We’ve managed to get an early copy of Street Fighter V for PS4, legally and via retail, so we’re not chained up by embargo dates and other such things. So, as we’re a nice bunch who like to help out our fellow gamers, we’re doing a quick write-up of the game’s story mode that Capcom has been bragging about for a while. So, in his own words, Chris’ take on Street Fighter V’s story mode.
Honesty is the best policy, so I’ll tell you straight up: it’s a disappointing, yawn inducing waste of time, or at least for this keyboard jockey it was. See, each character in the game has their own tale that’s told via, dare I say it, cheap animation cut-scenes. By cheap I mean that they are literally just still images that don’t move, though the focus does shift depending on who’s delivering the dialogue. At it’s best it’s a bit campy, at it’s worst it’s a bore and the ‘skip’ button becomes all the more tempting, though I persevered in the spirit of professionalism, and because I spent 60 euro on the bloody game so I want to get the most out of it. Understandable, really.
Each character’s story takes place over a number of one-on-one fights. Sometimes you’ll get to fight five different characters, sometimes it’s as few as three. Each fight is sandwiched between one of the “cut-scenes” and that’s that. I’ve played almost every single one so far and I can honestly say that I’ve never been so disinterested in a story. The presentation is poor, the voice acting is hit and miss, and the overall stories themselves are just, well, boring. There’s no real substance to them. Perhaps for others this may not be a big deal, or maybe they’ll actually enjoy the back-and-forth between some characters, but for me it’s just a bit of a let down.
I know it sounds all negative so far, but please bear with me. While the stories are short and uninspired (the animation screens drag on longer than any fight) the actual gameplay is pretty bloody good. I’m not the biggest fan of the fighting genre but I’m more than familiar with the franchise thanks to owning the NES as a wee lad and having had many a sleepover in my younger years that was dominated by Street Fighter/Tekken tournaments until the sun rose. It’s actually remarkable to see just how far the franchise has come and how it has endured the test of time. I was left scratching my head a little when I got round to thinking “how has such a simple game lasted so long?” but it’s actually really easy to answer: the gameplay is second to none in its field. It’s as simple as that.
What should be noted is that Capcom plans on pushing out more story content in the form of a free update in June, but as that’s still quite some time after release, I think we’re obliged to tell you what’s going on with the game right out of the box.
Right, that’s all I’m going to say on Street Fighter V for now, otherwise this quick feature will turn into the full-blow review which isn’t quite ready for publishing yet. So, to summarise: the story mode is poop but the gameplay is super bloody brilliant. Seriously, I cannot stress that last point enough.
Check back in with The Games Cabin on Sunday evening for the full review with gameplay footage, screenshots and all the other bells and whistles you’ve come to expect from the internet these days. And if you’re wondering how we’re able to bring you early impressions, gameplay videos, screenshots and early reviews, read this, and then read this.
Street Fighter V is set to release on February 16th for the PS4 and PC. Buy your copy here from Amazon.
Have you managed to come across an early copy of Street Fighter V? What are your thoughts on the Story Mode and the rest of the package? Give us a shout down below, just don’t be a sausage and spoil the story lines for anyone else, yeah?