Took another trip down to Chinatown Fair when I had to kill sometime, and actually met the El Fuerte player on Sabin’s account who beat me down! I c ouldn’t say no to a few matchups against a nice ElF player, so I plunked down some money for a few beat down sessions as Ryu. El Fuerte’s game is still quite intimidating, especially when the player shows skill and restraint. It’s very easy to just play him impulsively I imagine, but adding in a few Run-Stops to bait helps him get a really nice edge. I won a few matches and had a good time, I just wish Sakura was playable! Supposedly at SBO they are going to preview the next SF4, and I hope that brings the home characters to arcades plus a bit more… As much as I’m happy to have those extra characters at home, it feels like it divided the scene a bit.
As for my battle in G2, I’ve gotten a few matches here and there, and am closing in on 12k for what its worth. I’m not that anxious to make it to G1, as alot of the players there are Sagats with a LOT of time on their hands. Still trucking with Sakura though.
I’ve been playing a little Third Strike and recently Soul Calibur 4 here and there. Soul Calibur 4 is initially not as fun as SC2, it feels a bit slower and the inputs seem to be more demanding. I’ve been playing Hilde, and she is vastly different from characters in SC as well as other games. Her charging moveset seems unorthodox and while flashy, seems a bit underdeveloped and doesn’t seem to reward the time spent holding down a button. Its difficult to continue to play while having a button on lock down.
As for Third Strike, there are elements of that game that I really miss. Supers in that game are handled elegantly, as they are not just an end to a combo like the Ultras in SF4. They offer a tool otherwise missing from a character’s moveset or a door to set ups, really allowing a player to explode on their opponent. I think part of what draws me to Sakura in SF4 is her EX Tatsu really feels like a 3s Super. I really miss the aggressive nature of 3s and the freedom the parry awards, but it requires alot of skill and dedication. The barrier to entry into that world is much thicker than SF4. I’m hoping the next version of SF4 brings some of that technical depth and aggression back, but manages to keep the game as user friendly as it is. (I think removing the ability to mash out of block strings would go very far in this regard.)
I’d also like to take this opportunity to say that the backgrounds in SF4 look like they might have been picked from Namco Tekken’s trash pile. They are OK, but when you look at the concept art for some of them, as well as the dynamic perspectives and vibrant colors of older fighters, there is obviously a disconnect there when Capcom goes from 2d to 3d. The shadows on the characters just feel muddy as opposed to having their own color, and the animation of the crowds is just plain weak.
That being said, I’m still having a blast playing Street Fighter IV, and am looking forward to seeing the regional 5 vs 5 matches at EVO this weekend as well as how we stack up against Japan.
Still Climbing at 11000+ GP
Tags: arcade, Chinatown Fair, SF4, SFIV, Soul Calibur, Street Fighter, Third Strike, video games