Street Fighter V Video Game Review

Final Verdict - Definitely Worth Playing

Sorry this review took so long but given the shaky release and variable issues at launch I wanted to wait and give it a fair chance. With that being said lets jump right into the usual format. As expected I bought this game for PC since I have not yet joined the current next gen gaming family on PS4. I'm a long time fan of the franchise so I have been eagerly awaiting its arrival and the arrival of my main character in the series as she has been out of the game for a while. Its time to rise up....

Street Fighter V is a fighting video game published by Capcom, who co-developed the game with Dimps. It is the fifth main numbered entry in the Street Fighter series. The game was released in February 2016 for the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows, the game features cross-platform play between the Windows and PlayStation 4 versions. Similar to the previous games in the series, Street Fighter V features a 2D-esque fighting gameplay system. The game also introduces the "V-Gauge", which builds as the player receives attacks and adds three new skills. The game features 16 characters at launch, with 4 of them being new to the series. A story mode and additional characters were added through updates and downloadable content. According to Capcom, the game was a PlayStation 4 console exclusive as both Sony and Capcom had "the same vision for the growth potential in the fighting game space". The game was powered by Unreal Engine 4, and had a beta test prior to its launch. Upon release, the game received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the game's graphics and gameplay, but was criticized for its lack of story-mode content and characters.

What’s Good:

Graphics: Some have gone on record saying the look is cartoony but I feel like Capcom did a good job using this particular art style to represent the brightly colorful and fast paced action of the franchise. I'm saddened that certain graphical aesthetics were tweaked all in the sake of being a PG rated game but aside from that the HUD, characters and stages are all wonderfully done.

Story-line: I must say the worth is well worth it given the content, character development and overall setup of the story provided. Well executed and gives both old and newcomers to the series a well rounded experience and introduction to new and returning cast members alike. Overall the story mode clocks in at about 3 hours, and even though Capcom released it months after I can see where the extra time and effort was placed into ensuring it was an enjoyable experience.

Soundtrack: Pretty solid soundtrack and voice acting overall. Without a doubt some of the best remixes for character theme songs. My top three theme song favorites are for Rashid, R. Mika, and Ken.

Game Mechanics: Stepping away somewhat from its previous iteration Capcom has introduced the "V-Gauge", which builds as the player receives attacks and adds three new techniques: V-Skills, V-Reversals, and V-Triggers. V-Skills are special attacks unique to each fighter; for example, Ryu can parry an attack while M. Bison can reflect projectiles, some of which build V-Gauge when successfully performed. V-Reversals allow players to use a section of the V-Gauge to perform a counter move whilst being attacked. Finally, V-Triggers use the entire V-Gauge to allow the player to perform a unique ability, such as a temporary damage boost for Ryu's hadoukens. Also a visible stun bar meter has been added to the HUD.

What’s Bad:

Game Mechanics: With a rough launch three major issues plagued many player for months on end, Netcode stability, lack of a penalty system for rage quitters, and poor ranked match making. Since the story mode DLC has launched however 2 of these issues have been rectified for the most part as matches flow much smoother and I no longer get matched up against people 2-5 levels above me consistently while playing ranked. Capcom even implemented a point deduction system for consistent Rage Quitting over extended time periods.

Replay: Not much to do besides fight your friends persay and an added difficulty for the new story DLC but the main reason replay value is lacking is the manner in which Capcom decided to implement character color unlocks. Literally no one is happy about the survival mode color unlocks; it is the bane of most current owners existence. I can say without a doubt on Hard and Extreme difficulty the computer is a dirty cheater on the higher up levels.

What Should Have Been Added:

Definitely more characters at launch because Street fighter has always been known for its robust roster and in this day and age especially people want a wide variety of characters to choose form and explore when diving into a new fighting game.

Final Thoughts:
Pound for pound this game even with its rough launch and poor PC port is too much fun to pass up. If you are a fan of Fighting Games or the series itself you without a doubt should add this game to your collection. It is relatively safe now to buy the game as most the launch issues have been improved on or fixed by this release of the story DLC alongside new characters Balrog and Ibuki. Enjoy the story mode gameplay with commentary below...