When Street Fighter II first blazed into arcades back in 1992 it set a standard that few other beat-’em-ups could match. Its perfectly balanced fighters, instantly likeable characters and fantastic special moves made short work of every challenger that faced it.

Sadly, the same can’t be said for its 3D outings. So when we first heard that Street Fighter IV would be an all-new 3D effort, we had initial concerns that it would suffer from the same issues that had plagued Arika’s sub-par EX series. We needn’t have worried.

Don’t be fooled by its insanely good visuals. Street Fighter IV’s gameplay remains firmly entrenched within the 2D planes of old. It also happens to be not only the finest fighter to currently grace Sony’s console, but could well be the greatest beat-’em-up of all time. Indeed, Capcom’s brawler has everything we expect from a great fighting game. There’s a decent roster of varied fighters to choose from, characters appear balanced, while the actual gameplay is instantly accessible to anyone who’s ever thrown a Hadouken, but still offers a Mariana Trench-like depth for those wanting more. Above all though, Street Fighter IV looks simply astonishing.

While Capcom has pushed every boundary to ensure that the onscreen fights are as beautifully rendered as anything put together by legendary martial arts choreographer Yung Woo-Ping, it’s the actual emotion meticulously etched on each fighter’s face and the way they follow their rival’s moves that impresses the most. The fierce glee on Zangief’s face as he takes down a rival with his devastating piledriver; the way a character’s eyes comically bulge out after receiving a hard punch; Dan’s overall smugness – the list just goes on and on.

These fights actually look like they hurt and it’s a testament to Capcom’s prowess within the genre that a simple one-on-one fighter can have you worrying so much for both the characters as well as the final outcome. Detailed expressions are really only the half of it, though. Continuing the hand-drawn styling that so successfully launched Street Fighter IV’s debut trailer, Capcom’s latest fighter has a wonderfully unique look to it that, while not as accomplished as the art design of Okami, nevertheless looks beautiful and makes this the most distinctive-looking Street Fighter yet – especially when certain moves cause sprays of ink to get knocked off whoever’s on the receiving end.

The same care and attention has also been applied to Street Fighter IV’s spectacularlooking backdrops. Crammed full of detail, with the background cast often reacting to the fights that take place in the foreground; these stunning looking arenas are both a masterful example of a company at the height of its powers, as well as being a love letter to the very game that Street Fighter IV takes most of its inspiration from.

It’s easy to get waylaid by the graphical splendour that takes place in front of your disbelieving eyes, but Capcom hasn’t forgotten that the most important part of the Street Fighter franchise has always been its core gameplay and IV is no different. Of course, whether Street Fighter IV achieves the same longevity as Third Strike – still being played a decade after its release – remains to be seen, but Capcom has done everything it can to ensure this happens.

… continued