Sunday, February 12, 2006

Review: Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors' Dreams

Platform: Playstation
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release Date: December 1995
Genre: Fighting

Street Fighter Alpha will serve as an interesting history lesson to Street Fighter Purists, but will offer little else.

I enjoy 2D Capcom fighters more than any other fighting games. However, the original Street Fighter Alpha (known as Street Fighter Zero in Japan) came off as a disappointment to me. Much of what made most of the Street Fighter games so well-known in the first place (addictive gameplay, a varied and interesting cast of characters, memorable music, awe-inspiring backgrounds) is missing here, resulting in a mediocore experience that only a true Street Fighter fan could get any enjoyment out of at all.

While the gameplay found in the various versions of Street Fighters are easily distinguishable (who can get Street Fighter II mixed up with Street Fighter Third Strike, or any of the later games in the Alpha series?), Street Fighter Alpha’s seems like a mixture of Street Fighter II’s and Street Fighter Alpha 3’s. While this may sound good in theory (two of the best fighting games of all times gameplay into one package?), in reality it’s prevents Street Fighter Alpha from having a true flavor of its own, and it’ll come off as a disappointment to anyone expecting something new from the series.

One of the key factors in what made Street Fighter II so popular was its well-balanced, varied and colorful cast of characters. That is a huge flaw in Street Fighter Alpha: this game’s characters simply seem too boring and generic for their own good. While there are some new faces appearing in Street Fighter Alpha for the first time, they will forever be remembered in later version of the series as the characters no one ever picks.

Street Fighter Alpha does not impress in the visuals department, either. One of the best things about the Street Fighter series are the game’s exciting backgrounds that add personality to the game. Sadly, the backgrounds are sub-par here, and the pixilated character models are nothing to write home about, either.

Street Fighter Alpha was obviously rushed to the market as a quick cash-in. As it stands, it’s just a mediocre beginning to a series that would go on to greatness in later ill iterations. Street Fighter Alpha will serve as an interesting history lesson to Street Fighter Alpha purists who haven’t already given this game a try, but it won’t really appeal to anyone else other than them.

Rating: 5.8 (out of 10)

12 Comments:

At 9:16 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

To think this is the grandfather of alpha 3.

 
At 11:56 PM, Blogger Ross said...

To be honest with you, I liked Street Fighter EX3 as well. I enjoyed it more than the medicore EX2 because of the tag team feature, and it was pretty cool seeing my favorite Street Fighter characters in true 3D.

 
At 4:28 PM, Blogger gnome said...

Not agreed. SFII TE was the best... evaaahh!!1!

No, I do mean this. And ross, great review, and I quite agree...

 
At 5:04 PM, Blogger Ross said...

Thanks for the fedback guys. I was debating on doing this review because I questioned myself on whether anyone really wants to read about a forgotten game in the Street Fighter series, but judging by the feedback I guess all you liked it. Thanks!

 
At 10:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

People could write something about street fighter being built out of chicken wings and old tires. And I would probably read it just because i saw the words street fighter.

 
At 5:31 PM, Blogger Ross said...

Wedge14, I think that may be the most interesting thing I've ever heard about the series...

BTW I cant comment on your blog because you're on Myspace...

 
At 8:10 PM, Blogger Ross said...

Figured it out in the same minute you posted, eh? Lol

And whats interesting is that this has had the most comments on any post yet. And I thought no one would comment, lol.

Anyway, for the search engines...

ryuhadouken.blogspot.com

 
At 8:10 PM, Blogger Ross said...

As for J.... you're pictures there.

 
At 7:17 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't care if you can't comment on my blog. But I can assume you browsed it. So thanks.

Speaking of ex3. Remember Kof: Maximum Impact? I ended up paying 70 Canadian for it. And i loved it so much just because i got to see some of my KOF buddies in tree-d.

But man it sucked the buttload. And all the new characters were either lame or something everyone has seen before.

Why am I talking about KOF?
Meh.

 
At 8:58 PM, Blogger Ross said...

Lol, I was just talking about that game with someone.

I paid $10 U.S. for it, and I'm glad I didnt pay much more. Theres not much to the game really - and the voice overs and A.I. are horrible! :-(

 
At 9:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Actually i just really wanted the sick Terry Bogard "fatal fury" hat.

And seeing it going for like 16 dollars really makes me cringe.

 
At 5:06 PM, Blogger Ross said...

Lol that hat is awesome.... I've actually seen a few people in public wear it before... Unfortunately mine didnt come with it since I didnt pre-order. But hey, that would have been a $40 hat for me and a $10 game if I bought it at launch, so its not so bad :-)

 

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