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Arika |
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Capcom |
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Fighting, 2v2 |
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Playstation 2 |
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| Release Date |
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Japan - 03.04.00
USA - 10.24.00 |
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Street Fighter EX3 (PS2)
Review by: Eugene Huang (01.12.04)
In general, it seems quite pointless to review fighting games immediately
after their release, but this rule particularly applies to a game like Street
Fighter EX3. Next to Street Fighter the Movie, the EX series could quite
possibly be the most hated fighting game series ever made with the words
"Street Fighter" printed on it. To those who have played the series
extensively, however, those opinions are hardly justified.
The EX series (especially EX3 in particular) is totally different from what
most 2D gamers have come to expect, and one should never make the assumption
that they can bring their A3 or 3rd Strike skills to the table and expect to
win matches right off the bat. Consequently, a great deal of hardcore 2D gamers
seem to enjoy labeling EX as too slow, unresponsive, and sometimes even clumsy,
and it's apparent that the wave of damage caused by word of mouth has already
been done. However, it seems that there has also been a recent swell of
newfound respect for the game, and this review has been written to explain to
any curious doubters as to why this game deserves respect in the first place.
Graphics & Presentation:
Considering that this was a PS2 launch game, the character models in EX3 can
be quite an eyesore in comparison to games that have come out in recent months.
Still, even for a launch title, EX3's graphics were nothing short of embarrassing
by comparisson. One need only watch the introductory fight sequence between Ryu
and Ken to notice the severely disjointed limbs, unrealistically proportioned
body parts, and the lack of decent facial expressions and character detailing.
Even worse are the stages, which are infinitely rotating playing fields without
walls or borders. It is not the lack of borders which is the problem, of course,
but the 2-dimensional background "wallpaper" that is meant to give off the effect
of depth. During certain points in matches where the camera rotates, one can
easily see the "corners" of these stages, which can be pretty painful to look at
for those who are picky about visual effects. Plus, the lack of variety in the
stages (there are only 6 or 7 total) is also a huge detriment.
One other thing that was particularly annoying in comparison to EX2+ was the fact
that when a meteor combo is executed, the background automatically becomes
completely black, which can totally affect the logistics of a move like, say,
Darun's G.O.D. In its defense, it can be said that EX3 shows off some pretty
spiffy lighting effects, but that's about it.
Graphics Score: 4 / 10
Sound:
Luckily for EX fans, the music in EX3 during arena play is character specific
instead of stage specific. Thus, when one character tags out, the music will fade
out and then fade back in with the background track specific to the character that
takes his/her place. Old tunes from EX+Alpha, such as Guile's Strange Sunset,
C. Jack's Garnet Sky, and Sakura's Precious Heart are all here. Plus, all of the
characters that were introduced in EX2+ (such as Area, Blanka, and Rosso, for
instance) were given totally new tracks to accompany them in EX3. Add to that
the fact that the music for the one-player mode is stage-specific, so you're
offered yet another 6 or 7 full-length tracks to listen to as well.
Voices in this game were recorded with crystal clear sound, so it's quite easy
to understand each character's numerous outbursts perfectly (just as long as you
know Japanese). Considering that each character also has a bevy of win quotes and
memorable battle cries, the voice acting in this game has quite a lot to offer.
The only pity was that there wasn't a sound test offered as a bonus feature.
Sound Score: 9 / 10
NEXT >> Innovation & Gameplay
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