Street Fighter 5 Underwhelming First Impressions

Poli Games share their first impressions of Street Fighter V for the Playstation 4. Though the gameplay's great and the music is fantastic. The game has one big problem, a lack of content. In the game's current state, it is not worth your 60 bucks.

[MCTJim]

I really want to drop the money on this game, but, from reading so many reviews the game is not complete or close to being a complete experience. What I really wanted was vs the CPU and it seems its not been included yet. June? I guess I'll wait till its a complete game before I drop the cash on it.

[Poli_Games]

Trust me, I now have played over 8 hours of it. Buy it in the summer. It isn't worth 60 bucks in its state.

[MCTJim]

Thanks, I think I am going to wait. Been reading the reviews on steam and metacritic and its a real bummer for me.

[DarXyde]

MCTJim,

In the spirit of fairness, an 82/100 could hardly be considered a bad score. Will they re-review it when more content is available? I cannot say. Capcom and Sony took a sincere risk releasing it as it is though.

I have yet to play it, but the fact that it's as bare bones as it is will not help. Word of mouth is pretty big these days (how else could a new IP like The Last of Us have done so well?) so I imagine uninformed consumers will blast it. Unfortunately, the month of release is generally the big window to buy the game. Holding off would have definitely been the best course of action.

[slappy508]

Thank you for sharing your thought. I'm like you in that I'm not great at a fighting game like this, I only do well in games like soul caliber or Tekken where you can get away with just mashing buttons.
Yeah so it's kinda disappointing to read about the lack of arcade or vs mode I don't wanna practice against human opponents all the time!
I am interested in this game but ill wait till there's either a price drop or most of the content has been released for it

[Poli_Games]

No worries! Yeah really bummed about it as well. I really wanted this game to be the fighter to get me into fighters. I remember playing it as a kid. So far it's been sadly disappointing.

[MCTJim]

Maybe Sega will make another virtua fighter

[TorpeAlex]

This *is* that game. Everyone is talking about, "barebones hurr" but the one thing that every review mentions, or should mention, is that it's the best playing fighting game since Ultra. Its online matchmaking ranks you by experience and skill, so that really shouldn't scare you away if you want to improve your play. Its survival mode lets you practice without live opponents if you're really that against online or local play (and, if you are, why do you play fighting games again?).

[XtraTrstrL]

My main issue right now is being afraid that CFN servers won't be solid. And with FM/EXP only earnable while you are connected to CFN, it means you aren't gonna want to do any of the grinding in all the offline modes, because although you can still earn the alt colors in Survival, you won't get all that FM/EXP, so in that sense it's tons of wasted grinding hours.

I wish it could be setup so you can still earn FM/EXP offline and it just sync back up the next time you login to CFN. There's talk that they did it to avoid hackers from cheating, it's still gonna leave people really pissed if servers go down alot.

I was playing 30 minutes ago or so and atleast it gave a message this time saying "Server Maintenance in 5 minutes" before it shut down. So, I finished my easy Survival Mode with Birdie, then just shut down once the servers went down a few minutes later. There's not much to do when servers go down other than training or local 1v1. You can't watch your saved replays or anything, cuz they're in the CFN section.

I still look forward to seeing it grow into a full game, but $60 is insane to be asking right now for this PS4 Beta/Steam Early Release title. I hope the stages get upgraded too, polycounts/texture quality is blaaaah. Performance does have hiccups here and there too, depending on the stage, which is sad, considering the gfx quality of this 1v1 fighter. Hopefully it all gets worked out soon though.

[nogoodusernamesleft]

wait til super street fighter v unless they launch it exactly like they did this one rofl then play killer instinct or another fighter that's superior in every way over sf

[Majin-vegeta]

Lol at KI being superior over SF....theres a reason that series was missing for awhile lol.

[sammarshall102]

@Majin it's really not too far-fetched Killer Instinct is one of the best fighting games ever and it's about to get a bigger fan base with PC players next month

[jholden3249]

I regret buying this game. And I had shelled out $30 like a tool for the season pass on PSN.

I play for single player, and there's just not much there. Clearly there's a divide between "professional journalists" who have averaged an 82/100 on MC, and the actual users, who out of 300 ratings has averaged a 4/10.

I understand some people are fanboys and will blast games just to drop the score but this is extremely low. Clearly something is not right, and the ones giving critical review refuse to acknowledge it.

[Poli_Games]

YES!! Dude i feel the same way!
A. i feel personally burned by Sony and Capcom. Major websites giving this gaming 8's and 9's. When on average ratings on metacritic is a 40. There defiantly some shady business practices going on at major gaming sites.

[jb227]

You play fighters for single player? I'm right there with you on only really playing sp games but I've literally never bought a fighter for its sp because the entire genre has a history of competitive content. No offense but it seemed plainly obvious for SFV & any other fighter than sp is just an afterthought & mp either local or online is the entire point of the genre. If I had $60 burning a hole in my pocket & I wanted a satisfying sp experience, I'd rebuy a game I already had before I'd buy a fighting game.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Agreed. I know how much you like SP titles JB lol.

But it must be known that those who like SP titles also like good SP titles and I can't say that SF or really any fighting game comes to mind to play for that reason.

Even Tekken which i feel has one of the greatest storylines in any fighting game series, I would not solely just buy just to hear its story.

I'm 100% there to train, master, main and beat the crap out of folks online and at home lol. I love working hard on a combo and learning new tricks and practicing them online to see my hard work pay off.

A SP is nice, but if it never had one, I would just not care. I mean...playing fighting games when I was a kid, they never even had such modes in the first place for me to really say its a valid reason to buy it.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Name only. You guys should seriously consider a real fighter like KI.

[Poli_Games]

Is that game still FTP?

[343_Guilty_Spark]

It is.This game is buy now and feels like a barebones Ftp.

[TorpeAlex]

KI was in much worse condition than this a day after release. You're a blabbering idiot if you don't think SFV is a 'real fighter'.

[Hunkaloverbear]

No, it actually wasn't.

[Deathdeliverer]

KI was in far worse shape. I can make everything clear for you guys that probably play fighters on a whim.
KI had no endings of ANY sort at release
1v1 lobby with friends only. No search at all so nobody but a friend that was in a party with you could join.
And Random Ranked or unranked 1v1.
I played the hell out of KI from launch day on Xbox 1. Facts are facts.
SFV is a game in a line of #1 competitive fighting games at tournaments.
Capcom Cups first official tournaments start in 2 weeks. Time has to be given for players to train and officially compete. SFV was supposed to release in April but because it's the MAIN game at Evo and Capcom cup it had to be released early. This is not just a KI or Soul Calibur. Unfortunately those games never did reach that level of appeal.
As a casual game for a casual gamer, yes extra features are light. But if you were serious about the game and kept up with it you would have known back when the release date was pushed up and they said features would be missing at launch. I'm looking forward to the other modes and what not but in fighting games it's about the fight with me. It didn't bother me with KI, it does not bother me with SFV.

[xasz]

KI was F2P and wasn't charging $60 minimum. You could also play the whole game, including online, and every character (due to a rotating free character) for free. It was also $20 for everything.

It also had a full-functional vs. CPU mode.

It also had one of the best tutorials in a fighting game, up there with Skullgirls, at launch.

[jb227]

Of course you Xbox guys would come in here & recommend KI...how is the story mode for that game? Let me guess, it is the best single player fighter in the history of existence!

[Poli_Games]

(sarcasm) OH of course you PS guys come and defend this game!! Let me guess Knack is launch title since Mario 64!? ( IM KIDDING!!! )

[Bladesfist]

Will do, skipping SFV and waiting for Killer Instinct to release on PC as it's where all my friends play. I have played it on Xbone, it's fun.

[MaxCompiler]

The game lacks content, there is no denial of this. Its a fact. Capcom state this a long time ago, this game is only a platform that will grow over the years. Each mode (and probably new ones) will be added later for free. No more new version or obligatory DLC packs. I buy the game knowing this info and so far (1 day later) im fine with the experience.

Many sites and reviewers point the lack of content but dont dont talk about the future plans for this game. Why they didnt say the same with games like Titanfall (which turned ok after a few months) or Evolve or even Star Wars Battlefront.

Lets hope that Capcom stay true for what they intended for this game, and show to the industry a new way to make a game that last for the gamers without the sneaky practices of new titles like Halo 5 or Cod Black Ops 3.

Make it right Capcom, do it for your long time fans, do it for the sake of the industry.

[Poli_Games]

To play devils advocate. This is a scary trend to see. These companys shipping out unfinished products, or games lacking content. If we are hanging on the promises of major publishers for future free content. Look at Battlefront, Evolve, TitanFall. They all lacked content day one. Sure some of them got better over time, but not fast enough to save those games. The market moves insanely fast, theres always the next big thing around the corner. As soon as this games story mode comes out 5 big triple A games would have come out. Do you think the community is going to stick around? i don't think so.

[Gaming4Life1981]

See that's the problem, Capcom never said they would be giving us a bare bones game. I remember them saying that the story mode would be up their with mk, then they said that the story mode wold come out june. People are comparing this fighter to all others even ones from 10+ years ago and their is no excuse for charging 60bucks for an incomplete game. We all love sf but don't defend this game just because you love the franchise.

You attempted to throw halo 5 under the bus but halo 5 has been giving out free dlc since it came out and is still giving out free dlc on a regular basis. I'm confused of what sneaky practices you speak of, we got a great full game that is only getting better with the FREE dlc.

@poli_games it is scary trend to see and happens a lot, sadly companies will keep doing this and taking out content because they know people will still buy it. People love to complain over the most idiotic things when it comes to gaming but then support the worst kind of practices.

[maniacmayhem]

Pretty sure most sites said the same about Battlefront, Titanfall and Evolve.

Capcom telling you they're going to sell you a full priced game with less than half the content in it doesn't make it right.

I hope this type of trend doesn't become popular. I want to experience a sequel that improves on the first, not take away and then gives it to us down the line piece by piece.

[_-EDMIX-_]

What is "full" though? Your saying this as if for a fact, games have a set minimum to deem such a thing as if you now what SFV is in terms of full.

None of us know such a thing as games are not objective products. One can state that a full large pizza is what ever inches, x number of slices etc.

A game is something that can have any number of content, so their is no base or official understanding of what is "full" other then a finalized game.

Final is what they deem final lol.

That is like if I wrote a book, how can you tell me what a "full" book is of a concept I wrote? Oh because Book 2 and 3 exist, 1 isn't "full"?

Um....sure, sounds like first world problems to me. Wasn't Star Wars BF claimed this too as if 15 maps wasn't "full" LMFAO!

Sure. I don't know if I care enough to cry over such a thing as they are letting you earn DLC characters for free for playing it.

Performance wise, SFIV didn't just launch perfect, it had issues. That is like saying Halo 5 didn't "improve" from Halo 4 currently because Halo 5's launch had issues as if Halo 4 was perfect at launch.

Give me a break bud, games will have launch issues with online features, this isn't really news.

Let the sales reflect how badly any of us really "think" it did.

[maniacmayhem]

***Your saying this as if for a fact, games have a set minimum to deem such a thing as if you now what SFV is in terms of full.***

You're joking right? All we have to do is look at the first entry of SF4 and compare that to this entry and we can come to a logical and factual conclusion that this game is not "full".

I skipped over the rest of your complete BS since it makes no sense whatsoever. But I did enjoy your conclusion.

**Let the sales reflect how badly any of us really "think" it did.**

Yes, because sales reflect the quality and opinions of the individuals.

Time to start thinking for yourself bud and stop allowing the sales chart dictate how you personally feel a game is.

[BojanglesKing]

I think what EDMIX was getting at as far as the sales comment is that people love to get online and wax poetic about how aggrieved they feel about a particular game, but then they invariably go out and purchase it anyway. Whatever. Not worth getting riled up over. If you really feel that strongly about the fact that you're going to have to wait a couple weeks to receive the extra content in SFV, don't buy the game. Voice your discontent with your money, the only way in which your discontent actually fucking MEANS anything.

[young7yang]

Had a chance to play it today and it feels very bare bones.. Worse the King of Fighters XII..

Why on earth would Capcom release an incomplete game like this.. There is not arcade mode.

This game is going to sit on my shelf and collect dust for a while..

Back to DOA, Guilty Gear and Tekken Tag 2. At least those games have a healthy dose of single player content..

[Blackout4521]

I was dumbfounded when i saw that there was no Arcade mode! I thought i was crazy for freaking out about it earlier! What type of fighter doesn't have a freaking arcade mode!?!

[young7yang]

Oh and as of right now every time I try to enter a lobby the game crashes on me..
I own the PS4 version..

So have not even played it online yet!

THIS IS BS

[BojanglesKing]

Where to start? This is THE most user-friendly and transparent Capcom has EVER been in regards to their plans for a game and the treatment of their player-base and this petulant waving of pitchforks and torches is the response they get? Marvel vs Capcom 3 launched with no story mode and one of the most broken online net codes to ever grace fighting games. A netcode that was never fixed in the long run, mind you. An online mode that didn't even have a damn spectator mode! Add to the mix the fact that the game featured JUST an arcade mode and a training mode and you're left with a game that truly offered you almost NO content whatsoever. Then Capcom had the BALLS to release Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 a mere 10 months later and charge the player base $40 for a game they JUST purchased a handful of months ago. THAT, my friends, demands actual outrage. And yet, that game was embraced with open arms and a loving disposition. Double standards, much?

In regards to Killer Instinct, any comparisons should stop immediately. KI launched with no arcade mode, have you guys forgotten that? have you guys also forgotten that KI launched with a mere 6 playable characters? KI was also a budget game sold for $20. Season 2 also sold for $20. Season 3 will likely sell for the same price, ultimately making for a game that is, you guessed it, $60. A $60 game that required it's fan base to wait THREE years before the game attained an amount of content that is typically expected of a fighting game. Yes, I'm aware you can purchase individual characters if you so desire, but what right-minded player or fighting game aficionado would consider owning ONE character in a fighting game a worthwhile expenditure of time? Not to mention that bitching about a lack of content but subsequently being ok with having access to strictly ONE character in a fighting game is cognitive dissonance of a degree so extreme it's embarrassing. And lastly, at $5 per character, it's in your interest financially to just pay the $20 and get all 6 characters, and they structured it that way specifically to rope people into buying the full game whilst maintaining the notion that their product is consumer friendly. 1/2

[Blackout4521]

A wiseman once said "what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

[BLKxSEPTEMBER]

This is complete BS Crapcom! 3 beta test and still you screw up the launch! I've played ONE game online since last night due to the horrible servers.They just performed maintenance and STILL THE SERVERS SUCK!

[Majin-vegeta]

Or maybe its your connection??Ive been playing for tbe past hour and not a sine hiccup excelt lag against a japanese player.But that was it.

[BLKxSEPTEMBER]

It's definitely not my connection. It's a well documented issue that has finally appeared to have gotten better.

[Poli_Games]

Yeah, a lot more people are having the same issues including myself. It seem's spotty at times. One minute it says i have a connection, the next minute it says lost connection to servers.

[BojanglesKing2]

2/2 In SFV's case? It's only crime is perhaps launching sooner than it should have. You can blame that on Capcom wanting the game out in time for Capcom Cup and Evo, but that's another story. We know for a fact that there's more content coming in March for FREE. That's just a couple of weeks away, friends. The March content will add to the character prologues, survival mode, training mode, and online modes already present a mode named Extra Battle. A mode in which you'll face special CPU bosses to earn in-game rewards. A trials mode that will teach players combos ranging from the basic to the advanced for all 16 characters. Battle Tips, a mode dedicated to providing tutorial content aimed at giving new fighting game players the tricks, tips, and knowledge necessary to up their game. And lastly, Targets, which will give players daily renewing challenges to complete in return for Fight Money, which gives players the ability to purchase all future DLC characters for FREE. Capcom has also explicitly stated that ALL future updates to SFV will be released FREE of charge to the community. No more charging for Super edition, Ultra edition, etc. Don't take my word for it, I tried adding links to prove what I'm saying to be true, but N4G wouldn't allow me to post links. Google SFV fight money dlc characters and SFV future game updates free or anything to that effect and you'll find various articles confirming what I've written.

We also know that there's a full fledged story mode featuring close to an hour of in game cinematic coming in June. ALSO free. We ALSO know that Yoshinoro Ono has confirmed that Capcom is contemplating creating more story expansions in the future. In summary, like I mentioned early, SFV's only crime is perhaps launching a bit early. It's not deserving of the cynicism, negativity, and hate it's receiving. It's a stellar fighting game that will continue to receive regular free updates and content over it's life span. RANT OVER.

To Blackout: which part was idiotic? The part where I accurately assessed and compared the launch states of both MvC3 and KI to SFV and assessed them, factually, to be comparable to SFV's launch state? Yet avoided the pitchfork petulance that SFV is receiving? You, sir, are an idiot. Never believe otherwise =)

To elebans: I never said KI WASN'T a great game. It's a FANTASTIC fighting game that I still play actively. A fact is a fact though, and we're speaking about LAUNCH CONTENT, not how good or a bad any of these fighting games are. The only troll here is you in ASSUMING that I don't play KI. Purchase both seasons. Incredible game. You lose, good day, sir =)

[343_Guilty_Spark]

I'll be pirating on PC. Thanks'n

[Atomicjuicer]

It benefits publishers to gradually make their games less physical.

Selling discs that require digital "updates" to work will destroy retro gaming in the future as the servers hosting the main game "update" will be gone.

Publishers selling incomplete games are trying to increase control of their ip. They're only pretending to sell it so they can let the servers die and sell new games to the same consumers.

Its the same anti-gamer crap all over again in a new form. Don't buy it.

[Poli_Games]

I think you're on to something there. Publishers are getting way to comfortable now a days. Shipping either incomplete games, or buggy games. With the mentality that it will all be fixed later. Oh we'll deal with the lack of content down the road. For the fans! But, what about now? I payed 60 bucks for just a bare bones game and a promise of future free content?

[Dark_Crow]

Maybe Capcom should focus more on making the game next time instead of showing up with boxing gloves at e3 and other conferences making a fool of themselves.