Sticking by all that we could gather from the Street Fighter X Tekken preview, one thing is for certain- this game stands on a plinth from where a lot can go wrong or it could draw enough potential to please aficionados of both the series and turn into a franchise to watch out for. It’s been so many years since we started bathing in the excellent fighting mayhem delivered consistently by Street Fighter and Tekken games. Be it on the ever-so-enjoyable arcade machines or the constantly evolving consoles, these titles have endowed us with some memorable gaming experiences individually and that’s something no one can deny. So just how appealing would the amalgamation of these two franchises prove to be? Let’s try digging that up through this preview.
From the minute we grabbed hold of the controllers, something felt different, albeit in a good way. The fights were smooth-flowing and so were the controls. Despite containing characters from both the series, the gameplay is pretty much Street Fighter-based. Everything from the sounds, the music, the commentary, the short introductions for characters and even the graphics to some extent, never stop giving you the arcade feel that takes you back to those days when shiny-old coins were the only accessory required to enjoy the finest of fighting games. As we’ve mentioned before, Street Fighter X Tekken seems like an SF game which has been infused with a spoonful of Tekken features right from the onset.
So if you’re a Tekken enthusiast who loathes the SF series – which is hardly a possibility – the tag team and juggle systems would be the only high points for you in this upcoming title. As for fans of Capcom’s fighter, they can brace themselves for some long, really long, gaming sessions as this offering is bound to be a hit among them. Crucial characters from both the series make their way into SFXT. And what’s noteworthy is that despite the 3D nature of Tekken titles, the fighters from this clan have been incorporated in their entirety and they play as good as they’d do in their own game.
Regardless of all this, the beauty of fighting titles still lies in the process of learning distinct combos, remembering them and executing them with perfection. Of course, accidentally missing them once in a while and trying to come up with some other moves in a hurry has its own charm too. Now talking about Street Fighter X Tekken, the controls are as responsive as ever, providing you with smooth-flowing battles. During tag battles, combo moves can be shared by two different players, which means one player can unleash a combo and call for another player to continue hitting or juggling the character. Pretty Marvel vs. Capcom 3, we must say.
Coming onto the Street Fighter X Tekken environments, they definitely are interesting and funny at times, due to the large number of obvious Easter Eggs that have been crammed into them. Sometimes, it was difficult to take our eyes off them and concentrate on the gameplay alone. The Gem System and the Pandora Mode are the two new additions that are aimed at keeping the title fresh. What the former does is that it furnishes you with up to three gems that give out stat boosts in the middle of fights. Judging the game from the modest amount of time we got to play the preview is a tricky task, but this little feature definitely makes it into our list of stuff to watch out for in the final game.
Secondly, the Pandora mode is a simple mechanic wherein, players can sacrifice their characters to provide different stat boosts to the other fighter. The much touted Scramble Battle mode is one of the highlights of this title, pitting up to four separate players, online or offline, in frenzied battles that ask for some quick responses. There’s also a Training mode which helps to get your basics in shape before entering actual matches. The online modes which we couldn’t have a look at, are sure to prove themselves as healthy additions to the final version.
Final Word: Capcom may definitely have to live up to a lot of expectations. And going by our first peek at it, the developer won’t let fans down. The game does look like it will pack in a solid punch. And this preview has certainly compelled us to look forward to March 6, 2012, not only for Mass Effect 3, but also for Street Fighter X Tekken. Both games will be outed in Europe and India on March 9.