The Street Fighter franchise has been the standard for the fighting game genre for decades, offering firefights and legendary fighters. With Street Fighter 6, Capcom aims to rejuvenate this legacy with new mechanics and a stunning visual style. Released on June 2, 2023, for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, the game features a fresh Drive System, diverse play modes, and a stunning visual style powered by the RE Engine. It has been praised for depth and accessibility, but does it really deliver a knockout blow?

As players embark on the globe-hopping escapades of World Tour mode, they may find similarities in story games like The Precinct, a neon-noir police simulation game from 1983, that delves into the diverse storytelling of the games of today.

Street Fighter 6 Gameplay – The Drive System Shines

The Drive System is the backbone of Street Fighter 6’s combat, with a six-bar gauge power fueling five different abilities: Drive Impact, Drive Parry, Drive Rush, Drive Reversal, and Overdrive.

Every action, from guard-breaking Drive Impact to blocking Drive Parry, hinges on gauge control. Depletion of the gauge leads to a Burnout state, where a character becomes susceptible to attack. According to reviews, the system facilitates strategic creativity, allowing players to personalize their approach.

Three types of controls, Classic, Modern, and Dynamic, are equally enjoyable to different levels of capability. Classic maintains the original six-button input, while Modern minimizes the number of inputs for novices. This balance ensures that each game is a challenge of capability and strategy without compromising shallowness for simplicity.

Multiple Game Modes for Every Player

There are three distinct modes within Street Fighter 6 to suit tastes that are varied.

Firstly, Fighting Ground offers arcade vs. classic fights, an arcade mode, and training utilities, making it ideal for competitive gamers perfecting their craft. Secondly, World Tour mode takes on an RPG-esque experience, where players design a custom character and explore locations such as Metro City and Nayshall. They train with masters like Ryu and Chun-Li, combining story and fighting. Lastly, Battle Hub is an online gathering spot that features tournaments, socializing, and familiar Capcom arcade games.

Critics point out that World Tour’s story provides something new, such as the narrative richness of The Precinct, in which mysteries are unraveled by characters in a city plagued by crime.

A Roster Full of Personality

The game features 18 characters, blending classic legends like Ryu and Chun-Li with new faces like Luke and Jamie.

Each character now has a new look, with vibrant, graffiti-like art styles that blind on screen. Jungle poses and urban looks, such as those of Kimberly and Blanka, provide unique playstyles.

The criticisms discuss the variety in the roster, noting that each fighter’s unique mechanics create experimentation. If the fans prefer Ryu’s straightforward Hadoukens or Jamie’s showy mix-ups, everyone has their character. Such variance is characteristic of character-based storytelling in games like The Precinct, whose narrative trails behind its protagonist.

Visuals and Sound Are A Stylish Knockout

Backed by Capcom’s RE Engine, Street Fighter 6 boasts a bright, street-art-inspired aesthetic.

Characters appear brush-painted onto a mural, with bursts of kinetic ink and splashes of deep color punctuating every movement. A hip-hop and electronic-fused soundtrack contributes to the city’s flavor.

Journalists, such as those from PC Gamer, praise the game’s “colourful explosion” of graphics, which enhance the combat experience. The real-time commentary feature, delivered by commentators such as Jeremy “Vicious” Lopez, contributes a tournament-like flavor.

This high-tech presentation is what sets Street Fighter 6 apart, and The Precinct’s neon-noir environment is used as the setting for an interactive 1980s city.

Online Features of Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 boasts solid online play, thanks to its rollback netcode and cross-platform capabilities.

Criticism from journalists, like those at GameSpot, notes that the game’s competitions are almost seamless across regions, a significant improvement from previous games. Battle Hub supplements this with a virtual arcade where players can face off in tournaments, chat with friends, or play vintage Capcom titles. It is a social hub that fills a need for gaming camaraderie, making online play more enjoyable.

Although single-player activity is the focus of The Precinct, Street Fighter 6’s online aspects illustrate how modern games unite gamers across the globe, in contrast to Averno City’s solitary detective work.

Accessibility to All Skill Levels

Capcom did everything in their power to make sure fresh players were catered to in Street Fighter 6 by making it as accessible as possible.

Modern control systems simplify complex inputs into simple ones, allowing new players to execute special moves efficiently. Casual-friendly dynamic controls will automatically perform actions. Extensive training modes and tutorials also aid in learning, and real-time commentary provides gameplay tips. Such praise from The Verge commends the strategy, stating that it sacrifices nothing in terms of depth but is easier to get into.

This ease of entry enhances The Precinct’s access to its story, wherein players of all skill levels can play its story-driven game.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Street Fighter 6

To present an overview free of bias, below are the most significant strengths and weaknesses of Street Fighter 6 based on critical reviews:

Strengths

• Innovative Drive System offers strategic complexity to battle scenes.
• World Tour mode features a compelling single-player narrative.
• Stunning art style and RE Engine deliver graphics that leap off the screen.
• Effortless online play with no-lag netcode and cross-platform play.
• Simple controls for both veterans and newcomers.

Weaknesses

• The complexity of the Drive System may overwhelm non-hardcore players.
• World Tour mode’s story mode is less detailed than in dedicated RPGs
• Players in some countries suffer occasional online connectivity issues.

Is Street Fighter 6 a K.O. or Just OK?

Street Fighter 6 is a testament to Capcom’s ability to build an established franchise. The Drive System provides strategic depth, while game modes accommodate diverse play styles.

Its colorful graphics and accessible controls are a welcoming gateway for beginners, but it has some depth that fans love. It differs from story-focused games such as The Precinct, which drops the player into a grimy police simulator, because Street Fighter 6 presents a different type of story through its World Tour mode.

With over 5 million copies sold as of June 2025 and global critical acclaim, Street Fighter 6 is not just OK, it’s a thumping knockout, establishing the fighting game genre for a generation.