I spent last weekend with the Street Fighter VI Closed Beta on Xbox Series X, and it would be remiss not to share my thoughts and impressions with you.
Only the ‘Battle Hub’ is accessible in the beta, which hosts all the multiplayer content, like Ranked Matches, Casuals, Tournaments, etc. After creating an avatar (don’t worry, it takes minutes), it’s on to the obligatory tutorial before entering the Battle Hub, a fully interactive 3D space where your avatar can roam freely with everyone else on the same server. Clusters of arcade machines are spread throughout the hub, and sitting at a cabinet allows you to request a fight with the player sitting opposite or enter training mode while you wait for a challenger.
At the far end of the hub are two clusters of cabinets hosting something different. On the right, ‘Extreme Battle’ pits you against another player with various hazards on the stage, like an exploding ball or a raging bull (because why not?). On the left is a cluster of cabinets running classic Capcom arcade games, and over the three days of the beta, these virtual cabinets hosted Final Fight, Broken Sword, and Super Street Fighter II Turbo. Capcom has gone “all in” on the multiplayer component of Street Fighter VI, bringing it up to modern standards, a move which will undoubtedly increase Street Fighter‘s appeal to new players.
Controlling classic characters like Ryu, Guile, and Chun-Li feels familiar and fresh. While many abilities and combo routes are carried over from previous entries in the series, there is a new weight to character movement and attacks that makes Street Fighter VI feel markedly different to any previous Street Fighter games. It’s ironic, then, that the most significant change in the combat comes from the Drive Gauge, which is essentially a mish-mash of all the best mechanics from previous games.
The magic of the drive system is in how it is implemented. Separating it from the traditional Super Meter, filling it at the start of every round, and giving you four distinct ways to utilise it, means you begin each round at your full potential. Previous entries in the series have seen players building meter as the fight progresses, gaining access to more potent abilities when the fight is close to being lost. “Come-back-mechanics” have been a staple of fighting games since the early 1990s, but cleverly, Street Fighter VI changes this formula without breaking it completely. The Super Meter still fills as you fight, but the Drive Gauge is full from the start. Take care, though; emptying your Drive Gauge altogether reduces your combat ability dramatically and leaves you extremely vulnerable to the right attacks. Knowing when and how to use the Drive Gauge is the key to victory.
After three days, I’ve barely scratched the surface of Street Fighter VI‘s combat, but I’ve had a lot of fun learning. The matchmaking system worked flawlessly for me throughout my time in the Battle Hub, and I had no appreciable connection issues during matches. The magical rollback netcode pixies have done a fantastic job (Phew!). I spent some time with each of the eight available fighters, and I was delighted with the new character models, new stages, new moves, and all the combo possibilities on offer. Capcom’s RE Engine has worked wonders again here; Street Fighter VI looks stunning.
Other than some initial frustration configuring my controls for online battles, I have zero complaints about my experience with the Street Fighter VI Closed Beta. Capcom has taken note of the valid criticism they’ve received over the last ten years regarding the series and fixed it. The fact that the game doesn’t release until June 2023 fills me with confidence that they are taking the time to get it right.
If you want to watch the Street Fighter VI Closed Beta in action, here are some handy links for new videos:
Street Fighter VI is available for pre-order now and is released on the 2nd of June 2023.
