Not to let myself get caught up in the pre-release hype for this game, I gave it a bit of a wide berth to see if it was more than just nostalgia that was making me want it. I left it for about 2 weeks to watch the reviews stream in with opinions on it. There where a few gripes in regards to controls from the upper echelons of SF4 players, but nothing a lowly beginner like me would have to worry about.

Anyway, I recently went out and bought the game finally, which is odd for me as I will usually rent it first. But there was something that told me I was I going to like this game even though I’d only ever seen videos and screenshots of it. I will usually critically play a game to see advancements in gameplay or graphics, but for this one I was genuinely excited to open the packaging and flick through the manual in work, watching the clock and counting down until I could get home and load it up. Maybe it was a throwback to a simpler time when toys and games where the best things in the world to me, or maybe it was a genuine want to play a game that was actually good after recently wading my way through a bunch of overhyped and mediocre titles.

I have to say, it did not dissapoint. The game is a classic example of one that is easy to play yet hard to master. You’ll be pulling off Ryus fireballs, hurricane kicks and dragon punches in no time. If you think you’ve mastered it though by being able to pull off all of your favourite characters moves, you will be sorely mistaken. The more I play, and play online, the more I see just how detailed and nuanced you have to be to know when and how to use each move. Sometimes a light punch is better than a more more powerful hard hurricane kick.

Those looking for a variety of modes in their fighters will find this lacking. There is an arcade mode, a training mode and then some extra timed and survival modes, your basic fair really, and they are really just the same as the normal arcade mode. They are really just included to give you a variety of different ways to practice, and practice you must if you hope to even begin to enter any of the online ranked matches.This game is built around competition. There are backstories for each character in Arcade mode, but they are largely irrelevant. You will spend the majority of your time practising against the computer in the wide variety of difficulty modes, building up the muscle memory for combos in the training section then pitting your skills against players in either the unranked or ranked online modes. The unranked being a good area for beginners to cut their teeth, and ranked being only for those with a good amount of practice and skill with their chosen character(s).

If you don’t like online play, or even local versus, then you really aren’t going to get a whole lot out of this game. Once you’ve completed the Arcade mode and unlocked every character there really isn’t much more to the game if you don’t intend on playing online. But then if someone bought Street Fighter IV expecting a great single player experience they clearly didn’t know anything about it.

In regards to graphics and presentation, the menu system is functional but lacks any flare or creativity. The character models are excellent and the styling is really good (they’ve gone for a sort of painted look, rather than completely realistic). My only gripe would be with the apparent lack in stages to fight on. Aside from that though the audio (although I’d of preferred an option to enable a retro arcade soundtrack) and visuals are very good. It might not scrape at the surface of the likes of Crysis in regards to the number of polygons it’s pushing, but for a true-to-form 2D fighter adaptation it has done very well.

Overall, I’d recommend this game for fighter fans or people who like some tough online competition. For people who are more casual and like to play through the singleplayer sections only then it is probably only worth a rent, if that.

For me though, I’m pleasantly surprised with it and can see myself pulling off more than a few HADOKEN’s every evening after work for the next good while. Watch the video below for a good taster: