Review for Street Fighter V. Game for PC and PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 16/02/2016
Street Fighter, for any good fighting game enthusiast but not only, is much more than a simple video game. Over the years, in fact, the brand coined by Capcom back in 1987 has established itself more and more in the minds and spirits of millions of fans, strongly linked not only to the work itself, but also and above all to the imagery that rotates. around it. Over time, animated series and film adaptations (with questionable success, indeed) and other iterations have arrived, which have contributed to the exponential growth of an important and almost bulky brand.
In the most paradoxical way, however, the one that was born as a videogame saga has started to hiding strongly right under this sphere, gradually offering playfully less and less interesting products or in any case not able to rise to masterpieces.
This big problem, fortunately, was faced head on by Capcom itself, a software house that in recent years has shown that it knows its stuff like few others, which thanks to Street Fighter V has been able, slowly, to get back on top. We said slowly and not by chance, because the title in question had a development and above all a troubled market launch, largely characterized by the first years of life at times disastrous and problematic, which were then followed by much better periods.
The Arcade Edition took care of saving the shack, able to add a new lymph to a product up to that moment almost amorphous and poor in content, albeit qualitatively indisputable. However, Capcom has never stopped, continuing to support the product with the continuous addition of new content and various balances, through a classic seasonal formula in which, year after year, the developers have perfected an increasingly satisfying play structure.
A new (?) Dress
The final sublimation of the path came over the course of last week, more precisely on the day of lovers, the day when the Street Fighter V Champion Edition, an incredibly full-bodied and complete version of the Japanese fighting game, arrived on the market.
It must be said right away that this package is designed primarily for new players, and this is also evident from a much more advantageous sale price than the Update Pack alone (€ 29,99 versus € 24,99), but also because it is limited to the introduction of in-game content such as characters and costumes (many, over 200) already potentially purchasable in the basic version of the game and, therefore, not exclusive to the version but above all it does not add actual news in terms of modes of game. Street Fighter V Champion Edition is therefore in all respects a goty of Capcom's fighting game, which brings to the screen, at a very affordable price, a real chromatic and technical riot, the son of an incredibly varied and extraordinarily technical roster.
The version in question, in fact, makes 40 playable characters and 34 stages available immediately, in addition to the already mentioned numerous costumes for each character, both the newest and the oldest ones, for a simply frightening freedom of customization. For fans, therefore, it is a real birthday present in advance, which goes perfectly with the great care with which the same characters have been created, characterized by a unique style both artistically and on a more technical level. .
This last statement, in particular, is one of the most expensive in that of Capcom, since the company has continued to distribute updates related to the balance of the warriors themselves. In fact, being a title with a strong competitive imprint, the mission linked to the creation of a balanced cast was certainly one of the hottest, and Capcom can be said to be happy from this point of view. On day one of Street Fighter V Champion Edition, moreover, Capcom has released a new update related to the balance of the fighters, a necessary move in view of the (few) additions in the roster made with this new version.
In particular, we refer to the character of Seth, the only addition among the wrestlers, but incredibly fascinating both on an aesthetic and and above all on a playful level. The XNUMXth playable warrior is in fact characterized by a moveset that almost pays homage to the origins of the saga, showing itself with a fighting style inspired by many known faces of the past. It is undoubtedly one of the most interesting news of this season and of the Street Fighter V Champion Edition and immediately shows itself as a fascinating element of the new look of the game, as well as fascinating and above all very important appears the addition of a second V-Skill for all characters. Clearly this second technique will also be available for those who purchase the upgrade package separately and as happened for the second V-Trigger introduced with the Arcade Edition, we are sure it will give a strong charge of freshness and innovation to the title, especially on the competitive level.
Tell me a (old) story
As we also said at the beginning, Street Fighter V Champion Edition does not offer anything new in terms of content intended as game modes and related elements. And this is not fundamentally a problem, given the excellent playful offer of the production. And so, as in the base game, we find here the same types of activities to be undertaken alone, together with friends locally or online, for a decidedly more than satisfactory freedom of action. In particular, as regards the Story Mode, the possibility of experiencing the story from the point of life of other characters and not just the basic ones is added, a move that is certainly not revolutionary nor to tear one's hair, but still useful to give the player a decidedly clearer and more focused narrative vein.
To this, to complete the single offer, is added the evergreen Arcade mode, a sort of "tower" in which to face the most iconic fights of the previous iterations of the title, in which it is possible to face increasingly difficult opponents up to reaching a final boss that in most cases turned out to be a very complicated opponent to take down. And not surprisingly, because as in the base game, the general level of challenge offered by the title is very high and does not discount anyone. Street Fighter V Champion Edition is today like yesterday a technical and layered title, in which there is no room for simple button mashing.
Making your own the complex combat system offered by Capcom's fighting game is not a trivial matter but it can give gigantic satisfaction if you decide to play seriously and compete in the various online tournaments, the real beating heart of the playful offer itself. Too bad, however, that, net of all the good premises and the desire to overcome obstacles, the netcode of the production still remains a little uncertain, a problem that we are sure will be resolved soon, with a free update that should see the light in the next few. weeks.
Finally, to see, the little Capcom child remains a real joy for the eyes, especially for those of the most loyal to the saga.
The exaggerated aesthetic style both in the shapes and in the colors is a real pleasure for the admirers of the brand in general and also on the videogame level it proves to be flawless. The excellent graphic rendering is then accompanied by a granite frame rate that never gives any signs of slowing down, a fundamental factor that manages to support in the best way one of the most influential exponents of the genre in question.
Street Fighter V Champion Edition is a complete and incredibly rich collection that winks specifically at newcomers rather than veterans of the brand. In this edition, all 40 playable characters, over 200 costumes and 34 stages are available at no additional cost, thus making the overall experience complete and varied. In short, if you are interested in the title in question, there is no better time to become part of the world of Street Fighter, but beware: you will find yourself in the same technical and spectacular fighting game as always, difficult to assimilate, but at at the same time splendid to play and experience. And if you are looking for a continuous challenge, perhaps more competitive, well then you are really in the right place. It is a pity, however, that this edition, paradoxically, penalizes those who already have the "base" game and that they may have also opened their wallets for extra in-game purchases. The very high price of the simple upgrade compared to that of the complete edition (as already mentioned at the beginning of 24,99 against € 29,99) could, rightly, make all the loyalists of the fifth chapter of the saga turn up their noses.
Street Fighter V Champion Edition is available from February 14th for PC and PlayStation 4.
► Street Fighter V is a fighting game developed by Capcom Dimps and published by Capcom for PC and PlayStation 4, the video game was released on 16/02/2016
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