Street Fighter 6 aims to be the definitive game in the franchise

Goodbye Street Fighter V! The latest installment of the franchise is just around the corner, and it looks like it will live up to expectations.

We can already say that we are in front of the most complete game in the series. What we played of Street Fighter 6 during our trip to Capcom USA's offices in San Francisco impressed us and left us hyped. Below, we share our impressions.

AN APOLOGY FOR PAST MISTAKES

The first major accomplishment is evident from the main menu. We immediately noticed a lot of content, which contrasts with what we saw in the fifth installment. It is clear that Capcom listened to fans' complaints and avoided repeating the same mistakes. There is a palpable and honest effort to deliver a well-rounded product.

The game is divided into three main sections: Battle Hub, World Tour, and Fighting Ground, each with its own game modes and features. In the test, we could only access the last two, but we were surprised that both have the potential to deliver hours and hours of content.

CHARACTERS WHO EXUDE STYLE AND RELY ON NEW MECHANICS

Before discussing the available game modes, we want to talk about the highlight of the experience: playable characters. At the end of the day, fighting games live or die by the quality of their roster and the depth of their mechanics. How does Street Fighter 6 fare on those fronts?

Luckily, we have an excellent fighting game that is enjoyable at all levels. In the test session, we had access to the 18 characters that make up the initial roster. While it is far from the longest launch lineup in franchise history, it is one of the most varied.

Capcom maintained a balance between classic characters, fan favorites, and new faces joining the franchise. Each of them exudes charisma thanks to their designs and animations, which are carefully crafted down to the smallest detail. The most important thing is that they all feel different in combat and have something unique to offer.

We were pleased that classic fighters like Chun-Li and Cammy have new abilities, so even veteran players will have to visit the training mode once again to learn characters they mastered in previous games. On the other hand, new fighters Manon, JP, Kimberly, Jamie, Lily, Luke, and Marisa have fun fighting styles and bring something fresh.

We were unable to explore all the roster characters in-depth, but in our short experience, no one appeared notably more powerful or "broken."

Undoubtedly, our favorite fighter during the test session was Marisa, the imposing jewelry designer seeking glory in combat. Her MMA-inspired fighting style is very direct and intuitive, while her attacks have good hitbox and are devastating. The damage she causes compensates for her lack of speed. We also enjoyed playing as Kimberly, Manon, and Cammy, who are more technical fighters.

We discussed the Drive System in-depth in our impressions of the first beta and reiterated that it is a very interesting system that needs mastering to achieve victory. Using a Drive Impact to stop an enemy's attack abruptly, using Drive Parry to defend ourselves and counterattack, taking advantage of the EX versions of our moves, and extending combos with Drive Rush is very satisfying.

WORLD TOUR, THE STORY MODE THE FRANCHISE NEEDS?

Regarding game modes, the most interesting novelty in Street Fighter 6 is the World Tour, a story mode never before seen in the franchise.

The concept is very striking and, to some extent, original for a fighting game. However, we confess that it is the section that least engaged us due to its slow pace, simplistic story, and awkward dialogue. Perhaps that is because the first hour and a half is the tutorial. But let's break it down.

In this game mode, we create an avatar and embark on an adventure with one goal in mind: becoming the best fighter. We pause to praise the character editor, which is very complete and offers a lot of possibilities. However, our creation clashes with the rest of the fighters.

Now, what is World Tour? We are facing an adventure mode where we have to explore a map, talk and fight with NPCs, participate in optional activities, and complete main and side missions. We were surprised that there are many RPG elements, so our avatar and the other characters have assigned levels.

We can level up, acquire food that recovers health or provides other benefits, buy clothes to improve statistics, and get points that we redeem in progression trees to obtain upgrades and new abilities. We liked that there is a great emphasis on customizing our playstyle.

Throughout the World Tour, we will travel through Metro City and other locations. There, we will encounter legacy fighters and can become their apprentices to learn their skills and fighting styles. In the test session, we were apprentices to two characters: Luke and Chun-Li.

While we can only have one fighting style, meaning the basic and unique set of moves of each fighter, we do have the ability to combine the abilities of each master. For example, we can equip a special attack from Luke and another from Chun-Li. While we had little time to explore this system in depth, we believe it is very interesting and opens up a wide range of possibilities. We can also use these abilities in exploration areas to break objects.

To some extent, World Tour reminded us of games like Yakuza where the open world is full of activities. However, unlike Kiryu and company's adventures, the story of Street Fighter 6 is very simple and unappealing, at least in the initial stages. The premise feels like a mere pretext to explore the franchise's universe.

In summary, we believe it is a harmless game mode. It has charm, and hardcore fans will enjoy seeing their favorite characters in an RPG-like environment. Our concerns are that it might become repetitive and that the plot is simplistic and, consequently, boring.

FIGHTS AND MORE FIGHTS

Undoubtedly, Fighting Ground is the ideal section for those looking for traditional game modes in the franchise, without that meaning that surprises are absent. We had the opportunity to enjoy the Arcade mode and simple 1vs1 fights against CPU and other players, although there are also extreme fights that present unique rules.

In Arcade mode, we must complete a series of fights and bonus stages to learn about the characters' stories and unlock illustrations. While it presents few innovations in this installment, it is a must-have, and we are pleased that it is available from launch.

The tutorials explain from the basic systems to the most complex concepts. Just like in the previous installment, there are guides that help us understand the fighters and their fighting styles.

First, we have the character guide. Here, we find detailed explanations of each fighter's abilities and their function in the fights. It is very useful to learn strategies and how to use attacks in different situations. Next are the combo guides, which offer a genuine challenge. We are sure that players who enjoy testing their skills and destroying their fingers while trying to execute impossible chains of blows will love this.

The training mode surprised us for the better, as it offers many options to customize our session. We can activate frame data, program actions to practice certain scenarios, and much more. We take our hats off because we are facing one of the most robust training modes we have seen in the fighting genre. Undoubtedly, the developers hit it out of the park in this section.

Certainly, it is evident that Capcom wants both veteran and novice players to enjoy Street Fighter 6 equally. That philosophy is reflected in the more accessible controls. We tried the Modern Control style, and indeed, it is much easier to perform special moves with it. However, we felt restricted, which gives us hope that this scheme is balanced. We must remember that it is allowed in online matches and tournaments.

STREET FIGHTER 6 AIMS FOR PERFECTION, WILL IT HIT THE MARK?

In conclusion, we enjoyed our time with Street Fighter 6 very much. The fights are very satisfying thanks to the new mechanics and the characters' fighting styles. Despite the accessibility options, it is a very deep and complex title that will delight the most demanding players.

We must highlight the impressive audiovisual section. Unlike the fifth installment that looks outdated and generic, this new title exudes style thanks to its focus on hip-hop and graffiti street culture. While classic themes are absent, the new themes of the characters and scenarios are very catchy.

It is too early to tell, but it seems that this fighting title will meet expectations. Not only does it feel like a love letter to franchise enthusiasts, it is also an apology to fans who hated the controversial Street Fighter V.

We will have to wait until the final version to find out if the World Tour mode is worth it and see if the netcode offers interruption and lag-free online matches. For now, we confess that our hype is through the roof. The future looks promising for Capcom's saga.

But tell us, did this title catch your attention? Do you think it will meet expectations? Let us know in the comments.

Street Fighter 6 will be available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC starting on June 2nd.