Review: Is Street Fighter x Tekken A Knockout?

Ryu's "Hadouken" crosses with Kuma's "Fatal Wind" in Capcom's latest knuckle buster.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

Street Fighter X Tekken brings two of the greatest franchises in the fighting genre and brings them together for the very first time. Although crossovers are pretty typical (Marvel vs. Capcom, SNK vs. Capcom, etc.), the union of these two franchises have never been done--making this game one for the books. You will be able to tell your grandchildren you were around when this first happened -- before the robots took over.

The roaring sound of shredding guitar riffs break through your speakers as an action packed fighting screen materializes with colorful and bigger than life characters. Don’t be surprised if you fill with adrenaline and suddenly find yourself wearing your t-shirt as a headband. The powerful opening scene creates great promise for the game. But will this be the most exciting part of Street Fighter X Tekken?

The comparison to Street Fighter IV is unavoidable. Graphics and gameplay may feel extremely similar. However, Street Fighter X Tekken incorporates not only the Tekken characters, but also the moves, and functionality like the tag system. This new 2-vs-2 dynamic brings a new gameplay and player experience not found on previous Street Fighter games.

For the people who have not been fans of Tekken’s engine, you will find that the characters feel as if they were native to Street Fighter all the while keeping the original Tekken style. 

Although the 3D look might throw off some of the fans of the arcade style, Street Fighter X Tekken is a 2D fighter at heart. The animation is smooth and transitions with beautiful, dangerous elegance. It still holds the arcade feel just with a 3D face lift. A welcomed change to those that find themselves drooling over sexy characters such as Cammy, Chun- Li, or Ryu (Hey, girls play this game too).

 

Most of the popular characters have been included from both series. Bob, Ken, Guile, Raven are amongst the 26 character roster of fan favorites. The Tekken characters have been stylized to fit the Street Fighter look yet still hold their Tekken feel. If you don’t find your favorite instantly, no need to worry, as new DLC will arrive in April--including 12 new characters to be announced.

Before you get started, you will be offered a tutorial made up of 20 lessons. All the classics are covered, from kicks to "Super Charge" techniques. If you are new to either franchise, I highly suggest it, as button smashing can only get you but so far. There is also the ability to practice all your moves in a training mode called "The Briefing Room." This will allow you to train against a CPU opponent or another person online. When you feel you are ready to make your adversary cry for momma, you will be able to request a fight and transition into the fighting mode.

In the same vein as in arcade, the fighting request system works when someone wants to challenge you. The online gameplay feels pretty much as it did on Street Fighter IV. Don’t expect anything ground breaking. The online capability is pretty standard. Some lag is to be expected, especially when the server is overloaded, but it runs smoothly most of the time.

Perhaps the most original feature of Street Fighter X Tekken is the integration of the new "Gem System." This consists of "Boost Gems" that raises your character's skills during a fight. There is also "Assist Gems" to help support your character's abilities. You can mix and match the gem units according to your own personal style. I'd recommend "Assist Gems" to noobies, as they really enhance your natural abilities.

Other customization options allow you to edit your characters skin, hair, clothes, accessories, and clothing. You have a "Costume Swap" choice that will allow you to wear costumes from other Street Fighter and Tekken characters. New DLC for more costumes options are said to be in the works. 

Street Fighter X Tekken incorporates all the best functionality from both franchises making this game a true force to be reckoned with. Unifiying the two platforms might seem like a frighting idea to fans of the Tekken series, but here it's been done with style and grace. Seasoned veterans and noobs alike will find it fun, beautiful and most importantly, a blast to play over again.

Latest in Pop Culture