Street Fighter isn't exactly known for being easy to dive into, and Street Fighter V is no exception.
While there is a new gameplay component in place to make the learning curve a little less steep for those looking to start their fighting game career, it can still be intimidating diving into the franchise for the first time, especially considering the game's lack of real training options. With 16 characters, each with their own unique attacks, finding out where to start can be tricky.
Allow us to help. We may be far from Street Fighter experts, but can hold our own. That's why we've compiled a few basic tips so new players can hit the ground running in Capcom's latest fighter.
From watching replays of higher skilled players to spending some quality time in training mode, these tips should give you a better understanding of Street Fighter V and will hopefully be a stepping stone on your way to victory online.
Try All Of The Characters, But Focus On A Few
This tip is pretty self explanatory: find a few characters you like, and stick to them. With 16 characters to choose from, becoming a master of all of them isn't practical. To find out what characters you might be interested in playing, fight your way through each character's story. Though it's only a few fights, the low difficulty gives you an opportunity to play around with each fighter's move set so you can see what you do, and don't, like about them. Once you've picked out a few characters you want to focus on, learning the game gets way easier. You can also check out Capcom's character introduction videos for a short, 2-minute primer for each fighter.
Play Survival Mode
Once you've found a couple of characters you want to learn more in-depth, hopping into Survival mode isn't a bad idea. With multiple difficulties, Survival lets you put your skills to the test in a series of back-to-back fights that are much more challenging than the fights in Story mode. Completing Survival with your character of choice will also earn you Fight Money (Street Fighter V's currency that can be used to buy upcoming DLC characters) as well as additional color schemes for your favorite characters.
Don't Forget About Training
If you've played Story and Survival with a character, chances are you have a basic understanding of their special moves. Now comes the not-so-fun part: training. If you want to take the fight online, you'll need to identify some basic combos for your characters of choice that you can rely on. Training mode is the perfect place to experiment with combining your various attacks and learning the game's systems in a stress-free, no time limit environment. It might not be flashy or fun, but spending some time here is essential if you want to take your game to the next level.
Learn From Your Mistakes
If you lost a match, you lost for a reason. It's not always easy to do, but being able to analyze why exactly you lost is one of your greatest tools in becoming a better fighter. Was your opponent punishing you for jumping too much? Make a conscious effort to keep your feet on the ground next time. Did you lose thanks to a relentless fireball assault? Find out ways your character, or other characters, can avoid projectiles. Were you simply out-played? Spend some more time in training brushing up on your combos so that you can reliably pull them off in a pinch. If you don't know why you lost, you'll never get better, so always keep an open mind when it comes to losing. Losing is just another opportunity to learn and become better.
Watch The Replays Of Others
Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and it's for that reason you should be closely watching what other players are doing. From combos you never could have thought of to just all-around good play, watching players who play the game at a higher level can be an important tool for stepping up your game. Thankfully, Street Fighter V makes doing this easy with the ability to favorite and follow players. Once you've found a couple of players above you who fancy one of your characters of choice, watch some of their replays. See what they do in their matches and try and figure out why they do, or don't, come out on top.
Those are just a few tips to get you going, but it's never a bad idea to check out YouTube or guides online for how to step up your game as well. If you're looking for more about Street Fighter V, you can read our full review here.
Photos: Capcom
