If we insist so much with Ken, it is quite simply because he is one of the iconic characters of the series in the same way as Ryu. The leaks have fanned the surprise effect, but discovering the new look of the guy with the controller in hand is something. His look has radically changed: if we recognize the red pants he has been wearing since the very first Street Fighter, he is now decked out in a large coat and a pair of high-top sneakers that give him a certain style. His blond hair flutters with each of his attacks, as does the medallion he wears around his neck. We are far from the handsome kid to whom everything smiled in another life. “Accused of having orchestrated a criminal plot, Ken had to abandon his family and his business to hide,” explains his description; proof that it is not the great form. However, Ken has lost none of his talent, and fans will find most of his classic moves by rummaging through his command list. Same for some of his combos that still hurt when you're cornered, Ryu's best enemy being one of the most aggressive characters in Street Fighter 5. Moreover, we see that the run, which acted as V -Skill in the previous episode, no longer consumes anything in Street Fighter 6 and only requires pressing two Foot buttons simultaneously. Once the maneuver is successful, you can cancel or place a kick, the nature of which changes depending on whether you press medium foot or strong foot.
Unless there's a misstep coming to shoot everything before its scheduled release in 2023, it's hard to see Street Fighter 6 not establishing itself as one of the new references in the fight.
Better, if one executes a special attack of the Shoryuken or Tatsumaki type during the race, its characteristics will be different, which can be particularly important in terms of damage, extension and others. Impossible to pin down all the subtleties of this Ken new look in less than an hour, but we still retained his new Dragonlash Kick which, too, is entitled to a boost when you slam it in the middle of a run. Behind, the opponent bounces on the ground, which puts him in a juggle situation. Faced with a purist, it's like being condemned to death. Finally, the mythical Shinryu Reppa still smashes as much and allows to brilliantly conclude a well-conducted fight. As for Guile, it's a real mirrored wardrobe. His Ivan Drago haircut, his closely trimmed goatee and his bulging muscles make him a character of imposing stature. Dependent character par excellence, he has had some adjustments in Street Fighter 5 to make him beginner-friendly. Despite everything, from what we have seen with this new demo of Street Fighter 6, it remains quite technical to master. Zoning is the soldier's main weapon, i.e. you have to find the right distance to both limit the strategic choices of the player opposite, and force him to take risks in order to better to punish. It's not given to everyone, but once you manage to dictate the pace of the game, the Sonic Boom, Sonic Blade and other Somersault Kick act like real poison. Note that the Solid Puncher is now part of the Super Arts while it was a V-Trigger in Street Fighter 5. The Perfect Sonic Boom? Despite several attempts, we couldn't get a single one out. We would have liked to see what more it brings compared to the classic version, even if it is rumored that it would inflict more damage and benefit from a shorter recovery. So check it out.
To be completely honest, Juri is the character we spent the least time with. Failing to be able to detail its new attacks therefore, we have the feeling that its handling has not evolved enormously since Street Fighter 5 since it is once again linked to the Fuha system. More concretely, by increasing the number located next to the "Yin-Yang" symbol (which is below the vital bar), we can then carry out much more powerful attacks, not to mention the sequences whose properties are likely to harm the opposing defence. So yes, it is possible to play without taking this aspect of Juri into account, but the damage inflicted is less. This is precisely what was frustrating in Street Fighter 5, and it will be interesting to see if the developers have balanced things better this time around. Finally, we were able to try Kimberly, the new girl whose master is none other than Guy (Final Fight, Street Fighter Alpha), himself a disciple of Zeku (Street Fighter 5). It is therefore not surprising to see her act like a ninja: when used correctly, her teleports are formidable to open the guard. Ditto for his paint bombs which, if they hit the opponent after having exploded, send him waltzing in the air and expose him to a devastating combo. Of course, these sprays need to be charged first before they are tossed.
"THIS IS GONNA BE A MATCH TO REMEMBER !"
Like Ken, she has a run (which consumes two doses of Drive) that can either be canceled or concluded with a high attack, low attack, or a back flip, the latter of which can give followed by a mug or a quick downward jump kick. In short, we clearly feel that the pressing possibilities are numerous with Kimberly who, as a bonus, is extremely fast. We won't forget either her Jet Set Radio-style Critical Arts where she pulls out her Walkman (she's a big fan of the 80s) before repainting her opponent's face. From there, his speed and power are increased tenfold for a period of time, and the music gets a little funkier. Needless to recall all the good that we think of the plastic of Street Fighter 6, nor to specify that the game modes presented at the Tokyo Game Show 2022 were of course not available in this build. On the other hand, since we are talking about the content of the game, we were able to squat two new stages: Carrier Byron Taylor (the emblematic level of Guile) and Tian Hong Yuan (which is clearly inspired by China). Small amusing detail: when one does not embody Guile in his own arena, one can see him among the spectators who attend the fight.
