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Street Fighter X Tekken is fun for a wide range of players while still offering the complexity serious fighting fans have come to expect.
Capcom
loves crossovers. Its world warriors have faced down the X-Men, the
Avengers, the King of Fighters, and many others. With Street Fighter X
Tekken, the stylish cast of Tekken fighters is next in line to go blow
for blow with Ryu and company. It's an interesting transition for the
Tekken members, who are leaving their native 3D arena for a 2D
battlefield. But their adaptation is just one of the many surprises
waiting in this complex fighter. With a host of new mechanics and
modes, Street Fighter X Tekken has a lot to offer fighting fans of all
skill levels.
Street
Fighter X Tekken is a 2D fighter with two on two combat. Each side is
in control of two fighters and can swap between them on the fly. Players
can even team up cooperatively and fight on the same team, just like in
last year's Mortal Kombat. This means up to four players can take part
in a fight. However, when one fighter on a team is knocked out, that
team loses the round--regardless of how much health the remaining
fighter has. Therefore, you must treat your two fighters as one unit.
There are numerous ways to switch between your fighters, and mastering
good synergy between them is the key to building devastating combos and
winning matches.
The
game includes many of the fighting mechanics seen in Super Street
Fighter IV, with several new additions. It has a six button layout, with
three punches and three kicks, and a three section energy meter with
numerous functions. This meter is earned quickly and spent quickly on
devastating super arts, EX special moves, and more. But one of its most
important functions is cross canceling. For one block of meter you can
tag in your partner mid-combo to continue the assault. At first this
"two as one" style can be difficult to put into practice. It's much
easier to fight with one character until his or her health gets low,
switch characters, and repeat. However, in doing so, you lose a lot of
what makes this game unique, as well as sacrifice an edge in combat.
Early
on you play the system, rather than the characters. This is because
several types of moves are performed the same way no matter whom you're
controlling. Every character can perform a simple combo of
light-medium-heavy-heavy, and execute the two-in-one cross-arts attack
the same way. This standardization across the cast lowers the initial
barrier to entry by providing a simple, effective foundation, no matter
which character you choose. There is still plenty of individual
character complexity, but you don't need to know it all to feel
competent. By leaning on the fundamentals, you are free to discover
character-specific techniques at your own pace.
Additional
design choices let you simplify the game and shrink the skill gap
between more- and less-experienced players. Certain combos can be
automatically executed by pressing two buttons. Attack inputs can be
reduced from a 360-degree motion to a tap of the up button. But these
shortcuts come at a cost. They may cost meter or lower your fighter's
attack power. For those in the intermediate skill range, these options
promote an even playing field by offering some extra assistance to those
who need it.
All 10 backgrounds are packed with detail, and many include multiple stages.
One
of the best ways to adjust your experience is with gems. Gems make your
character stronger and can be tailored to suit any fighting style. If
you're offense-oriented, then the attack-boosting Immense Power gems are
for you. Conversely, if you plan on getting hit a lot, the Iron Wall
gems, which grant damage reduction, would be best. Each character can
hold three gems maximum, and while several gems offer the same benefits,
what distinguishes them are their activation conditions. You do not
acquire gem bonuses for free; they must be earned. But for all the good
they do, gems cannot be solely relied upon. They are a subtle complement
that can enhance an already lethal player, or shield someone less
experienced from a beating.
In
addition to its numerous combat mechanics, Street Fighter X Tekken has a
robust game mode selection. Arcade mode is up first and opens with an
introductory short for each official tag
team. As matches are won, there is some post-bout banter that adds
color to the adventure. A bout between each team and its rival team
occurs near the end and includes its own introductory cinematic,
followed by an ending cinematic showing what the winning team did with
Pandora's Box. Together these story bits dress up arcade mode, and their
funny, lighthearted delivery is fitting for an already outrageous game.
Next
is challenge mode, which includes the tutorial, trial, and mission
modes. Tutorial mode is where new players should start. Hosted by the
jocular Dan Hibiki, this mode talks you through the game's numerous
mechanics. It's a definite improvement over the complete lack of an
introductory mode seen in most fighting games. Trial mode includes 20
character-specific trials for the entire roster. These trials range fromperforming basic
special moves to pulling off advanced combos. Mission mode rounds out
the set. In this mode you pick any character you like and battle against
the AI with various battle conditions.
Two of the game's best teaching tools are not found in the challenge section. These are replays and
practice mode. Replay mode lets you filter reaplys by character, player
skill, and other factors. Studying the tactics of superior players is a
great way to improve your own abilities. Training with a friend online
also helps. With a partner in tow, you can hit up the briefing room and
spar with, or against, him in practice mode.
Body double? Bob's already twice the size!
Unfortunately,
online stability is inconsistent. Even against players in the same
region, and with the maximum connection rating, it was still a toss-up
whether we'd experience lag or not. Against players below those
conditions the match would often slow to a heavy crawl. Hopefully this
lag will be reduced over time, but for now it's an unfortunate blemish
on an otherwise pristine game.
Street Fighter X Tekken provides complex combat in an inviting package.
The fighting genre needs to become accessible to a wider range of
players, and this game takes an important step in the right direction.
Accessibility that doesn't come at the expense of variety is a smart
move and sets this fun and flashy fighter apart from the pac
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