Street Fighter X Tekken

Like many I assumed the early rumors of a Street Fighter / Tekken crossover title were just wistful pipe dreams. There are just too many reasons why it shouldn’t work. Tekken and Street Fighter are very different games but the answer to all these problems was very simple. Rather than try to awkwardly merge the two game styles Capcom chose simply to bring Tekken characters into the world of Street Fighter and adjust the game engine and the characters’ play styles to make them feel like they belong.

Despite a graphical filter that gives a slightly more cartoon-like visual style it is easy to see that Street Fighter X Tekken is based upon the Street Fighter IV engine. You might even be forgiven for suspecting this is just a bunch of extra characters with a tag mechanic tacked on but spend even a short amount of time playing and you’ll see that this is just not the case. For starters the game plays much faster and the fighting engine is now open to hugely creative and accessible play. There is a much more ‘anything goes’ feel than in previous Capcom fighters; if it looks like it might work then it probably will and anyone not used to the juggle heavy combat will probably miss some tricks early on. For example, Tekken TKD fighter Hwoarang has a EX move that will bounce his opponent off the far wall and back at him. Instinct told me that I should follow this with a Dragon Punch style move, in Hwoarang’s case a high rising kick special. As expected it works but after a few more hours in training mode I discovered the bounce could be followed with a jumping kick and then the special causing more damage for additional risk or cost. This in itself is a pathetically simple discovery but it serves as a simple example of what can be uncovered with a little time and imagination.

Another level of freedom is offered with the gems system which allows a player to customise a set of time limited buffs that activate under certain game conditions once per round. While the fighting game community have questioned the logic behind this system, fearing its abuse or potential to unbalance the game, I am more than happy to defend it even if the setup is a little clumsy. In reality it works just fine, allowing you to tune your characters to your chosen play style but time will tell how this plays out in a tournament setting.

This new freedom is contrasted by the game’s accessibility. Along with gems that enable easier special move execution, every character has access to a standard combo set that allows any lighter attack to be easily followed by any heavier attack. This can then be followed by an additional heavy attack to launch your opponent and automatically tag in your partner. It’s as simple as pressing Light Punch, Medium Punch then Heavy Punch twice, which will tear into your enemy and leave them in the air ready for your partner to continue the assault. You can mix up the combo by varying between punches and kicks or by swapping the first attack for an additional medium hit. It feels very natural and controllable. This simplicity opens up the effective use of tagging to any player that can understand the basic concept of a combo and it’s hugely satisfying. For the more advanced player we could start talking about using your cross meter to tag mid-move or about following wall bounces with Pandora activation to leave your opponent in an exploitable juggle state for your now powered up but ultimately doomed partner. We could start talking about that but we won’t.

Pandora does need to be mentioned, though, as not only is it the basis for the comeback mechanic but also the story. Yes, the story. As comeback mechanics have been much maligned in the past, Capcom have played it safe here by going for a Risk/Reward setup. If one of your team has less than a quarter health you can sacrifice them to give your remaining fighter a boost in damage, speed and meter usage… for eight seconds… and then you die. Quite the risk but when used in a considered and sparing manner it can win you a round or two. Use it recklessly and you will very quickly lose.

As a basis for the game’s story Pandora’s Box is a far more whimsical affair. While I was expecting it to be used as a shallow conceit explaining the collision of worlds there are no such excuses. As it turns out the worlds of Street Fighter and Tekken are the same. Characters are aware of each other existence and reputations, simple. Pandora’s Box merely fell from space and landed in the antarctic, it feeds on the energy of combat and fighters from around the world seem to be drawn to it. For some reason many of the fighters chose to make the journey to the antarctic with someone they really dislike leading to endless arguments and amusing, if nonsensical, conversations. Basic animations set up the reasoning behind the partnership followed up with partner-based fight intros and rivals fights, are all very enjoyable. Upon defeating the final boss, however, you will be treated to a beautifully rendered cut scene showing you what happened when your chosen fighters finally got control of Pandora’s box. As the story unfolds you will become aware that the game doesn’t take itself at all seriously. As with most fighting games the premise is ridiculous and the writers ran with it. This could very well be called ‘Carry on Street Fighting’ and as a fan of the series I found it really very entertaining. Be sure to check out the Guile/Abel ending. Not since the ‘Dog Ending’ of Silent Hill 2 has so much wonderful nonsense been crammed into the final moments of a game.

Beyond the eccentric arcade, local versus and online multiplayer modes and the usual suspects of Challenge and Training are present and correct but with some nice additions. Mission mode has you fighting to compete in battles with special conditions, while Briefing Room finally brings us an online training room where we can practice with a friend.