And, yes, it’s designed a game that is mechanically simpler than its predecessor. Capcom has said an awful lot about its ambitions for the game, about its aspirations for it as an esport, about its accessibility. Which is where Street Fighter V’s problems start to become apparent. You have to learn what it does, when best to activate it, and how best to use it once it’s up. Unlike Street Fighter IV’s all-or-nothing Ultra, you can’t just fling out a V-Trigger and hope it hits. Dhalsim gobs out a damaging carpet of flame, Nash can teleport out of the corner or behind you to extend a combo, and the poison-flinging F.A.N.G coats himself in purple venom for a while.

For most of the cast, it’s a buff on a timer, increasing speed or damage output, or the properties of special moves: Cammy, for instance, gets a tremendous speed increase, and juggle properties on her specials. It’s not an Ultra-style cinematic move that does half a health bar’s worth of damage if it hits and leaves you open to absolute murder if it misses. Replacing Street Fighter IV’s Ultra Combo is V-Trigger, governed by a meter that fills as you get hit (and use your V-Skill) and activated by pressing both heavy attacks. Nothing an INI tweak or two can’t fix, of course.Ĭapcom aren’t done there, either. The game looks a mess with it on, and it’s bundled up into a single setting, Post-Process Effects, along with stuff you actually want on like ambient occlusion. Runs at 60fps with everything maxed without a hitch, though a word of warning: turn off motion blur. Remappable controls No (Capcom working on it) Some V-Skills are modified by holding a direction on the stick-Necalli can alter the distance of his fireball-killing ground pound, Birdie can either eat a doughnut, throw a banana skin in front of him or roll a can along the ground-but all are simple to understand and execute, and more tightly woven into each character’s style and toolset than the system-wide Focus Attack. Ken has a speedy forward dash, to suit his aggressive style Ryu has a Street Fighter III-style parry, to ensure the match is fought under his control, at his measured pace. The same applies to Zangief, who flexes his muscles and stomps slowly forward, able to absorb a single hit while he closes space.

So Cammy has a spinning backfist that goes through fireballs, essential for a character that thrives when in close.

Tap medium punch and medium kick in Street Fighter V, then, and you perform a V-Skill, a special move unique to every character in the game which typically either patches a hole, or is designed to support, that particular warrior’s playstyle. Mechanically, it’s perhaps the most accessible Street Fighter since the SFII days.

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