The return of the king

After a long wait, Street Fighter 6 is finally here! This canonical installment of Capcom's famous fighting game promises an experience packed with new features, marking the beginning of a new era of accessibility and entertainment. With its semi-open world single-player mode, ultra-dynamic multiplayer, and exceptional combat system, the franchise looks set for a bright future!

The long-awaited moment has finally arrived! Thirty-five years after the launch of the first Street Fighter, Capcom is opening a new chapter in the history of this iconic franchise. With 50 million copies sold worldwide, the aptly named SF revolutionized the genre, particularly with its exceptional second installment. Despite occasional criticism regarding the overexploitation of the flagship series, the Japanese publisher has successfully reinvented itself through high-quality spin-offs such as Street Fighter Alpha, Street Fighter EX, and Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, and it was truly in 2008 that this renewal took place.

After a decade of waiting...

...fans of the famous fighting game were finally rewarded with the remarkable Street Fighter IV. Designed for both novices and seasoned players, this title captivated an entire generation, and its sequel attempted, in its own way, to perpetuate the tradition, eliciting mixed reactions. The challenge facing Street Fighter 6 is therefore immense, as it must appeal to a diverse audience while introducing significant innovations. A daunting task, and yet...

A story in three acts
Street Fighter 6 is divided into three distinct sections: World Tour, Battle Hub, and Fighting Ground. Before exploring the possibilities of online and versus modes, let's focus on one of the major aspects of this installment: its single-player mode. For the first time in the series, the story isn't simply a narrative interspersed with successive fights, but truly unfolds with a brand-new semi-open world.

After a brief introduction with a martial arts master (who is none other than Luke, the latest character to appear as a paid expansion in Street Fighter V: Champion Edition), the player is tasked with creating the character who will accompany them for many hours. A few pre-installed models are available, but it's by exploring the creation editor's options that you realize its endless possibilities. Head, body, hair, mouth, eyebrows, profile, distinguishing features, accessories… the design freedom is astounding! Whether you want a human protagonist or a hybrid being, there's plenty to enjoy! Needless to say, some will have a blast crafting a quirky and original avatar! After a short tutorial with Luke, the player is catapulted into the heart of Metro City, a metropolis with strong New York City influences. Freedom of movement is almost total (except for a few police-controlled areas), allowing for interactions with the population. Capcom has designed various districts where the art of combat reigns supreme. The player can engage in conversations and confront the individuals they encounter, all while facing the malevolent elements that lurk in the shadows. These street fights add a beat 'em up dimension to the overall experience, offering an enjoyable experience, although the repetitiveness of the cardboard characters might test your patience, as they are omnipresent on every street corner.

As you progress, the full potential of the World Tour is revealed. Players can choose a combat-focused approach, ignoring the surrounding world, but this will come at the expense of immersion and experience gain. To level up and fully explore every facet of the game, it's highly recommended to take advantage of the environment available to your character: clothing stores for a stylistic makeover, beauty salons for a makeover, shops for delicious food or restorative drinks (usable in combat), elevated areas accessible by ladders, and environmental elements that can be destroyed with special attacks to collect money, among other things. Throughout the adventure, the player is tasked with completing various missions and can interact with Masters, experienced fighters who are part of the game's cast. Each Master possesses unique abilities, allowing the player to mimic their "behaviors" to benefit from their offensive and defensive moves (combining special moves between different Masters offers an interesting and original dimension). Thus, the player has the option of maintaining a consistent style to optimize it or varying between different approaches to diversify the fights.

With its resource management-focused single-player mode offering an offensive approach, Street Fighter 6 warmly welcomes beginners looking to hone their skills through a more diverse adventure than classic modes like career or story. Metro City is just one of many areas to explore, brimming with nods to iconic titles from the publisher, including Final Fight. It's a welcome addition to the series' traditional modes, promising to delight many players, even if the storyline lacks substance, the quests inevitably become repetitive (it is a fighting game, after all, not Zelda), and the main character's lack of dialogue slightly breaks immersion. For the future of the series, this mode deserves further exploration due to its undeniable freshness. Moreover, it offers attractive and colorful visuals, even featuring a day/night cycle (not real-time) to add dynamism to the adventure.

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