Street Fighter EX plus Alpha

STREET FIGHTER EX PLUS ALPHA

SLPM86041
© Arika, Capcom
Sony Playstation, 1-2 players
Now available in Japan
¥5800

— by Orin Starchaser

For those not yet burned out on fighting games, Capcom of Japan has just released the second version of a fighter that combines all the best of two favorite series together: STREET FIGHTER EX PLUS ALPHA. The EX series merges the characters of STREET FIGHTER 2 and a lot of new ones into a 3-D TEKKEN format. As a result, the only word I can use to describe it is "subarashii" ("incredible"). The quality of the game puts it in a league of its own.
The action is very fast paced and fluid for a 3-D game. The multiple-combo rule (as is standard with all the later SF games) is still in effect, with some combos that can go as high as 30 hits! As a result, you have to be on your toes if you are playing against a very experienced player or against the computer on a high level of difficulty. The backgrounds, while not as action-filled as their 2-D counterparts, are all visually rich. Occasionally, the background will change as the battle wears on; and while it probably doesn't take up a lot of processing power, the little things are nice touches.
The music is wonderful. The trade off is quality over quantity, as not every character has their own theme music (or background), but it never skips a beat and is well written. Admittedly, if you get stuck on a certain character it can get repetitive quickly, but some tracks ("Light Guardian" in Ken's stage and "Irreconcilable" in Vega's stage) one never seems to tire of. Of course, the best part about this game is its characters. ALPHA itself only adds two characters to its roster. Those who aren't familiar with the EX series will be impressed by the characters that came from the original EX. D. Dark is apparently a black-ops assassin by trade, he has some connections to Guile. He carries a taser line, forearm blades, and uses mines liberally. Not a difficult character to learn if you know how to use Ken or Ryu. Pullam, an Arabian fighter who specializes in kicks, is so good at it that she can even kick Vega out of a head stomp. Actually a young girl about Sakura's age, she is apparently a dancer.
Blair Dane is best described as a toned-down version of TOSHINDEN's Sofia. Her combination of kicks and the occasional punch makes her relatively easy to learn as well as a formidable fighter. Cracker Jack is a straight-out brawler/sports nut. His pugilism is augmented by a powerful "Soccer Kick," as well as a baseball bat that he uses on occasion. One of his power moves involves grabbing someone, landing 6 or 7 body blows, and following up with the bat.
Skullomaina is undoubtedly the weirdest of the bunch. A former salaryman who took to wearing a skeleton costume, he can be the most vexing character to learn, the hardest character to beat, or worse yet, the ultimate weapon in the hands of the pro you are playing against. One move in particular, the "Skull Dream," involves grabbing a character and, with snapshots of action, landing several hard hits, ending with the victim falling from the sky behind Skullo.
Allen is the English-speaking version of Ken and Ryu. One of his moves, the "Justice Fist," is impressive if done right. But otherwise, he's just cannon fodder.
Hokuto is a master of aikido, and her moves show it. Along with Ryu, she is the only character to have an evil counterpart. Both versions are fairly easy to learn — but some moves have different consequences depending on which version you play.

Kairi is a fighter struggling to improve his ability. His moves are also fairly easy to learn if you know Ken and Ryu, but his fighting style is more based on a "death from above" attitude than Ryu.
Along with Vega, several other boss-type characters show up. Evil Ryu is the most notable, as one of his power moves is similar to that of the Skull Dream, but much worse (80% damage if you get tagged by this one) and even more dramatic. Garuda is a half-human, half-demon who has an affinity for knives. Finally, the Cycloids are most comparable to TEKKEN 3's Mokujin as they carry a variety of moves that can be used to maximum effect.
The only real problem with playing this game is that it is occasionally difficult to perform certain moves. This is remedied by a practice mode where one can just get a feel for the character, or they can be given specific assignments that the character has to complete, with increasing degrees of difficulty. Another good way of testing skill is the survival mode, in which you have to get through as many characters as possible without getting knocked out. A five-character per player team mode makes for fun with a friend or the computer if you aren't in the mood to run through the arcade stages.
View mode is a unique, and arguably the best, feature of this game. The player picks the characters and the computer does all the combat. While the fight is going on, the point of view changes at random, including one through the eyes of the fighter.
The endings for all characters can be saved as well, and judging from the play book, there are at least two different endings for each. Also of use is having access to all the commands in pause, as well as a command list for the fighter you are currently playing.
All in all, this is a mind-blowing game. Had this only come out sooner, those who were burned out on fighting games might feel differently. You may want to check it out before buying it, but I would guarantee that you will be impressed by what you see and decide to add it to your collection.

Rating: **** (out of 4)