Capcom faced an interesting dilemma a couple of years ago when it initially released Street Fighter V for PlayStation 4 and PC. The game introduced some great new mechanics, along with a mixture of old favorites and new fighters to mix it up with. But there was a big problem – the game wasn’t necessarily complete.
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Some big features were missing when Capcom introduced the game, leaving fans to wonder just what the heck was going on. As a result, sales suffered, and it became the least popular Street Fighter game in some time. Sure, it was still a tournament darling, but a lot of people felt burned over the fact that they weren’t getting what they paid for.
Fast forward two years later. Yes, two years later. The fact that Capcom had to take this long to correct their mistakes and give Street Fighter V some better value is a bit ridiculous to some. But better late than never, as the new Arcade Edition finally completes the package into what it should have been. And, hey, the update is free, so you’re still getting your money’s worth without having to pay for extras (aside from the seasonal characters, if that’s the route you want to take).
The big addition to the game is, of course, Arcade Mode, which follows five classic Street Fighter games in nature, starting with the original 1987 game that started it all and rounding it through more current favorites on the fighting scene. This mode features nostalgic music from each of the games, as well as tons of goodies to unlock, such as endings and artwork to stack into your collection. You can’t really earn Fight Money from it – which is used to purchase fighters and other goods – but otherwise, it’s a blast from the past that’ll get you good and ready for the Street Fighter Collection that’s coming your way this May.
Extra Battle is a neat little way to expand upon your characters’ wardrobe selections, as you can earn costumes that are offered over the course of the year. And the training has been nicely revamped, so you can learn more about the nature of the beast in general, as well as taking advantage of the new V-Trigger moves that are thrown in. If you don’t know what they are just yet, this mode will help you understand them better.
The gameplay is roughly the same – after all, why change something if it was the key component that worked in the first place, right? – but the presentation is a bit snazzier, thanks to visuals that look a little bit sharper, particularly on PlayStation 4. And, like I said, the nostalgic music and touches really hit home for Street Fighter fans, even if things are on the contemporary side in terms of gameplay.
As for multiplayer, it’s still rock solid. I had no trouble connecting with matches through both PS4 and PC, leaving me with a bevy of competition. Granted, I still have a lot to learn against fighting masters (boy, do I), but the game runs very smoothly based on the sessions I got into. And local is still an excellent way to go, with a strong roster of characters to choose from, and more favorites – like Blanka and Sagat – being added this season.
While Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition should’ve been the route that Capcom took all along with the game (it would’ve saved a ton of heartache), it’s nice to see that the publisher finally got things right, and created a fighting game loaded with options, features and hours of fisticuff opportunities. My only hope now is that it also rights the ship with Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, by adding new modes and a second season of characters sooner rather than later. It’s a great game, but I know it has the potential to be even greater with an expanded roster. That, and, well, I just want to play Silver Samurai again. Reasons.
WWG’s Score: 4 out of 5.
Disclaimer: An Arcade Edition code was provided by the publisher.
