After a full console generation spent withStreet Fighter 5, fighting game community members everywhere are ready for a change. Fortunately,Street Fighter 6is just around the corner, and its closed beta test has only raised expectations.Street Fighter 6may have most ofStreet Fighter 2’s cast present or referenced in its launch roster, but it’s not advertising itself as going back to basics likeStreet Fighter 4and5did. With its Drive System in tow,Street Fighter 6is pushing the franchise in a new direction.
That’s felt in all aspects of the game.Street Fighter 6has the first interactive lobby in the franchise, and that lobby has several bonus features alongside the typical matchmaking and spectating. The game also brought back World Tour, which is the classicStreet Fighter Alphamode in name only due toSF6’s take expanding into a full 3D adventure. WithStreet Fighter’s first fully customizable avatar at the center of both modes, so much ofStreet Fighter 6is new that it almost looks like a different series. While playingStreet Fighter 5could build up some skills to help players pick upStreet Fighter 6, they are going to be very different games.
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Street Fighter 6 Does Not Play Like Street Fighter 5
In case its feature list hasn’t made it clear,Street Fighter 6prioritizes quality and quantity in equal measure.Street Fighter 5was infamously bare-bones at launch, and this permeated every aspect of the game. Characters were considered limited and reliant on setups involving frame data knowledge, and it took until the last few major updates to open the game up more. Experimental characters and theV-Shift mechanic changedStreet Fighter 5for the better, but it was too little, too late. Many players felt that the V-Trigger system locked away moves that characters should have always had. AmidstSF5’s many other controversies, underwhelming gameplay was not a problem it could afford to have.
Street Fighter 6, meanwhile, is looking to dodge those difficulties with style and aplomb. While gameplay may feel a little slow at first, that only lasts as long as it takes for one to start using the Drive Gauge. Unlike the V-System, Drive mechanics are universal and standardized across the cast. On top of that, abilities once paired with the V-System are now integrated directly into move sets, leaving everyone with themost abilities aStreet Fighterhas ever seen.
The Drive Gauge is full at the start of each round, and similarly toMortal Kombat 11, gauges can refill quickly if the player goes on the offensive. Players should feel strong, and like they always have a tool for the situation at hand. The feeling of having a lot to do permeates every part ofStreet Fighter 6as well, and that’s going to mean great things for the game’s longevity.
Street Fighter 5 and 6’s Similarities Only Reinforce Their Differences
The features thatStreet Fighter 5and6share are few and far between. The V-Reversal has returned as a Drive Reversal, but may be used less often thanks to the wealth of Drive options. Thelaunch rosters for bothStreet Fightertitleswill be comparable, althoughStreet Fighter 6’s looks to be a bit larger, and the custom character blows the roster’s doors wide open. It’s difficult to even compare the story modes in each game, asStreet Fighter 5did not receive its A Shadow Falls update until several months after launch. And of course, it seems likeStreet Fighter 6has worked out the kinks fromStreet Fighter 5’s rollback netcode.
In all respects,Street Fighter 6reads like a response to feedback onStreet Fighter 5. The development staff working on the upcoming title want to make a goodStreet Fighter, and they also want to make a distinct one. With frame data thrown to the wind thanks to modifiers such as Drive Impact, Drive Shift, perfect parries, and Burnout,Street Fighter 6may not even look like itself all the time.Street Fighter 6appears to be launching with a morestable base thanStreet Fighter 5did, and hopefully Capcom and the fans will both be able to enjoy its success.
Street Fighter 6will be released in 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
