|
Street Fighter x Tekken
Following the success of the Marvel vs.
Street Fighter, CAPCOM have done the unthinkable and brought together
two of the world's most popular fighters... the colourful brawlers of
Street Fighter and the Iron Fist Fighters from Tekken.
However unlike the 3D environments of the
Tekken, our favourite Tekken characters fight in the faux 3D (2D) gaming
arenas and if you enjoyed the Street Fighter games, than this new
edition to the franchise is definitely up there with the best. Without a
doubt, this is the game that fans have been clamouring for!
The game itself is reminiscent of the
excellent Super Street Fighter IV title which has almost identical
gaming mechanics. There are a handful of gaming modes that include
arcade (local/net), versus, network, training and challenge, there's
also a character customisation area. In this area you can modify your
characters quick combos, character colours and their gems which we'll
get to a little later.
Like all fighting games, the Street Fighter
series is easy to play yet difficult to master so new comers to this
game may have a steep learning curve, especially due to all the various
moves that each character has. However upon loading the game, the title
will prompt you to enter the tutorial mode which will teach you the
basics of mastering this title. Also for those newbies are special
assists that can help give you a slight edge.
Another difference with Street Fighter x
Tekken compared to "other" fighters is that it supports a tag team
fighting system which allows you to call in another fighter on your team
and then swap them with your existing character. Undeniably this adds a
new level of strategy to your fights, especially if you're getting
whipped.
This two on two system is a little like
wrestling so if one of your characters gets KO'ed, your team is then out
of the count. Then you have the gem system in the game which offers your
characters additional bonuses such as increasing someone's defensive or
offensive. These gems also have levels such as Iron Wall Level 2 or
Divine Speed Level 1. Characters can have a total of up to 3 gems,
however like all things in Street Fighter, they must be earned with your
fighting prowess. They are also pretty damn cool to use which makes
collecting them very addictive.
Apart from the snazzy graphics which are
quite cartoon-like in appearance compared to Tekken, the almost perfect
control system of the game is why Street Fighter x Tekken plays so well.
If you have never played a Street Fighter game before, the tutorial mode
is the best place to start as it teaches you the ins and outs of the
fighting mechanic.
For more advanced tuition, Trials are great
for fine tuning your skills as it challenges the players to perform
basic and advanced combos. Fortunately you can access the move list for
your characters which explains the chain of buttons required to do a
certain manoeuvre and with three different kicks and punches plus a
variety of jumps, combos and special moves at your ready, it's easy to
get lost in the diversity of the game, especially with the inclusion of
gems. Online is equally as fun and I love how the arcade mode will allow
other players to join in. This mirror the original arcade aspect quite
well.
Graphically, the title is a good looking
title on the PS3 and all the characters mimic their perspective
universes well, especially the Tekken characters. It's quite cool seeing
the Tekken character move in this world and even more important is that
their super moves have also made the journey to this game. With that
said, all the characters move with a catlike grace and the backgrounds
are well animated. The only downside is the horrible music in the game.
Yuck!
Final Thoughts?
Although the game is not Tekken, CAPCOM
have done a good job at porting these characters to the Street Fighter
franchise and if you're hankering for a decent fighter, than you should
definitely check out Street Fighter x Tekken which is the best fun I've
had since... err... Ultimate Street Fighter vs Marvel. It may not have
pushed the genre too much but at the end of the day, it offers an honest
fighter that most gamers will enjoy! |
