EX plus Alpha adds new dimension to the Street Fighter saga
Written: Jan 08 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Adaptive gameplay, superb multi-genre soundtrack, some welcomed new characters
Cons: Some of those new characters don't fit, rather simplistic/generic menu interface, bland arenas
The Bottom Line: Street Fighter EX Alpha is a much accepted branching addition to the Street Fighter universe that successfully moves into a integrated 2-D blended 3-D universe
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| NMD85's Full Review: Street Fighter EX Plus Alpha for PlayStation 1 |
Street Fighter sure has come a long way since the early days of 1990's arcade versus fighting genre. Simple 2-D sprites dueling against each other has certainly come down the long road to success thanks to Capcom's incredibly popular fighting series. After the Street Fighter II phenomonon, Capcom added bits and pieces to the "II" series which has probably pepetuated in becoming video game history's most over-released game based on one engine that started it all. Since Street Fighter II, Capcom has branched it's series a plenty, trying every gaiden possible for our favorite World Warriors to participate in. In 1996, Street Fighter evolved once again, entering the 3-D arena like so many other fighting series, Street Fighter's had doubtful expectations only showing off it's success in a stunning 2-D styled 3-D backgrounded fighter. Coming from the arcades with several enhancements, Street Fighter EX Alpha proves to have done a fine job porting to the Playstation in a superior form.
One thing many fans never believed is that Street FIghter would succeed as a 3-D fighter and if so, it would be extremely altered from it's original, adaptive form on the sprite-based CPS (Capcom Play System, another name for the engine made by Capcom) engine. Now running on an advanced engine modified by Capcom, Street Fighter EX emulates the likeness of newer-aged technology, full with 3-D models and a 360 universe that Street Fighter had never undergone before. Being such a successful series such as Street Fighter, Capcom was confident in designing the game to a perfection grade that would capture a new style of technology whilst keeping the same competitive, simple and adaptive gameplay style of the past games. After all, who wants another Tekken-style game? Street Fighter fans don't, we want our intuitive Capcom technological integration of blending old with the new which is what Capcom tends to be so famed for these days. One of the greatest successes in EX Alpha is most importantly the "2 1/2 D" gameplay, running entirely smooth and wonderful on a 3-D looking but 2-D playing engine.
Although the graphics haven't matched the potential of it's superior arcade brethren on the way to Playstation, they still manage to run smooth if not being entirely detailed or intricate. Since a superior engine is now running on the inferior Playstation hardware, it's necessary developer Arika had to dumb-down the resolution and intricacy of the arcade original. One of the most disappointing elements in EX Alpha is the somewhat boring, bitmapped backgrounds that have one stagnant image with noticable but unimpressive slight movement in them may they be birds flying about, raindrops cascading off trees, or rainfall. Some however, capture specific locales of the fighters who perform there such as Ryu's middle-of-nowhere moutain environment, or Kairi and Hukuto's dark, and moody feudal Japan village setting, and even Chun-Li's with China's historical Forbidden City background; full with the departed Mao ZeDong in the portrait overlooking the entrance. Nevertheless, they are not very captivating, and for some odd reason, most of the battles often look like they are taken miles away from the background featured in that level. Although blocky, and "unshaven" looking, the game looks marvelous for a Playstation release that rivals other 3D fighters on the market also delivering a smooth framerate that will never drop for a second.
Although Street Fighter EX Alpha is a Street Fighter title, it sure doesn't feel like much of what was for the past years. Having a newcoming developer, Arika, undertake the tasks in EX Alpha it simply doesn't feel Capcom-ish. The menus, most notably, are very philistine, and don't feel very well thought out or very Street Fighter themed as they've been in the past. Meaning, there's no Street Fighter theme, or flashy menus; they simply look third-party and generic. Most satisfying is the many tweakable options such as adjusting player health, round limits, difficulty, as well as a sound test for those who will be uploading music from the game. Not that it's a dire problem, it's the game that inherently matters, but it seems to fail to capture the nature and mood of the pre-game activity.
Seeing that EX Alpha takes after it's original roots, you can expect a rather smooth and easily masterful learning curve within. Veterans can pretty much play as they've left off from the most recent Street Fighter Alpha series as the game sports pretty much the same special moves, combos, and super combos as well. However, EX Alpha does offer a new blood to the original cast amongst many originals such as Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, M.Bison, Guile, Zangief, and the "plus alpha" additional classics like Sakura and Dhalsim. Slews of newer characters are sort of a mixed bag on a personal standpoint while the terrifying and pyschotic destructive Doctrine Dark, eccentrically maniacal super-hero Skullomania, the pool-hall-looking junkie Cracker Jack, feudal Japanese overboosted Sodom-looking Garuda, and even the mysterious new female Japanese fighter, Hukuto, add plentyful new, bizarre, but nevertheless interesting color to the Street Fighter series. Some of those fighters including Darun Mister, a wrestler who rivals Zangief finally meets his match looks plain mimicked and uninspired, and then Blair, a generic new female fighter that ultimately fails to break any boundries in the Street Fighter saga. Even those carelessly ripped-off like Allen Schnider, whilst not a wasteful addition, plays off the Shotokan "palette-swap" deal and even Kairi, who's the exception because of his intreging look and cloudy background and a certain mystifing edge to an otherwise "Shotokan clone". Fans of E.Honda, Blanka, as well as the "New Challengers" and the supporting Shadaloo cast of mercenaries may be slightly miffed to discover the absence of those few, to an otherwise brilliant original return of the favorite originals as well as the handful of chosen newcomers. Overall, Capcom did a fine job at adding to an already fine game with new characters that will gain fanbases, especially Skullomania's wacked-out laughing taunt.
One of the most reassuring elements of Street Fighter series games is the assurance of familiar gameplay. Mostly all of the characters are cloned off others, or are strikingly similar to be compared to others. Most of the moves are reminscent of the past titles, having many different styles of characters and their moves such as charging characters like Guile and Bison, rotaters like Zangief and Darun, and the wave-motioners which comprises a great deal of the most simple-to-adapt-to characters in the game. As like the Street Fighter trend, each character has their own series of exclusive attacks and special moves which can be performed by entering simple button combinations and can also perform around two to three or more super combos relative to the Street Fighter Alpha styled three-level bar combo meter. Strangely, Capcom doesn't allow multiple bars to be used at once like in Street Fighter Alpha, however instead, you'll be allowed to perform super cancels, which is simply using another super move consecutively after the current one for massive damage and multiple hit combos. Even during play, the player can summon a full moves list consisting of the specific moves of that character which is conveinient instead of refferring to the guide or a player's guide.
One of the most surprising additions to Street Fighter EX Alpha is the newly composed soundtrack highly improved over the simple "retro" arcadey sounding original soundtrack from the arcade game. Having gone through a major overhaul through it's way to the Playstation, all of the tracks in the game have been revamped and arranged with an entirely new multi-genre sound unlike it's arcade cousin which features a less impressive array of music. Much of the music in the game ranges to rock and grunge sounds reminiscent of the 80s such as Bison's grunge-filled track that seems to capture Bison's downright evil edge and even Ken's theme which captures many synthisizer trancey elements integrated with plenty of grunge and beats sounding brilliantly worked in. On a different note (pardon the pun) EX Alpha offers a more somber and drab fusion-jazz of Doctrine Dark's stage which breaks into multiple different portions and the swingin' fusion-jazz on Guile's stage which is one of the game's most impressive adrenaline-pumped fast-paced tracks starting off swingin' jazzy and breaking into a wild rock mezzo. Even to eighties pop-style "heart-throb" sounding theme of Sakura with plenty of those saxophone beats and the psychotic amusement park music of Skullomania's stage is simply marvelous and stirringly moody. There's even plenty of cultured Japanese music of Hukuto's stage or even Dhalsim's drab Indian-styled tune as well as Pullum's relative arabic-sounding theme or one of the game's best tracks, which is Cracker Jack's "Riverdance"-sounding theme that sounds starts Italian whist soon braking into a hyper mezzo beat. Then there are others that sound Capcom style catchy like Chun-Li's and the somewhat hysterial Zangief's theme, with reminscent cold war-themed evil lurking behind the frightening rock overlay. Most every track faced a much necessary overhaul from the arcade original compositions which were lifeless and downright horrendous. EX Alpha is definitely one of those game titles you'll need to track down the original soundtrack to, if yet near impossible to obtain.with, it's simply excellent music that appeals to many game music enthusiasts alike. The only shame is that most battles don't last longer than around a minute, so you'll have to voluntarily enter the sound test to hear these excellent varietous tunes in there fullest.
FINAL COMMENTS
Yes, it's 2003 and I've finally given the game the gratification it deserves in being one of the most accomplished Street Fighter titles in the series. When I played Street Fighter EX Alpha, I could simply explain it as being the freshest experiences I've played in a long time from Capcom. Being the die-hard Street Fighter favorist that I am, I must say EX is one of the best titles to date in the overall Street Fighter saga. Speaking of now, EX was the best one in the saga, sadly being that the following titles couldn't match this one's perfection. Seeing previews in various magazines before the game was released, I certainly didn't think EX was going to be a success being the anti-3-D fighting pessimist that I am. I also can't get enough of the music, which is definitely something new and fresh that most won't believe that it's a Street Fighter soundtrack. On some final words, EX is brilliant, almost perfect, which is every reason to forget it's little flaws and realize that it earns the five-star rating it's getting. Ultimately I hope Capcom revives this one fully with improved visuals in a SF Collection-style package.
EX is a little deviant of the typical Street Fighter redundance (that I admittingly love) but when you start playing may you feel right at home with this gem of a classic.
FINAL DECISION
(on a basis of Epinions' stars ratings)
Visual
4 out of 5
Audio
5 out of 5
Gameplay
5 out of 5
Control
5 out of 5
Lasting Prowess
5 out of 5
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
NMD85
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Member: Nick M. DiMaio
Location: Connecticut
Reviews written: 183
Trusted by: 17 members
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