ARCADE ON FIRE
FOR one of the world’s most famous fighters, Street Fighter V didn’t pack a particularly powerful punch when it landed in 2015.
And it was a real shame because at its core, was a rock solid fighting game.
SFV was Capcom’s attempt to make the franchise more accessible to a wider audience – but the result was found wanting.
In trying to make the game easier for newcomers, it felt stripped down and devoid of character.
There was no arcade mode, no local co-op play, and it featured a pitiful roster of fighters.
The only thing it had in its favour was the online combat, which ended up being played almost exclusively by hardcore Street Fighters – alienating the very audience Capcom sought to target.
A steady drip feed of DLC did add some gloss to the mix, but reputationally the game was too tarnished. Fast forward to now, and Capcom has released Street Fighter V Arcade, which sets out to address those problems.
Firstly, there’s an Arcade Mode and it’s filled to the brim with fighters, as the game’s original 16 challengers are bolstered by the addition of a further 12 stars from Seasons 1 and 2.
Arcade Mode allows you to select from six different paths, each themed after classic Street Fighter titles. In a gorgeous little touch, your chosen character, and their given costume, changes depending which Street Fighter generation you choose – as do certain presentation details, like the character select screen music.
Capcom has done a lovely job of making each path feel generation specific, with old-school costumes and character skins – such as Ryu’s red hair in OG Street Fighter.
After every successful battle, you get to choose your next opponent, meaning you can take on tougher fighters in order to build your score.
At the end of every successful run through you unlock one of more than 200 endings – which sadly only come in the form of a piece of art, or a single-page comic. But it’s a nice touch as it encourages you to play through again.
Gameplay wise the V-Skills are still there, signature character moves most often used to deflect attacks. Once the V-Gauge is full you can unleash unique attacks, or activate character-specific abilities such as teleporting.
Arcade Mode sees an extra V-Trigger move added for each character, and, believe it or not, it makes a world of difference to your tactics.
It’s sad that it has taken nearly two years for the game’s true potential to be unlocked. Capcom has done a tremendous job of fleshing out the bare bones of its 2015 release, delivering a title that’s truly worthy of carrying the Street Fighter mantle. HHHHH BUY IT: £24.99 from 365games.co.uk. (This game is a free update for existing Street Fighter V owners)