Xbox 360 Fanboy

A few days ago Capcom shot out these fresh screens of El Fuerte, one of the newest characters in the upcoming Street Fighter 4. Included in the screens, that guest star an unfortunate Zangief getting taken to town, are the Guile and Blanka environments which mighty pretty, in a heavy UDON ink kinda way. Some of the shots look interesting and while we're optimistic for the fighter, we wonder how hardcore fans are taking the over-the-top antics of the characters (ie. Zangief's expression in the above image.) Hardcore? Let us know what you think about these shots and your overall impression of the upcoming fourth installment.

Employing an art style similar to that seen in the original trailer for the game, the newest bit of Street Fighter IV media to be released is another cinematic trailer, this time showing off Chun-Li and the new character C.Viper. The inky stylized quality to the video makes for a fun little teaser trailer, and sharp-eyed players will be able to spot a signature move or two hidden in all the fluff. Despite the fact that this video in no way represents the final gameplay, it does give a bit of a feel for the flavor that Capcom is shooting for with the series return. And for a game shrouded in mystery, Capcom's media release schedule seems to be rather consistent, possibly hinting that the game is farther long than anyone knows. If we find some more videos such as this one, it could be a sign that we could see that fighting game revival sooner than we thought.

For a game that has no announced platforms or release date, Capcom certainly is being liberal with the Street Fighter IV exposure. The game was available to play in the Taito center in Akihabara and we were lucky enough that at least one person who was there was sporting a camera. These here videos are not direct-feed, so they're a bit shaky and low-quality, but they're still good enough that the action can still be clearly seen. Which is good, because these vids showcase the first looks at two confirmed characters, Sagat and M. Bison. With the return of these well-known characters, the total fighter list for the is now at 12. With the game having only 16 fighters, how will we see the last fighter spaces filled? Will Akuma be coming back? Will we see more than just two original characters? We'll have to wait and see, as this year seems to be the one that heralds the rebirth of the fighter genre.

M. Bison video after the break.

Last week we got a glimpse of the new Street Fighter IV character and wondered how he'd fight, this week we get to see him do so. This new promotional video of the game shows of all of the revealed characters and plenty of gameplay. The jury is still out for us on a few minor details (moving of camera, certain specifics of character design, etc) but all in all it looks really good. The gameplay clips show some returning moves and show us some never before seen combo footage, though you do need to be quick to spot it as it's only there for a few seconds before the special move. With the game releasing in late summer to Japanese arcades, we could see this at about this time next year, or even earlier if we're lucky.

With multiple good fighters coming out in 2008, will Street Fighter IV's name be enough to have it succeed? (Assuming it's released in 08, as it has no official date.) It depends. The game does have a rabid fanbase, and now that all their favorites are confirmed, we're starting to wonder who the new characters are. To placate us, Capcom released screens featuring a new character, Abel. Abel appears to be kick-boxing inspired, though just that of course that tells us nothing about how he will play (which is the important part). The semi-controversial, over-the-top facial animations are here in full form as well, and the graphics, though again not loved by all, are nevertheless very well done and have a very close feel to that of the old 2D hand-animated games. With all these reveals regarding the game, here's to hoping that it hits shelves before the year is out.

Abel's character bio and concept shot after the break.

With the revelation that the playable cast of Street Fighter II would be returning for Street Fighter IV came one burning question: where are the damned pictures? Of course, the story originated from Japanese gaming mag Famitsu, so the answer is pretty simple. Famitsu has now been so gracious as to put the screens on their website for all to see. All told we have in-game shots of Chun-Li, Blanka, Zangief, Guile, E. Honda, Dhalsim, and newcomer Crimson Viper (how come everyone else gets normal names?). The article also contains shots of some of Ryu's super move as well as the new Saving Attack system. In the Saving Attack sequence of images, Ryu blocks Ken's fireball and then quickly counter attacks, knocking Ken to the ground. Good stuff, and reason for Street Fighter fans to take notice.

[Thanks, gaetge]

1UP continues its coverage of Street Fighter IV with a new video interview detailing the reasoning behind the development choices made for the game, most notably the decision to use three-dimensional characters and backgrounds while retaining two-dimensional gameplay. Producer Yoshinori Ono asserts that the core of SFIV's design philosophy is to retain the feel of a classic Street Fighter title while bringing the characters into the third dimension. When asked why Capcom chose to go with 3D characters rather than pursuing a high resolution 2D style akin to the Guilty Gear series, Ono says that Capcom is known for pushing technology, stating that the company really did the most it could with 2D animation in Street Fighter III and that 3D allows for new possibilities. Using 3D for character models allows Capcom to implement transparent skin layers, for example, giving the characters detailed veins and musculature. Player damage will also be visible in character models. The characters can also interact with the backgrounds, though so far it sounds like these interactions are purely aesthetic -- hanging cloth being blown by a passing fireball, for example.

It all sounds fine and dandy, but the proof will ultimately lie in how well the game plays. Find the entire interview -- all thirteen minutes of it -- embedded after the break.

Tada! Hail fanboys to the very first gameplay footage of Street Fighter IV in all its Street Fighter glory. It's ready for your viewing.

1UP got the exclusive scoop in a 20 minute video interview with SFIV's developers where they learn, laugh and play everything SFIV. Oh, and did we mention the video above is the first footage of the game? Well, it is and we're not sure if we enjoy the overly animated faces or the new art look, but one thing we're sure of is is that it'll be a change on the traditional SFIV formula. Watch the gameplay footage (and the video interview if you have time) then tell us what your SFIV impressions are. Ryu-kick!

First, let's clear something up: yes, that's a screenshot from Street Fighter IV. Yes, it is rendered in 3D. The game, however, will play out in 2D fashion just like the classics. There, with that out of the way, let's discuss Street Fighter IV. 1UP has the scoop, and what is known right now is that the game will feature new moves, new locations, and new gameplay features. Street Fighter IV retains the same six button configuration, so vets should feel right at home there. So far, the only characters revealed are the return of Ken, Ryu, Chun Li, and Dhalsim. Finally, no specific platforms have been announced for the game so far, but given the success Capcom has had with the 360 so far, it's probably a safe bet we'll see it on Microsoft's box. More details will be revealed in the January issue of EGM which should be hitting subscribers very soon. You can bet we'll give you the skinny when we find out more.

[Via Joystiq]

You know, we sort of figured there might be another Street Fighter someday, and lo and behold, Capcom has announced Street Fighter 4. The news was broken by Games Radar, though the story has since been pulled for reasons unknown. The game was apparently announced during a Capcom Gamer's Day event in London. The game is more than a year away, so don't start camping out at GameStop just yet. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is all we know. It could be 2D. It could be 3D. It could be some kind of card game for all we know. Feel free to speculate in the comments.

[Via Joystiq]