Hands-On Impressions: Street Fighter 6 – EGX 2022

Street Fighter 6 made a surprise appearance at EGX 2022. Its attendance was only confirmed a few weeks before the start of EGX to very little fanfare. It is quite strange when you think that Street Fighter is one of the biggest video game franchises of all time.

That being said, it probably worked out for the best, because it meant that attendees at the show had a better chance of going hands-on with Capcom’s legendary series and so did I. Here are my hands-on impressions of Street Fighter 6.

Get detailed looks at World Tour, Battle Hub, and Extreme Battle with the Game Mode Trailer.

Ken, Blanka, Dhalsim, and E. Honda return in #StreetFighter6!

🌐 https://t.co/3TmEHBJFPN pic.twitter.com/3AeWPK1H7Y

— Street Fighter (@StreetFighter) September 15, 2022

SOME FAMILIAR FACES WERE PRESENT

The demo build included a total of eight of the eighteen fighters that will be available at launch. The demo included Ryu, Ken, Juri, Kimberly, Guile, Jamie, Luke and E. Honda. However, as we were only limited to two matches at a push, I was only able to test out Ryu and Guile.

First and foremost, veteran fans of the series will be instantly familiar with the gameplay mechanics with combat feeling fast, fluid and rewarding. I can hand on heart admit that despite being a fan of the series since the original arcade game, I’m still quite basic in terms of skill level. However, despite that, Street Fighter 6 felt more accessible than ever. Even when I was pulling off moves I had no idea how to perform during the brief demo experience, it still felt like I was in control.

While not able to explore the mechanic in great detail, the new Drive Gauge certainly played a part in attempts to turn the tide of a fight, even when your chips are down. The Drive Gauge can be used to prioritise your Focus Attack, special Ex move or a Parry to counter your opponent in the hope of landing a sweet combo.

STREET FIGHTER 6 SEEMS TO BE VERY ACCESSIBLE

Furthermore, before jumping into a match, the player is able to choose between two control schemes, such as Classic and Modern. Classic is as the name suggests, based upon a six-button layout, akin to an arcade machine layout or in terms of a controller, the face buttons along with the shoulder buttons.

Whereas Modern will keep the face buttons as they were but will assign a special move to a single button with a directional input. It’s a nice choice to have and helps to make Street Fighter 6 a little more accessible.

In terms of visuals, Street Fighter 6 is certainly a nice-looking game, even with this early build. Characters have the over-exaggerated features that fans of the series would expect. Yet, while having a cartoony aesthetic, the level of detail on each character is to a level not seen in the series.

I would even say that it could be the best-looking fighter game that I’ve seen to date. Add this to the vibrant colours illuminating the screen when unleashing a special move, Street Fighter 6 is truly a treat for the eye. Furthermore, Street Fighter 6 features in-game commentary, which I thought would be annoying. Yet it does a great job in calling the action and helps to give the game a welcomed sporty vibe.

2023 NEEDS TO ARRIVE NOW!

I wish I had longer to play Street Fighter 6 because those two matches went by too quickly. Yet, despite this, it was clear to see the high-quality bar that is already set with this early build. At this time there is no release date for Street Fighter 6, other than a tentative 2023 release date for PC, PS4, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

If this early build has set such a high standard already, 2023 couldn’t come soon enough. I don’t want to tempt that, but Street Fighter 6 has the potential to be the best game in the series yet.

Featured Image Credit: Capcom