsessed marketplace. I expect long lines when these machines are imported to US arcades.
Comments
It looks good, but I don't see this game pushing the Xbox360 or the PS3.
I wish I knew of an arcade to go to...any in Richmond VA anyone knows of?
I saw a MVS system in a Zero's today...does that count?
The girl in the pink looks yicky and oogly-moogly...
Even with the visual art direction and gameplay with this Street Fighter its still going to be tough cracking the US arcade market. Seldom arcade owners buy new cabs.
@zztopp: They're using the Taito X-2 Type arcade machine; its specs are literally one of that of a mid to high-end PC.
[en.wikipedia.org]
If this gets a pooey port to the PS3 (which is something no one has asked about as far as I know) then I'm trading my PS3 in for a 360.
Watched the video not sure about the graphic style.....just my personal opinion....looks a abit chunky.
You mentioned HD gaming, does anybody have info on what type of screen the SFIV machines are using/going to use (720p, 1080i, 1080p, what brand)? I'm not doubting its in HD, just curious what hardware they're using for it. Also what type of arcade board, but thats a secondary question ;)
@zztopp: Fighting games don't typically need to push hardware to its limits. When all you're rendering is 2 characters, there's a of cushion left for crazy effects and embellishments. And even then, you're not really pushing it.
I. Hate. The character models.
Where's my 3rd strike models? Not the 'roid rage bastard children of 3D
@zztopp: Thats probably because youre possibly too young to remember when fighters ruled. Trust me. Just like there was a dempgraphic that clamored for something like a live action Transformers movie, there is a significant auidence out there for a SF revival. Right now FPS' are hot stuff but when SF4 lands you'll see it push alot more than just the PS3 and 360.
for some reason this article makes me sick. i believe in the visuals of a game being important, but i just don't think sf4 looks 'beautiful' in any sense. i don't like the use of '2.5D', just because i'm a pedant. and finally, what aspects of this game make it better than sf2 (now like 14 years old or something)? if it's the same game as sf2 but with weird 'new gen' visuals then it can take a running jump.
@Mr-Karate: Here are the specs of the Taito X-2 arcade machine - it actually looks to be on par with the PS3:
OS: Microsoft Windows XP Embedded SP2 [1]
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6400／Pentium 4 651／Celeron D 352 (up to latest Core 2 CPUs supported by the chipset)
Chipset: Intel Q965
Monitor: 720p/1080p/1440p HD LCD Monitor
RAM: DDR2 667/800MHz (up to 4GB)
GPU: ATI RADEON X1600Pro/X1300LE or nVIDIA GeForce 7900GS／7600GS／7300GS, up to latest graphic cards (Radeon HD 3800 or Geforce 9800 series)
Sound: Realtek HD Sound (Upgradeable to latests sound cards)
LAN: 10/100/1000 BASE-T
Storage: 2x 80 GB 10k RPM SATA Hard Drives
Other: 4 x USB 2.0 ports (up to 8), 2 x parallel port, 2 x PS/2
Audio inputs: AKG C535EB Stage Microphone, line-in (Surround 7.1)
Audio outputs: 7.1, SPDI/FX
Media: 80 GB 10000 rpm Hard Drive
@Mr-Karate: Appreciated, you and ZZtop pretty much answered my questions ;)
@Mr-Karate: Yeah, there's a difference between selling loads of machines and creating a lot of interest arcades that carry it.
@zztopp: Its on par with both an Xbox 360 and a PS3. Since the board has interchangeable parts (The PS3 uses a GeForce 7800 & the 360 uses a R600, its close to the Radeon 2600 class) its wouldn't be that difficult to port to both systems.
@zztopp: but definitely they will be better good-looking than a Wii port.
I think they did a good job with the models. I believe they said they wanted to take the style back to the Street Fighter 2 style, so I feel if Street Fighter 2 were to have come out now it would look something like this.
Seems the special effects will be the cream of the visuals, though.
Interesting article! I found the screenshots of the game to look extremely hideous, but I have to admit that whenever I saw a video of it in motion, it sold itself a lot better.
I had put this down to the internet videos being much closer to the original 384x224 resolution that SF4 lifted the art direction from, but perhaps not - what you've described with the animations is exactly what I got from those tiny videos.
I'm now interested to see this in person.
@Mr-Karate: It also makes much more sense now why they're putting it out for PC (or at least I'd heard they will), if the machine is a glorified PC to begin with its pretty much zero-effort to port ;)
@OT79: Doesn't matter. It's not going to outsell Smash Bros Brawl anyways.
@zztopp: Who cares if it's "pushing the hardware" or not if it looks this spectacular?
@zztopp: Still on the fence about calling Super Smash Bros. Brawl a "true" fighting game. When command and special moves are as simple as his UP and "A", its just weird. Don't get me wrong, I like the series, but I didn't own a Nintendo 64/Gamecube so I'm not really that big into it.
A party fighter is something I would classify Super Smash Brothers as.
@Giolon: It looks good but doesn't look as stunning as Soul Calibur IV.
I can't wait to get this game. Xbox 360 for me. Wii just can't handle this much awesome.
@ zztopp: you can't be comparing a new art direction in 2.5 to a proven 3D IP, are you.
For all of my enthusiasm, and that's quite a bit, I can't help but feel a pang or two as a fan of Street Fighter III. It's comparable to Shakespeare popping out of the ground and announcing that all of his new projects will be solely featured on Youtube. On one hand I can't complain (it's fucking Shakespeare), but on the other I long for what could have been. It almost feels like III never existed.
So, every time I see a new picture it's a flood of wildly different emotions competing with one another. I guess that's a testament to how long overdue this has been.
The birdo post has me thinking. Vega is the end boss. Balrog is the guy with the claw. M bison is the boxer.
Why did they do this weird 3 name switch? Why wouldn't they just call the boxer vega, and the end boss M Bison? It's weird.
And speaking of... where are those characters?
Uhm, you must not have been gaming very long if parallax scrolling impresses you :S
Characters still looks like shit. No amount of pretty fireworks is going to hide that!
*Prays* Please don't become another Street Fighter EX3...Please don't become another Street Fighter EX3!!!
@zztopp: You seriously cant be comparing SSB Crap to a real fighting game.
My 7 year old can play SSB and kick ass the same cannot be said about SF it takes skill to play it.
@deathbunny: I think Capcom's US marketing team had trouble envisioning an American boxer named "Vega". "Balrog" sounded more like a bruiser's name.
@Giolon:
Agreed! Fighters are a genre where graphics take a huge next seat to game/fight mechanics. It's a shame most of the gamers now are too young to remember the impact SFII had when it came into the videogame scene.
@deathbunny:
Their original names was that. Vega is the dictator end boss, M. Bison was the boxer (they changed it to avoid legal trouble with M. Tyson) and Balrog was the one with the claw. They still use these names up to now (in Japan anyway).
=)
Man, I guess you must have to play it, because the visual, for me, leave so much to be desired. The visual style is such a turn-off for me.
All of the characters, including the women, look like they could strap on some body armor and not look at all out of place in Gears of War.
@futurebiblehero: I feel your pain. The second they announced that the game was taking place between SF2 and SF3, I got worried. When we discovered that the original 8 characters were back with no physical changes whatsoever and very few differences in their move sets, I was upset yet again. Now we have confirmation that Balrog and Sagat are in the game, and... how are we supposed to feel? Sure, it's in 3D now, but if everything's the same, what does it matter? Especially if the action is as stilted as it looks in videos, with enormous pauses after every hit. A good number of new, interesting characters could do a lot to keep my interest, but right now I'm having trouble seeing why I should play this over SSF2T.
I really want to be optimistic, but they're making it pretty damn hard.
Yeah, I don't know. Perhaps I'm the only one who just doesn't get the hype around this game. I was 'arcading' when SF2 was at it's peek but everything after, including this, just seems like Street Fighter 2.something
@deathbunny: YOUNG PEOPLE. Listen to my story:
In the time between SF2 coming out in Japan and hitting Stateside, Mike Tyson got all rapey, and that was bad for business. But Capcom didn't want the yanks thinking a character was missing, so let's just switch the names of those unplayable characters. Vega is a spanish name as well as a star. Balrog becomes ironic on a pretty character. Monsouir Beeson is french and funny. Sagat doesn't change 'cause he's from SF1.
The End.
@grimdeath:
If you don't like Super Smash Bros., you don't like fun. And the "skill" it takes to master SF is over-rated.
Hmmm..
I really want to like this game. But aside from gameplay, the Street Fighter games(Post SFIIturbo) have drawn me in because of its art direction. I loved the character art in SuperSFII, Alpha looked great, and my personal favorite, SFIII revolutionized 2D fighting animation. With IV, I see average character models that lack inspiration, stiff, painted on clothing and hit or miss facial designs. I desperately needed something eye catching with this title; unfortunately, effects, and breath taking fireballs aren't enough at this point and I can only pray that they improve the characters.
@Mikintosh: You mean if you don't like Super Smash Bros. you don't like simplicity. Super Smash Bros. is for parties and babies, not for hardcore fighting game fanatics.
@deathbunny: Uhm, not too familiar with SF2 pre American cartoon series are you?
I'm really surprised that some people are still confused by the name swap but what the heck.
I hope SF4 and KOF XII will bring fighters back to its rightful throne since I think 3d fighters are bastardizations
Marketing is a great thing, wish the previous Street Fighters got the same love that SFIV is getting. Because this is NOT the Street Fighter game I've imagine. King Of Fighters XII gave 2D fighting fans what they wanted, this didn't. But, that's just from a visual standpoint. The fighting engine sounds broken, and instead of going forward, this series is going backwards. And I don't like it. KOF Will get my money, not this.
Ye, I got the turned off by the timeline thing too(being between 2 and 3) Basically this is telling us that SF is just be revisualized rather than evolving.
So I'm severely disappointed there's no continuation of the Ryu/Gouki conflict
@grimdeath: Yeah, I've seen people pull some pretty complex stuff in SSB, so I think you're wrong to label it the way you have. That doesn't mean I like it better than SF2, I don't, but it hardly deserve the label "crap". ;)
@grimdeath: Here is me, laughing at that funny comment. Hahahahahah. Aaaahhhh... hahahahha.
Oh, you were serious? Listen up.
Skill is entirely relative to the fighting game. Smash has always had a lower level of entry than an SF... but you know what? The same noob can spam buttons in each and STILL WIN against computer opponents, regardless of game. Don't act like there's some magical difference. A skilled player in SSB, and a skilled player in SF will usually, if not always, beat some form of button masher outside of some sort of bad character matchups. Is the fighting system in SSB as deep and complex as SF? Maybe not, but do you have to worry about terrain in SF? Items? Environmental changes? No. So grow up some.
@Starplate: It actually could make for an interesting first encounter between Ryu/Gouki(Akuma). Well, in the past Capcom has listened to fan criticism, hopefully, they will this time as well.
Factoid: Ken and Ryu weren't supposed to appear in SFIII, but after early fan tests and complaints, they were added to the lineup.
@Ampillion lives a life much like No More Heroes.: Terrain, items, environmental changes. Isn't that THE depth to the game? And its much easier to button mash in SSB and win versus button mashing in SF, so give the guy a break. I admit there are some skilled SSB players, but SSB has always thrived on fun factor over its own precision.
I wonder how this turned into a SF vs Smash debate.
Looking forward to the other impressions. I wrote this in an earlier comment but write something about how difficult (or not difficult) it was to jump in and start playing. Ono wants to draw in the casual crowd so let us know how accesible the game was. ie. Could you, after not playing SF for years or never have before, immediately be able to pull off combos and specials?