After the disappointing run of its predecessor, Street Fighter 6 feels like nothing less than a redemption for Capcom. Consider it as a re-imagination of a 2D fighting game with a mix of open-world game elements. I have been playing it since its release on June 2, 2023, & there is still a lot to discover. From Classic & Modern Controls to World Tour, Battle Hub, and Fighting Grounds, this game has exceeded our expectations. So after almost a week of gaming, here’s our Street Fighter 6 Review that will help you make a better call before you get your hands on this game.
Street Fighter 6 Review
Let’s be honest here, Capcom did a great job by adding the new World Tour & Battle Hub feature in Street Fighter 6. I mean, as a gamer, I will not spend 60 Bucks on a game unless I am a loyal fan of the franchise. But the developers had some other plans for all of us. You don’t have to play all the previous games in order to get a grip on this one. Even a newbie with no prior knowledge about this series can enjoy Street Fighter 6.
If you are more into role-playing, then the World Tour mode is what you will enjoy the most. And for those who want pure action, Street Fighter 6 offers you Battle Hub and Fighting Grounds, which we will talk about later on. There’s an awesome roster of 18 new and returning characters that serve as a cherry on top.
Fighting is the Love Language in a Street Fighter game. Keeping that in mind, Capcom has tailored 3 of the most engaging game modes ever. It’s time I introduce you to these ground-breaking concepts.
World Tour Mode – Game Changer in Fighting Genre
Compared with other games in the series, Street Fighter 6 will treat you with plenty of fresh content. Thanks to the World Tour mode, can now create your Avatar in a detailed fashion before indulging more into the story. As you progress in this mode, you will get to know more about the SF characters in a unique way through cutscenes and dialogues. In addition to that, you can also interact with NPCs and fight them for rewards.
Apart from this, there is a new combat mechanic added in Street Fighter 6 known as the Drive Gauge. So each player starts with a Drive Gauge filled with 6 bars which are found directly under the health bar. When the Drive Gauge is filled, you can execute Special Moves like Drive Parries, Drive Rushes, Drive Reversals, Overdrives, and Drive Impacts. Now, I would like to give you a piece of advice – do not spam Drive Moves mindlessly. Sadly, I made this mistake and it cost me a big match in Fighting Grounds. Each time your Drive Gauge becomes empty, you will enter a Burnout state where your character will take more damage. However, you can fill the Drive Gauge again by attacking or blocking incoming strikes.
Battle Hub Mode – Best Matchmaking Lobby Ever!
Battle Hub is a Lobby-type area where players from all over the globe enter to find a worthy opponent. This area is filled with arcade machines that you can access to challenge opponents. In the meanwhile, if you are bored, then you can climb upstairs to create some pop music. You can become a DJ by using the DJ mixer and make others groove on your beats.
Fighting Grounds Mode – Action like Never Before
Finally, all the Veteran Players will be rewarded with Fighting Grounds in Street Fighter 6. This is where your years of experience will pay you back. Fighting Grounds is a collection of unique match types such as:
- Tutorial & Combo Trials
- Practice every move, super move, and combo
- Versus
- One on One or a Team Battle against CPU or a Friend
- Online Battle
- Play against online players (Supports Cross Platform Play)
- Ranked Match
- Defeat opponents to earn League Points (LP) and increase your Rank for rewards
- Casual Match
- Same as Ranked Match but no ranks are affected
- Custom Room
- Create a Room and add players for a fun battle
- Extreme Battle (Special Match)
- Fight your opponent with added gimmicks to make it challenging.
- Arcade
- Play as a Street Fighter 6 Character and know their story while battling against CPU.
Controls – Play as per your Comfort
The developers worked so hard to take care of both the seasoned and new players. Modern Controls & Classic Controls are two of the most talked about highlights of the gameplay mechanics of Street Fighter 6. While Modern Control allows you to enjoy the game with a 4-button control configuration, the latter uses a 6-button traditional control scheme. I personally used the Modern Control because there are fewer control combos to memorize in it.
One of the most intriguing things about Street Fighter 6 is that it allows you to play with an Arcade Stick. For an enthusiast gamer, it would be a great opportunity to get an upper hand using this made-for-fighting controller.
Final Thoughts
After spending an entire day on World Tour, the storyline got too predictable. Once the boredom begin to hit, I took frequent breaks and spent some time playing Versus or Extreme Battles which was really fun. Often, I took some time out to explore the hidden sections of the map and luckily found characters like Watcher (superhero). Not to boast but I defeated him during my first attempt. Also, it was fun to try out the move styles of the characters in Battle Hub.
Now comes the moment of truth – Is Street Fighter 6 really worth your money?
According to me, the game is worth a try even for a new player. The variety of combat moves it offers is something you must experience. So it is safe to say that Street Fighter 6 has managed to set a bar for all the upcoming Capcom Games.
That was our unbiased Street Fighter 6 Review. If you liked reading this guide, then we have a bunch of other Review Articles for you. Make sure to check them out and find out if any game suits you best.
