Street Fighter EX2: More fun or just more of the same?

Street Fighter EX2 is the second in a series of Street Fighter games created by developers Arika that attempt to bring the world of Street Fighter into a pseudo-3D graphics environment, much like Namco's Tekken series, while holding true to Capcom's tried-and-true classic Street Fighter gameplay. The first EX title was a hit with Street Fighter fans, but casual gamers and critics gave it mixed reviews. This second installment is a bit better, with more characters to choose from, new features, and bonus games; however, these differences might not be enough to attract casual gamers, leaving this title's status in question. The game is definitely worth a rental, especially for Street Fighter fans... but could it be worth a purchase? Let's find out...

Graphically, Street Fighter EX2 (SFEX2) improves upon its predecessor with cleaner character models, nice animations, and decent special effects. Whereas the first title had some very blocky and pixelated characters, SFEX2 cleans that up significantly. The graphics resolution seems to be higher than the first, and textures also seem to be a bit more detailed. Animations for special moves and hyper combos look very good, with little to no slowdown involved, even with the new Excel (Custom) and Meteor (Level 3) combos and all of the special effects involved. There are many more special effects involved in SFEX2, including transparent characters for the Excel combos and some "earth-shattering" (trust me on this) effects when you connect and finish with a Meteor combo. The 3D effect is similar to Tekken's, with 3D characters in a rotating arena and fairly static backgrounds. The 3D becomes quite evident during replays, with plenty of rotation. Overall SFEX2 looks better than the first game, but as most of you who have read some of my other Epinions may know, I don't believe that graphics necessarily make a title purchase-worthy.

SFEX2 is a disappointment in the sound department. The newer music, though varied, just doesn't strike a chord (get it?) with me in this game as it did with the first game. I have played Street Fighter EX3 for PlayStation2 and it actually carried some of the original music from the first game, which was not too bad. This music simply doesn't do much to draw me into the game like other Street Fighter games have. The sound effects are nothing special here, with the usual assortment of thumping punches and kicks. One thing to note is that the announcer sounds kind of familiar... it's almost as if he was drafted from the Tekken games.

Gameplay is at least as good in SFEX2 as it was in the first EX game, if not a bit better. The play control is as tight as ever for a Street Fighter game, and if you know the classic move sets, like Dragon Punches, Fireballs, and charging moves, you'll be just fine. Even the newer characters that are in the game use these basic move sets, but pull off different moves, instead. The AI (artificial intelligence) is a bit smarter in this game and some players (beginners especially) may become frustrated, especially when facing fighters towards the end of the game (Garuda / Sagat / M. Bison). For this reason, it's important to practice, and this game has some great modes for that. Other than the basic practice mode, there is also a mode that test players' skills at each character by having players pull off certain moves and combos for each character, ranging from easy difficulty to insanely hard. The rewards for playing through this mode are great, as new characters and game modes can be unlocked if you complete it... this adds some serious replay value to this game, just like in the first EX. One other mode of note is the Director Mode, which allows you to record a match to memory card. This mode can allow you to prove to your friends that you can pull off that 26-hit fireball-to-Meteor Combo. Players can also set camera angles here, for the best view. All in all, SFEX2 has a lot to offer, especially in the way of new characters and game modes.

So, the question remains... is SFEX2 worth buying? For Street Fighter fans, this game is worth the money, especially at the $30-$35 price range that Capcom is charging for it. Street Fighter fans will fell right at home here, and although the game seems eerily close to the first EX, some of the newer character additions (like Sagat, Vega, and Blanka) will make fans happy. The new Expert mode will test veterans' knowledge of combos and super moves, and the tighter AI will pose a challenge to the toughest Street Fighter players. As for other gamers, this game should be rented first, to see if the difference between the two games is enough to warrant a purchase. If you haven't played an EX game at all, this game is a good starting point for you as it keeps a lot of the features from the first game, but looks substantially better. It all comes down to what you like, and I liked this game for the most part. The music could have been better, but it's still more than solid enough for me. If you only own one Street Fighter game, though, find Street Fighter Alpha 3... this game simply doesn't compare to it, even with 3D graphics. This title makes for a good 3D Street Fighter experience and isn't a bad title, overall; while it's not the best Street Fighter game out there, it holds its own and I do recommend it.