*DISCLAIMER: Haven't done this before but doing it out of transparency: this is the first time I'm reviewing a game I technically didn't "beat." I got to the final chapter of the "World Tour" mode, but couldn't bear to finish it for reasons I'll discuss later in the review. With that said, I felt comfortable in the roughly 15 hours of overall playtime I spent with the game to give it a proper rating. Of course, if you feel this destroys my credibility, don't worry I understand*
Pros:
- Mechanically speaking, this is an incredibly strong and fun game.
- The controls are fluid and approachable for newcomers, but also great for seasoned vets.
- Plenty of content this time around, especially compared to the weaker "Street Fighter V" launch.
- Featured-packed with a lot of different content that should appeal to all types of "Street Fighter" fans.
- World Tour offers an RPG-type story mode that got hints of depth and should appeal to many.
- Visual design is pretty great all throughout.
- Music is pretty damn sweet, too.
- Online works incredibly well, which is important for a game like this.
- It feels like praising the bare minimum but allow me to do so: it's so good that a game like this came out in 2023 and was so perfectly polished, bug-free, and well-performing.
Cons:
- World Tour feels like a bit of a letdown: it's an overly grindy mode that feels like it rarely leaves you well-equipped for battles.
- I wish World Tour had some kind of difficulty settings; other modes do, why didn't this one?
Consensus: "Street Fighter 6" is a game I admittedly have gripes with, largely concerning its World Tour mode. Perhaps it's just not my cup of tea, but I found it to be a tedious grind that often leaves you ill-equipped for battles even after you feel like you've done a healthy amount of fighting. Perhaps this is merely an experiment and later entries will do it better than this. Be that as it may, credit where it's due: from a pure fighting game perspective, "Street Fighter 6" is incredible from a mechanical standpoint. This is a smooth and satisfying fighter that feels approachable for newcomers while still offering plenty for longtime fans. And with a bevy of content and modes to explore (after the launch of "Street Fighter V," thank God for that), this has a little something for all kinds of "Street Fighter" fans. Being someone who largely enjoys single-player stuff, I am a bit gutted by World Tour, but I won't let that get in the way: "Street Fighter 6" is great, and if you love fighting games, this comes very highly recommended.
Final rating: 8 out of 10 "Great"