To quickly cover the basics of this update, Ultra features 5 new characters. Elena, Hugo, Poison & Rolento make the jump from Street Fighter X Tekken, and the mysterious, masked Shadaloo Doll named Decapre finally transitions from a support character in 1998's Street Fighter Alpha 3 to a playable character in Ultra SF4. Even though Decapre is literally a clone of Cammy, her "charge style" moveset and unique attacks make her a fairly interesting new addition. The returning veterans from SFXT aren't total rehashes at least and show off a few new moves & animations, including all new Ultras. Many of their new Ultras & Supers are also taken from earlier titles, which is naturally a cool fan service for old school players. To be more specific: Rolento's Mine Sweeper & Take No Prisoners (from SFA series), Hugo's Hammer Mountain & Megaton Press (from SFIII series), Poison's Thunder Whip & Poison Kiss (from Final Fight Revenge), and finally, Elena's Spinning Beat & Healing (from SFIII series).


Ultra SF4 throws 6 new stages into the mix, all of which are indeed "recycled" from SF X Tekken. While those weird & random SFXT stages received some minor visual tweaks, none of the returning SF4 stages were retouched or remixed, at all... and that's sad. (Sorry for being a 90's Capcom fan). Furthermore, the classic stage BGMs haven't been updated in the last 5 years either. And as a Street Fighter fan since I was standing on a crate to reach the controls of the Street Fighter (1) arcade cabinet, I find that disappointing as well. It's understandable that Capcom focuses primarily on game balance these days, but seeing the "artistic direction" of Street Fighter IV not evolve whatsoever in the last 5 years, is a shame. *In best Gordon Ramsay accent* ... "What-a-shaiime. It's BLAND." Call it nitpicking, but any long-time fan can clearly remember the "effect" that new (or remixed) stages, BGMs & artwork had in the SF2, SFA & SFIII series (not to mention many other fighting games). C'mon, something as simple as changing the sky color, the weather, or mixing up other background elements can go such a long way towards making a game look fresh and exciting. Because right now in Ultra SF4, two original SF4 characters fighting on any of the original stages still looks exactly the same as 2009. In fact, I don't think there's a single fighting game in history that went visually unchanged for this long from sequel to sequel.


Continuing on, Ultra SF4 presents some new universal gameplay mechanics, such as: Ultra Combo Double (enabling players to fight with both of their characters' Ultras in a match, in exchange for doing less damage), Red Focus Attack (enabling fighters to absorb multiple attacks at once by sacrificing some of their meter), and Delayed Wake-up (allowing characters to delay standing up after being knocked down). In a nutshell, the new mechanics do manage to freshen up the 5-year-old, tried-and-true engine. Red Focus costs quite a bit of meter, so it is risky, but it can also be very rewarding with proper timing and score you a fancy counterattack or finish. The Ultra Combo Double is another great addition, offering a few more options during gameplay (which is something I've wanted to see in past iterations of SF4).


Also new in Ultra is the cool new "Edition Select" option. Similar to Hyper Street Fighter II: Anniversary Edition, Edition Select allows players to select any and all previous versions of characters from the SF4 series, complete with their original balance (currently offline only). This is certainly a fun option for hardcore players who have followed SF4's competitive scene since the beginning. Other new options include: Button configurations on the character selection screen, Training Mode Fight Request (allowing players to freely practice in between online battles) and Offline Battle Log (which automatically archives offline matches for easily accessible replays). An "Upload to Youtube" Feature was also added for players who don't already own a capture device and want to share their replays online.

  

As you may know, Ultra SF4 introduces a ton of character balance changes based on recent community feedback. While I understand the point and (sometimes) need for balance patches, I can't say I'm sold on "hitting the reset button" and changing a game this many times. There are plenty... and I mean plenty... of classic fighting games that remained competitive for years, yet didn't need to be altered a fifth as much as SF4. Of course the better half of balance changes can add years to the competitive lifespan of a game, but while buffs & nerfs will cater to some, others will end up annoyed or discouraged. It certainly takes quite a bit of study and commitment to somewhat "re-learn" a game, and if you're like me... you've already got way too many other games (or real life commitments) on the agenda. Re-learning my previous SF4 mains and all the new match-ups just isn't on my itinerary. On the flipside of all this, this continuously trending formula of "adding chess pieces" to a game and making "new rules" for existing ones is mostly accepted and appreciated among serious players. I'm just making the simple point that many games of the past were balanced when they were released the FIRST time, and never needed to change once... Just sayin'. 

 
Ohhh Capcom... I've supported Street Fighter for the last 25 years. I bought SF4 three times already, even though I was never a serious SF4 player (and picked up SFXT as well), and you still want more of my money? I suppose $15 is reasonable for an update of this size, but I was hoping for more "heart" out of the final iteration of SF4. No one can deny that Ultra SF4 could've been a lot more "Ultra". Lest we forget the Super update that added 10 new characters? And how about the many "minor" fighting game sequels of the past also introduced new victory animations & win poses for ALL characters, an entirely new set of character artwork, a brand new soundtrack, and the list goes on and on. Ohh yeah... and how about those NEW stages, too!!! (In case you missed that entire paragraph from earlier in the review). Of course, all the "ultra hardcore SF4 tournament FGC bros" would be fine fighting on the SF4 Training Stage for the rest of their lives... but... some of us have higher standards. Yes, believe it or not... some of us actually care about other things besides "who got buffed" and "who got nerfed."

 

I hope I don't sound too much like a "Namco fanboy" when I say this, but... just in case you forgot.... Namco's FREE-to-play fighting game, Tekken Revolution, introduced an entirely new soundtrack (and it's good), an updated graphics filter (improved graphics over TTT2), new facial rendering for female characters, new projectile effects (and premium effects), and visually altered stages (as slight as they are, it counts). So, I wouldn't say I'm "wearing nostalgia glasses" when I reflect on past Street Fighter installments, because other fighting game developers are clearly still capable of caring about other things besides balance changes. And that stuff matters, because this is a fighting game review. Not mentioning what Ultra SF4 lacks from an aesthetic and artistic perspective would be an injustice to all of the other fighting games of the past that did care enough to add those extra details in addition to implementing balance changes and new characters. Recycled SFXT stages & characters and a few new BGMS only go so far. There should be more... more of something. Anything.


Even though it would've been nice to see additional (and actually new) fan-favorite Street Fighter characters make the cut to Ultra... the 5 new additions to the roster are definitely good ones. I happen to be a huge Final Fight fan (ever since 1987), so seeing classics like Hugo, Poison & Rolento in the SF4 engine is nonetheless awesome. On the other hand, while I've always loved how Elena looks in the SF3 series, her transition to 3D didn't go quite as smoothly.... Elena is yet another SF3 character that looked and animated so much better in SF3. It's difficult for me to accept any kind of downgrade after enjoying 2nd Impact and 3rd Strike for so many years - another reason why I'm still not keen on the SF4 animation style or art style. What worked fairly well as "new" back in 2009-2010 is starting to look dated, in my eyes.
 
 

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Page Updated: November 17th, 2024 Developer(s): Dimps, Capcom Publisher(s): Capcom Designer(s): Yoshinori Ono             Producer Daigo Ikeno                  Character Design Artwork by: Daigo Ikeno Platform(s): PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, PC Release Date(s): Apr. 16th, 2014              Arcade Jun. 3rd, 2014               /   PS3 / 360 Aug. 7th, 2014                PS3 / 360 Aug. 9th, 2014              PC Dec. 15th, 2014            1.04 update May 26th, 2015            /   PS4 Characters:  Ryu, Ken, Chun Li, Dhalsim, Zangief, E. Honda, Blanka, Guile, Sagat, Bison, Balrog, Vega, C. Viper, El Fuerte, Abel, Rufus, Seth, Akuma, Gouken, Cammy, Rose, Gen, Fei Long, Dan, Sakura, T. Hawk, Dee Jay, Cody, Guy, Adon, Juri, Dudley, Ibuki, Makoto, Hakan, Yun, Yang, Evil Ryu, Oni Akuma, Elena, Poison, Hugo, Rolento, Decapre Featured Video: Related Games: Super SF4: Arcade Edition, Super Street Fighter 4, Super SF4: 3D Edition, Street Fighter 4, Street Fighter V, SFV: Arcade Edition, SFV: Champion Edition, Street Fighter 6, Ultra Street Fighter 2, Street Fighter X Tekken, Street Fighter Alpha 3, Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike, Final Fight Revenge, BlazBlue: ChronoPhantasma, King of Fighters XIII, Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, Xuan Dou Zhi Wang, Legend of Raven, Chaos Code, Tekken Revolution    Gameplay Engine  8.5 / 10 Story / Theme  7.0 / 10 Overall Graphics  8.5 / 10 Animation  8.0 / 10 Music / Sound Effects  7.0 / 10 Innovation  6.5 / 10 Art Direction  6.0 / 10 Customization  8.5 / 10 Options / Extras  9.0 / 10 Intro / Presentation  6.5 / 10 Replayability / Fun  8.0 / 10 "Ouch" Factor  8.0 / 10 Characters  9.0 / 10 BOTTOM LINE  8.1 / 10  Review based on PS3 version        Final Words: Ultra Street Fighter 4 is the culmination of many things... the end of an era. The final installment has everything that defines SF4, the good and the bad. USF4 is also a perfect example of today's social technology and Capcom's innovative connection with SF4 players... an update created for the players, by the players if you will. You don't need to be an expert to enjoy Ultra SF4, but if you plan on being competitive online or elsewhere, you better know your stuff or you'll be picked apart by the players that have lived and breathed Street Fighter IV since 2009. At this point in time, Ultra SF4 is not a game I would refer to as fully "casual friendly" (unlike some critics out there)... but as always, the game definitely does a great job at making players "feel like" they're good at the game (until you meet an actual skilled player, lol). While there are 100's of balance updates that could be named, the immediately noticeable changes of the game can be counted on one or two hands. We all know Ultra will be an instant hit among hardcore tournament players... but there's always the other side of the coin. The Street Fighter players / fans who don't watch every SF4 tournament final and aren't 125% behind any and all minor updates to a 5 year old game. No, you certainly won't hear those voices as loudly as those that talk frame traps, match-ups and "new tech"... but they're out there. I respect SF4 for turning the mainstream back in the direction of fighting games post 2009's... but to be bluntly honest, I've been done with Street Fighter IV for a while. Ultra isn't going to bring me back to playing SF4 regularly, but nonetheless I'm glad it exists. Maybe if I didn't have a zillion other games to play right now, I might have the motivation to invest more time into Ultra and relearn some match-ups... but I don't aspire to join any 300-man SF4 tournaments anytime soon (even though my local scene is fairly strong). To be frank, I currently find other fighting games more fun to play online in this era... Ultra SF4 just wasn't made for me, I guess. I've been playing Street Fighter since the time SF1 was a shiny arcade cabinet in a dark, smoky arcade in the late 80's. I never "took a break" from the series either (until SF4). I own practically every iteration, but never fell in love with the SF4 series. Where to start? ... Wonky animations that looked so much better in 2D, terrible English voices (Rolento anyone?), goofy-ass costumes, weirdly-animated, repetitive super moves (with lots and lots of spinning and then more spinning), no fun "free hit" after K.O., silly and nonsensical ending movies, and a wee-bit too many shoto-clones. I'm not too much a fan of SF4's original soundtrack either. Of course there are some exceptions in all of the above categories I just mentioned... but these are all things that go under the mainstream radar, and I know other old school fighting fans out there share some my opinions. And that's precisely why they're in this review. The FGC has plenty of community leaders to hype up Ultra SF4... so I can be honest in my review. The game will draw huge tournament crowds for years to come (until SFV). For any player who has remained dedicated to SF4 over the past 4-5 years, I actually RESPECT THAT. That's the dedication all of us old school guys had in the mid-90's and early 2000's as well. Hey, if you love your Ultra SF4... good job and I'm happy for you. I had my fun with SF4 in the early days, but I've moved on. I'm tired of the recycled engine, and I think it's about time for Street Fighter to be taken to the next level, and taken "seriously" again from an artistic and animation point of view. I'm ready to see what's next from Capcom... So I say bring on Street Fighter 5, Darkstalkers 4, or grant my wildest dreams and let's see some damn Capcom VS SNK 3 already. In closing, Ultra SF4 is still a "solid" fighting game... and possibly the most balanced of the series to date. One thing's for sure, Street Fighter 4 had a great run. Ultra will breathe some new life into the engine for a while, but once the obvious "newness" dies down (and it will)... this game is still very much SF4 at the end of the day. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is personal preference at this point. For me, I'm waiting for that new new. ~TFG WEBMASTER | @Fighters_Gen     Click Here for all Posters / Box Artwork! Click Here for all character artwork!                                                 Click Here for all Chibi Character Artwork! Click Here for all Screenshots! FOLLOW    ON:                             TFG NEWS CHARACTERS GAMES