OVERVIEW

Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition is a re-release of Street Fighter V which originally launched in 2016 to mediocre reviews due to its lack of content. This release is meant to address all of the concerns of fans by adding all of the characters from Season 1 and 2, as this game is set to be treated as a platform, as well as add the long-requested Arcade Mode.

Let’s see if Capcom has been able to make things right with their fans of this franchise.

Release date: February 16, 2016 (Original), January 16, 2018 (Arcade Edition)

Price: $39.99 (Arcade Edition)

Approximate size: 28.14 GB

Genre: Fighting Game

Developed by: Capcom, Dimps

Published by: Capcom

Reviewed on PlayStation 4 Pro; also available on PC.

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STORY

You technically have three story modes in this game. The smallest one is found in arcade mode where you are rewarded with a comic style drawing after completion for that character. It isn’t as fleshed out as prior entries in terms of rewarding the player but the mode itself is deep, which we’ll discuss later. The second one is found in a section titled Character Story. This is essentially the prologue to the game’s main story and shows the player the events setting up how the character being played ended up where they were in the story. This is told through more comic style scenes and voice acting. Its well done and is the sole focus of the mode, its less about the fighting and more about what is being told. Finally, you have the General Story titled: A Shadow Falls. Ominous.

The story, in my understanding, is set between the events of Street Fighter III and Street Fighter IV. This was released as a free update in 2016 and a lot of budget went into this.

There are five acts and it follows our cast of World Warriors and their seemingly endless battle with Shadaloo. The story doesn’t really offer much, its an excuse to have some meaning behind your offline battles. I know this gets a bad rap and a lot of players like to make fun of it, but I had fun with it and with the price set at free, included with the Arcade Edition, who could ask for more? Its vastly superior to Marvel Vs. Capcom Infinite’s story and fans of this series will feel right at home with it. There are two difficulties for this mode and I think all owners should give it a chance, you’ll have fun.

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GAMEPLAY

SINGLE PLAYER

CHALLENGE SECTION

Besides the story mode, you also have various modes for the offline warrior to experience. To start with, you have the challenge section. This is where the game asks you to test yourself and your abilities in special challenges, like the name implies. Here you have trials where the game asks you to practice combos and links for each character. This is essential to character mastery. Demonstrations is exctly what the name implies, its where you will go to receive tips on how to fight and get an explanation of the game’s mechanics. Missions are given to you daily and weekly and are tasks the game asks you to accomplish with the rewards being in the form of Fight Money, the game’s currency.

Extra Battle is where you will go and complete specific events Capcom has set with rewards. On the first week, players were asked to fight a more sinister Akuma, called Shin Akuma, and those who accomplished it were given a special online nameplate. This is also where the special costume will be earned, based on other Capcom franchises, and available in game for free after earning all the pieces. At the time of this review a Viewtiful Joe costume can be earned for Street Fighter newcomer Rashid.

Survival mode is broken into four variants: Easy, Normal, Hard, and Extreme. As the name states, you are tasked with surviving as long as possible against the CPU and you will be rewarded with a score at the end. In between fights, you can use your points gathered to add buffs to your fighter or to restore health. It’s a creative more, addicting, and tons of fun.

TRAINING

When you aren’t completing challenges, you have the training section where you typically go to practice with fighters. This is where you truly learn a fighter and try to string together devastating combinations. The game does a great job in this area at showing you the attack levels, how much health an enemy will lose, the frames an attack takes, and both players areas of vulnerability. The most hardcore players, those who focus solely on this franchise, will be able to find more in-depth analysists of the various intricacies of this game.

VERSUS

A staple in nearly all fighting games, the Versus mode tasks players with fighting locally with another human player offline or against the CPU.

Before online gaming became too prevalent, this is where players settled scores and battled against real humans. That era is long gone but the inclusion of this mode is important and for people, like me, who place a strong emphasis on family, this is always welcomed. This is where I have the most fun.

ARCADE MODE

The most requested mode to be added in this updated release and something that should have been included since day one. There was no excuse as to why this wasn’t available, but I’ll give credit to Capcom for not only adding it but also adding depth to it. When you first select Arcade, you are given six options across the five mainline Street Fighter titles and Street Fighter Alpha. Each one has its own number of fights, the characters involved are from those games, and they all wear clothing from those respective games.

The selection even tells where they fall in the story chronology and what year they were released, as well as the mechanic that was a focus in that release. When you select one and proceed through the fights, it allows you to choose who it is you want to fight, and the characters are assigned a level. The bold can fight the higher-level ones and the cautious can engage the lower leveled fighters. At the end you are given a comic style entry but there are hidden enemies and special endings in typical Street Fighter fashion. Capcom went above and beyond in this version of Arcade mode and since Street Fighter V is being treated as a platform, I’m hoping more is added to this mode over time.

MISC

When you aren’t fighting, the game offers more things for you to do. For example, there is a shop where you can buy characters and stages with Fight Money, as well as some costumes. You’ll mostly get fight money from the Extra battles and online aspect of the game. Fight Money is difficult to earn, and I know this is by design to push the player to spend real money to unlock things. There are no loot boxes or microtransactions in the game, nor has there been in the two years since this title has launched. Being patient will benefit you but if you want a specific costume or stage now, well, open your wallet. Be advised that Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition comes with all season 1 and 2 characters and stages, as well as some premium costumes if you preordered.

When you’re not shopping around, there is a healthy assortment of customization when it comes to your online fighter card. There is also the gallery where you can listen to character themes, watch the opening videos, and view the arcade endings again.

MULTIPLAYER

The best thing about Street Fighter’s online aspect is that it is all designed to get you in the fight faster. In the Battle Settings section, you select your favorite character and stage, even the music you like, and this makes it so when you fight online, there is no waiting for others to select a fighter. It makes getting into games faster and places you right into the fight. The game offers the Capcom Fighters Network, abbreviated as CFN, and this is where you go to view fighter profiles, saved replays, and view rankings. Think of it as a hub for the competitive scene of the game where you would go to view prior outings to see what worked or what failed you.

Its nice in theory but I haven’t ever used it, but I knew two people who have and they both swear by it. From what I gathered, its essential for serious fans who strive to play competitively and want to one day be on a giant stage competing for Capcom’s love. For more causal players like myself, its there if we ever get the itch.

RANKED MATCH

Exactly as the name implies. This is where you will go to track your progress to reach the top of the leaderboards. Victories elevate your rank but loses lower it, both give Fight Money. I play almost exclusively here, I’m not sure why, but I feel as if its more of an even playing field when going through this mode. With cross play, the game will indicate what platform your opponent is on.

CASUAL MATCH

Also a traditional mode in modern fighters, this is where you’ll fight random players with no repercussions to your ranking. The only time I really used this mode was to test it for review and the few times I just felt like playing it just to play it.

Online in this game runs as smooth as a fighting game can, its quite impressive. Especially when coming from Dragon Ball FighterZ where the online is atrocious. The game goes out of its way to give you options and allow you to play the game how you want to play it. Want to create a lobby or fight in one? Then there is a battle lounge section where you can do just that with settings available to cater to your liking. You can set the number of players, password lock it, and even choose what hardware is allowed to participate. I cannot praise this game enough in features for online enthusiasts and this makes me happy to write as, when it comes to fighting games, this series is my all time favorite. With that being said, I’m not blind to the fact that some of this should have been available since day one and connecting to an online match can take a little longer than one would expect.

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GRAPHICS

Street Fighter V has always been a pretty game with it’s art style of overly exaggerated proportionate cast of super fighters. The returning cast are true to their original designs but have costumes that give them more flair and personality, such as Ryu’s battle costume and the plethora available for Chun-Li. The models are detailed and they all look unique. The cast is varied, and the newcomers really stand out. They don’t allow themselves to become overshadowed by fan favorites. Capcom, at least lately, are pretty hit or miss with their game’s graphical capabilities. Thankfully, this game looks fantastic.

Besides the characters, the stages also look great. There is a healthy variety of locales and a broad use of the color spectrum. Vibrant beaches, iconic stages from the past, and mixed martial arts inspired rings round out your fighting locations. The attention to detail is astounding and, when looking at the package as a whole in motion, it’s a reminder that despite mistakes Capcom can often make, they have the ability to craft truly gorgeous games. Some maps even offer some variants, offering daytime and night as well as themes such as Christmas, that change the look and feel of the arena.

Your attacks in the game are all done with a fluidity, silky smooth, animations that showcase the power behind the impacts. Fireballs look like balls of energy ready to rewrite your generic code, electrical attacks shock your character in beautiful skeletal pain, and balls of flame seem to incinerate your molecules as they connect and engulf your fighter in flames.

All of the attacks are animated perfectly and are a visual pleasure to witness. The game really looks great and the little details, when you go out of your way to pay attention to, are meticulously crafted. Not only are the graphics there to entice the player into purchasing the game, when you own the game it teaches you how to play. You know when a character activates his V-trigger, you know when Zangief is crimson that he will do more damage, and you know when your character is hindered with a purple hue that he’s been poisoned by F.A.N.G.

I’ve owned Street Fighter V since day one and have always felt the interface and menus were a little subdued, bland. I figured they would update it, but I didn’t really have my hopes up, I didn’t expect this level of overhaul.

Then while thing screams premium as everything seems to be presented in sort of a Hollywood style. The loading of a match shows the lights, the versus logo displayed with expensive LED lights, and a more attention-grabbing interface. They really went out of their way to show their fans that this is a rebirth of an already fantastic looking game, a resurgence.

The game runs at a near perfect 60FPS, I have never had a dip, no glitches, no stuttering, and no graphical deficiencies of any kind. Depending on your hardware, your resolution will anywhere from 1080p to 4K. Whatever your resolution is set at won’t affect the beauty of the game nor impact your enjoyment.

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SOUND

It’s almost a series staple to have an amazing soundtrack. Street Fighter V is no exception. All the music in the game, from menus to battles and everything in between, are great. It’s all design to build anticipation, hype, to fight and it works great.

Character themes are also good, but some do not measure up to classic renditions. Guile’s theme sticks out most at lacking any semblance of what made the original great and without any defining sound to perfectly reflect the character. On the other side, Sakura’s theme accurately encompasses her personality and fits her character flawlessly. However, this is all going to be different for everyone as we all have different tastes and likes.

Voice acting returns and they all fit the characters they represent. No one felt out of place. Some voices will come off as annoying or unpleasant, like Karin’s laugh, but that’s by design. Any one can pull of stellar voice work but not everyone can embody a character and all their quirks to draw an emotion out of a player, to become that character and perfectly express all their annoying characteristics. That’s a testament to the great work put in by the actors. Also, there are options for other, non-American, voices.

When it some to the sound of impact, the game once again nails it. Punches and kicks sound like they hurt, projectiles sound vicious when they connect, and the stages have some sounds in the background to remind the player this is supposed to be a real arena. There’s a satisfying payoff in audio design when you finish off another fighter with your special movie, equivalent to an exclamation point at the end of a sentence. They did good in this department, Capcom did good.

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SUMMARY

Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition is fantastic. The game runs smoothly both online and off and its loaded with things to do. There are somethings that have me scratching my head as to why they are designed the way they are. Fight Money is way too difficult to get than it should be, connecting takes some time, and forcing downloads and updates to start only when the game has been launched is annoying.