The Streetfighter EX series has always taken on a sort of ugly-step-child role when it comes to Capcom's most famous fighting game series and it's many spin-offs. For those of you who've never seen or played one of the games, they take Capcom's famous Streetfighter characters like Ryu, Ken ... Read review
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thatStreet Fighter EX3is among the first PlayStation 2 titles. After the relative success of the first game for the original PlayStation (PSX) and the disaster of the second, it'll be interesting to see how long-term fans of the series take to yet another 3-D brawler with the Street Fighter moniker. Even with classic characters--like Sagat, Blanka, Ken and (of course) Ryu--back to duke it out, this might be one horse that's been beaten to death.Players can take advantage of a new system that allows character switching at any time throughout the battle. Not only will you be able to swap at will, but your dynamic duo also will have double-teaming tag combos to enhance an opponent's agony. This means that gamers will face three other opponents, and have four incredibly detailed fighters battling it out on screen at any one time in the ultimate handicap match. Take them out, and one might ask to join as your sidekick. Form a stable of four, and all of you can take your turn kicking Bison's tail, as well as that of any of the other famous Street Fighter characters in the game.The control is predictable, but that's what fans want... nay, crave. Super combos, dizzies, and a number of other staple Street Fighter combos are here and look incredible. Lighting effects are much more mature: the animated sparks fly, and the pyrotechnics flame up all over the place. Character models have come a long way since the days of the first blocky Street Fighter EX game. Although they still lack necks, these brawlers are seamless and well defined. Their victorious poses rival any graphics that previously have been seen on a console.Not everything is peaches 'n' cream withEX3, however. The endings of theEXseries always have been a bit lacking: all you get inEX3is a frozen frame with text, then, while the credits roll, a little consolation prize: over 10 enemies onscreen at once, all wanting to put the boots to you. This isn't the "true" ending we'd hoped for, but it's a nice gesture (and it shows off the system's power).Capcom is doing everything it can to makeStreet Fighter EX3the fighting game of choice for the PlayStation 2, but, with Namco'sTekken Tag Tournamentset to hit the market at the same time, it'll be a tough sell. Still, this is aStreet Fightergame, and that alone justifies at least a play. --Todd Mowatt
A review by Flash-Hammer on Street Fighter EX3 (PS2) November 29th, 2005
Author's product rating:
Gameplay/Playability
OK
Graphics
OK graphics
Sound
Good sound effects & music
Value for Money
Advantages:
Graphics are imroved, playable, 4 Player Tag
Disadvantages:
Sound, Graphics still aren't great, not Streetfighter
Recommend to potential buyers:
no
Full review
The Streetfighter EX series has always taken on a sort of ugly-step-child role when it comes to Capcom's most famous fighting game series and it's many spin-offs. For those of you who've never seen or played one of the games, they take Capcom's famous Streetfighter characters like Ryu, Ken and Chun Li, and makes 3D models of them, but still plays them in a 2D fighter.
The first two games were released in arcades, as well as recieving ports to Sony's all conquering PlayStation console, but recieved a lukewarm reception, not only from series fans, but gamers in general. Most casual fight fans had moved on to Namco's Tekken and it's sequels, and series fans were insensed at what had been done to their favourite series.
You see, while the EX games used Streetfighter characters, had the same QCF and Charge methods of performing special moves, they weren't made by Capcom. You see, Capcom simply lent out it's characters to a smaller company called Arika, who half-filled the cast with their own, lame, characters, and the game often felt like a half-made game where Arika had started to make a fighter, then realised they couldn't be bothered coming up with more characters, or a plot, so they just threw money at Capcom so they could use the SF name and characters.
After Streetfighter EX2 Plus, you could have forgiven people for thinking the spin-off was over. Capcom would just rely on the Versus series whoring to keep SF fans happy, or at least playing. Yet, when the Sony PlayStation 2 launched, lo and behold, there was a new Streetfighter EX game to accompany it. When you think about it, with exclusive Streetfighter and Tekken titles, you would have thought the PS2 launch would have been great for fighting fans. Only it turned out a Bloody Roar game was the best one on offer. Oops.
You see, Streetfighter EX3 manages to make the exact same mistake that both prequels did. It is not the characters, or the hadoukens that make Streetfighter, it's the friggin gameplay. EX3 is far too slow, sluggish and generally nothing like a Streetfighter title should be. What makes it worse, is that Arika is still intent on messing with videogaming lore. Ken's Hadouken is not Green. While they fixed Ken's hurricane kick so he no longer does it like Dan, Ryu still does.
EX3, like both games before it, manages to completely fluff up the one thing it had to get right, it doesn't feel like Streetfighter. As with the prequels, all it feels like is a lame game that wants to be SF. Maybe Arika should buy the license for Fighter's History or something. To say the game isn't at all fun would be incredibly harsh. On 2-Player, or even 4-Player, via a Dead or Alive 2-esque Tag-mode, the game can be quite entertaining, especially after a few drinks. It features enough classic SF characters that even those who haven't played the games since the second one will be able to find someone familiar. However, had the game actually played like Streetfighter, it wouldn't have been quite entertaining, it would have been ourtright good. For those who have never played an EX game, it's a 2D fighter with 3D graphics. Don't let anyone try to tell you this is a 3D game, because it isn't. Sure the characters slightly shift angle when knocked onto the ground and stuff, but there is no side-stepping or anything that actually makes use of 3 dimensions.
You only actually start with a fraction of the cast, the rest must be unlocked by playing 'Original' mode. This is where 'Arcade' or 'Story' or whatever should be. I'm glad the game didn't call it either of those things, because it doesn't resemble anything I've ever seen in an arcade, or boast a story, so I guess 'Original' is about as spot-on as it gets. In this mode, you choose a character, but you never actually fight opponents 1-on-1, in a best of 3 rounds contest, as you would expect. For example, the first fight is a 'Dramatic Battle', where you fight 3 enemies at once. When you beat them, you are given the chance to allow the last defeated member to 'join your team'. Everytime you defeat a foe, they can join your team, which can comprise of 3 fighters and your selected character. Some fights allow you to play tag-style, ala the Versus games, or sometimes you will fight in a dramatic battle agains the computer.
What really sucks the life from Original mode, is not only that it's endings are the epitome of lame, with a block of text appearing over your character's winpose(no FMV videos?), but it's also sickeningly easy. I give you 10 minutes to complete it.
The game does offer the usual Versus and training modes, as well as Versus Tag Battles and so on, but in general, it just left me longing for a standard Arcade mode. Had Arika had their heads screwed on, they would just have put in an Arcade mode, but put time into cool Tekken-esque FMV endings. But no, instead we get this ridiculous single player mode and text endings.
Further fuelling fire against this game is the lack of new characters. It's the same cast as the second game, only with the new 'customisable fighter' ACE. ACE is basically the edit fighter mode from Streetfighter Alpha 3, only instead of selecting the character you could upgrade, you are stuck with this guy, who is one of Arika's more generic creations. Someone should really tell these guys that their character design skills stink.
Controlling the game works the same as all of Capcom's games on any Sony console:
The response of the buttons is fine, but the fact is that the actual game itself is so slow and sluggish, it doesn't feel right, trying to play SF. I would also recommend an alternative controller, with the Dualshock 2's D-Pad being as useless as ever, to compliment the lack of 6 Face Buttons. Thankfully I've got two of those Streetfighter anniversary controllers, which, while far from perfect, make the game a lot more playable than with the Dualshock 2.
Graphically, the game is a huge improvement over the first two titles, but it still is far from impressive, even for a launch title. While it isn't the blocky monstrosity of the other games, the fighters still don't look or move realistically, or even take on a '3D Manga' feeling. They just look...mediocre. The game also suffers from some texture clipping, as well as the fact that the Blanka model is quite possibly the most ridiculously bad thing ever seen by human eyes. The game also features a nice selection of generic and lame stages, and even pauses to put in a decent one, in the form of Sagat's Thai ruins, which are actually really well created.
Easily the worst aspect of the game is the sound. While the character voices are passable, the music is dreadful. Generic electro nonsense. The stuff mute buttons were made for. Seriously, I lasted the first match of Original mode before hitting the magic M.
Believe it or not, Streetfighter EX3 isn't actually that bad, but with the exposure that the SF license brings the game, it also brings with it expectations. I judge the game as I would any SF title, and under those circumstances, the game just can't hold up. If it didn't have the gaul to claim to be a Streetfighter game, then this would just be what it is, another mediocre fighter for the PS2. And that's where it's score comes from. The game isn't a complete disaster, but I still wouldn't recommend it to anyone, especially SF fans, unless, to get friends to play multiplayer, games must be in 3D. Personally I would take any of Capcom's 2D games over this, any day of the week.
Advantages: A great one player game aswell as multi player, great graphics aswell Disadvantages: You might have to read the manula to figure some stuff out
...hard on weather to buy Street Fighter EX3 or not. From the disappointment from the last few Street Fighter games it was doubtful that I would buy it (also GT3 was supposed to come out on the same day). But to my disappointment, GT3 was delayed till June, which meant I could buy a game now, and still buy GT3 in June!
So, having bought Dynasty Warriors 2 last moth I thought it was time for another Beat 'em up.
Having got home with Street Fighter ... ...and DOA: 2 and Street Fighter 2. And to be honest, I didn't find what I was hoping to at first.
As the shop which I bought it from has a 12 day money back guarantee, I thought I'd give the game a go to see what its like and if it has any potential.
At first the game is pretty difficult. I didn't want to read the manual, I just wanted to play the damn game and beat up a whole load of people.
Obviously, I chose the one and only Ken as my wonder ...
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Advantages: Graphix i suppose (MAYBE) Disadvantages: practically everything else, the characters looks, slow moves, etc.
...of the biggest fans of street fighter games around - its THE all time classic beat em up, but - my friends - i am afraid to say that the good name of street fighter has been scorned by this pitiful game.
Capcom, as with previous editions of the game on other consoles such as street fighter EX and plus alpha on the psx, etc, decided to put the powers of the new ps2 to use in creating a 3D version of the game, sadly thats about all its good for.
... ...and more advanced digital techniques, street fighter is just one of those games that should be left in the classic 2D form.
Due to it being in 3 form the characters dont really resemble their former selves, and also the game has become slower because of it. The execution of the moves is slower and ill timed, Ryu's hadou-ken looks like a flyingue fish of some sorts, and Kens hurricane kick (as in street fighter ex plus a) is much slower and looks ...
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Advantages: Lots of modes, graphics not too bad, nice gameplay. Disadvantages: Nothing special, not as good as Tekken Tag Tournament.
...PS2's original Japanese launch titles, Street Fighter EX3 was one of the least impressive. Whereas Tekken Tag Tournament broached new ground and took the fighting genre to pastures new and sophisticated, Street Fighter has been happy to stand still. Seemingly content to watch technology evolve and mustate around it, the series can hide behind its cult retro stylings no longer. It's time for Street Fighter to grow up. Lining up alongside TTT and DOA2 ... ...always the gameplay that made Street Fighter so compelling, and the embers of that passion are still glowing beneath the surface of this 13-year love affair. The PAL version is an enhanced version of the game released in Japan. These improvements include optimised playing speed for Euro gamers, the option to choose your CPU opponents in a new version of the Arena mode, plus a special move command list viewable during play. When you add this to the ...
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Advantages: errrm its street fighter? Disadvantages: its the 50th street fighter
...the first time I played Street Fighter II. I waltzed into my local Blockbuster and said "gimme somma that there Street Fighter", and then played until I could no longer hold the controller. Little did I suspect that nine years later Capcom would still be cranking out new Street Fighter titles. For the EX series, Capcom has handed over the reins to Akira, a developer that consists largely of ex-Capcom and Square employees. How do they handle the series? ... ...here; I'm tired of the Street Fighter series. Capcom has milked this franchise in ways I never though possible. Making sequels is fine, but making sequels that play just like its predecessors is not. Marvel vs. Capcom, SNK vs. Capcom, Ronald Mcdonald vs. Capcom, no matter what spin you put on it, the series is going nowhere. What Akira has tried to do is move the series into a pseudo 3D world, not a true 3D environment; that would be too big a step ...
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Advantages: characters reasonable, some good features Disadvantages: use of controller, slow, graphics
...new medical condition known as Street Fighter Thumb) It had been a while since I'd played the game and when I bought a PS2 it was first on my list. It was nice to see a few of the old characters Ryu, Ken, Guile Blanca,Chun Li and others and the game seems to have some good ideas but it just didn't feel or play as well as I was hoping for. The graphics aren't fantastic and gameplay isn't exceedingly quick and it doesn't make use of the analog controllers ... ...never had a PS before so getting used to performing the combos was difficult and mastering characters time consuming. Some of the new characters are very similar and initially it was very easy to complete. I now wish I hadn't stayed loyal to the brand and had invested in DOA instead.
I've read the other opinions praising SF and I do intend to give it another chance and keep playing and I agree that some of the features are good, choosing a new character ...
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Advantages: Fast, Extras Disadvantages: Rubbish translation, not much to do
...FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
Dead or Alive 2 is overall the best release game on the PS2, standing above Tekken Tag Tournament and obviously StreetFighterEX3. Though it's basically the same, good old game that was released on Dreamcast a few months back, it's been enhanced for the PS2. The Dreamcast version was basically a game with no secrets to unlock. It was pretty much unlocked for you from the beginning, an obvious disappointment when compared to Soul Calibur. But none the less, it was fun and a great alternate to SC.
FEATURES:
For the PS2, you now have twice the stages to fight on, two characters you can unlock and a whole bunch of new game modes. It also has a Gallery you can unlock. Gameplay is good, if not better. Unfortunately, the PS2 version still has some of the same troubles the DC version...
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19.03.2001
