rating:4.5
You have to question any marketing decision that makes something as fundamentally important to branding as the name of a product problematic: is it pronounced "ex", or "cross"? Obviously those in the know will know, because Capcom's latest is a cross-over title, and there are massive hints in the new combat mechanics, but why they couldn't just stick with the Vs title format for more casual gamers is unnecessarily baffling. But saying that, any game that pits the rosters of the two biggest combat franchises together against one another deserves your attention no matter what the name. Imagine the glorious fantasy of seeing Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson fight, or Messi and Maradona take to the same pitch or Batman facing off against Superman - that is the equivalent of what Capcom have brought to the table with Street Fighter X Tekken. And thankfully, despite fan fears, the developers haven't simply dropped the Tekken roster into the revamped universe of Street Fighter IV, which must surely have been a temptation given how well received that reinvigorated title was. Instead, they've made arguably one of the finest fighting games of the past couple of years, breathing new life into the Street Fighter franchise, and drawing enough from the completely different Tekken franchise to keep fans of that series as gripped.
Naturally, this being Capcom's take on the cross-over though, the gameplay takes major leads from Street Fighter IV, though there has been an increase in speed - so you can take comfort in slick and responsive combat controls, incredibly good, hyper-real animations and art design and a breathlessness that has only been amplified by the uplift in pace. Sadly for Tekken fans (and there really is a almost binary split between the two games), the impetus is on choosing Street Fighter characters, because of their fit into the gameplay and the established Capcom environments. That's not to say that Tekken brings nothing to the table though: it is no coincidence that this is by some distance the most technically deep and tactically complex Street Fighter game ever released - despite the obvious move towards greater accessibility - and the presence of a massive 38 roster of characters goes some way to helping that depth along even further. It is impressive to see Capcom bringing in so many new mechanics, which so fundamentally change the feel of one of their flagship properties - hence the 20 minute lesson from Dan required to hit high-levels. Among the raft of new features, which also includes a Pandora mode that encourages some serious, but tactical risk-taking, the most talked about pre-release was most certainly the Gem System, which is basically an in-fight upgrade system based on achievements and targets. So if a chosen character has an obvious weakness, the player can augment performance by meeting certain criteria and "equipping" their chosen Gem. The emphasis in the system is almost certainly on tactical employment, but their can be frustrations in online matched in particular, and though many will have been convinced by the integration of this alien system, there will equally remain some detractors.
The problem that most combat games have is the short life-span determined by the presence of seemingly invincible veterans in the online modes, which makes it almost impossible, and certainly unrewarding for newbies to buy the game (especially if they buy after launch). The prospect of receiving a merciless pasting every time you enter an online match is plainly not that enticing, so it is definitely a positive that SFXT has consciously established a smoother learning curve to bridge the gap between veterans and new players. That allowance for more casual combat fighters has been achieved through the introduction of two brand new features: the Cross Gauge and a revised, less complex combo mechanic mixes lower level combos that are simpler to achieve and the usual, digit-twisting complex alternatives that invariably reap more impressive results. But those who choose to take the easier road will find less rewards, and the game is set-up to encourage the gamer to learn all of the new features to the extent that the in-game "cheats" are less appealing than going full-tilt. The fact that Capcom are obviously aiming to bring complex combat gaming to less experienced fighters will no doubt infuriate the hardcore element of fans, but the set-up is actually geared towards encouraging lower level players to stick with the game and develop their skills. In fact, the entire game is based on encouraging everyone to spend the time developing the game's new skills to overcome both the dearth between vets and newbies, and also to redress the balance loaded towards projectile throwing Street Fighter characters. Make no mistake, if you put the time in - and the game does its best to ensure you will - you will be rewarded in the resultant experience.
There are more than enough Game Modes to ensure that that extended time spent in the company of the game boasts enough variation and depth in play: there's the usual Arcade mode, driven by a typically flimsy story (that's not why we are here, so why knock points off?), plus Challenge Mode (a good place to learn) and then there's multiplayer, which offers online solo and cooperative bouts, as well as Scramble mode and Endless Battle. Overall, it's a great and impressively deep game: adding a lot of innovative new flourishes to a genre that has been stagnating for a long time, and seamlessly melding two fight franchises that would traditionally sit at either end of the combat game ladder. And man, does it look impressive. The story isn't completely over yet, with Namco's version (Tekken X Street Fighter) set for release some time in the future - though not soon - but for now, there is more than enough punch in Capcom's version of the cross-over to keep fight fans coming back for more.
Streetfighter X Tekken is available to buy on
XBox360 and
PS3 now.