What The Critics Are Saying About Street Fighter 6

"Street Fighter" is back and better than ever. At least, that appears to be the sentiment shared by reviewers a few days ahead of the game's full release. The latest installment in the series is already being hailed by some critics as one of the greatest fighting games ever made, due to its tight gameplay and plethora of fun modes to explore. This last point stands in stark contrast to the launch state of "Street Fighter 5," which arrived with a trickle of content and slowly added more fighters and options via DLC and various updates. Right out of the gate, "Street Fighter 6" is designed to impress and even overwhelm.

One of the biggest additions to the classic formula is the Drive System, which enables players to block and absorb attacks, then knock an opponent back and open them up for retaliation. This is definitely going to be a huge focus for the competitive scene, particularly since it can immediately turn the tide of battle. Players will want to master the Drive System quickly, so it's a good thing that the game offers plenty of tutorials. PCGamesN's review points out that there's a lot to learn in "Street Fighter 6," which is why the title's multiple control schemes and modes are welcome additions.

When it comes to the sheer breadth of content, "Street Fighter 6" seemingly blows away every other fighter on the market. Not only are there six new fighters to choose from — along with 12 beloved veteran characters — but the game also offers a ton of different online and single-player challenge modes, as well as a number of accessibility options. As noted by GamesRadar's review, "'Street Fighter 6' one of the best fighting game packages I've ever encountered. It's absolutely jam-packed with things to do right out of the gate.

Perhaps best of all, "Street Fighter 6" has been designed in such a way that newcomers will be able to groove to it. The different controller modes make "Street Fighter" more accessible than ever before, with combo assist options and the button-mashing Dynamic mode allowing even the most frantic button-mashers to enjoy themselves. The World Tour mode, which has been compared to the "Yakuza" games by several outlets, opens up the universe of "Street Fighter" in a whole new way. Players can create a highly customized character and build their strength and reputation on the mean streets, all while meeting up and learning from the best fighters in the game. 

Critics appear to be a bit split on World Tour mode's effectiveness, though. Ars Technica's Aurich Lawson says, "It's all slightly goofy, but it's a well-designed gameplay experience that's miles above canned story modes and cutscenes." Meanwhile, IGN found the actual plot of the story mode to be extremely generic. Overall, however, reviewers are impressed that the series has tried so many major new things at this point in its lifespan.

This fall will see the return of another classic fighting franchise when "Mortal Kombat 1" hits shelves. Until we see what that game has in store, "Street Fighter 6" is the fighter to beat.