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Review: Street Fighter Alpha 2 Dash |
“I am power made fleash! Fell how weak you truly are!”
Ah, Akuma…master of dark shotokan he may be, but where was he in his primary school English lessons?
When it first came out, I played Streetfighter Alpha 2 for eight solid months. I played the Playstation version from its late December 1997 release (UK release dates…bleah) until about June, and then I bought the Saturn version and played that until about September or so. I enjoyed it all the while, but by the end of September - I realised I was completely and utterly sick of the game. Merely the thought of playing it repulsed me. The backgrounds bored me to tears and the mere hint of music put me to sleep. In short, I was completely burned out on SFA2 and never wanted to see it again.
Later in the year, the Streetfighter Collection was released for the Saturn, containing Super Streetfighter 2, Super Streetfighter 2 Turbo and Streetfighter Alpha 2 Dash. I bought it really because I’d never really played SSF2T outside the arcades, but the other games were still a welcome addition.
Now, two and a quarter years later, while I wait, Dreamcast-less (waiting for the delivery of a modded Dreamcast and very worried it’s been lost in the post O_o) I find myself playing my Saturn, and, in particular, Streetfighter Alpha 2 Dash.
It was a very, very low-key release over here, and I suspect pretty much everywhere. In fact I could only ever find it for sale in one shop.
I’ll say, straight away, in my experience the differences between SFA2D and SFA2 are strictly limited. If you own SFA2 and are hoping for a new game…you’ll be disappointed. If you own neither, or have the option to trade one for the other, it’s a more attractive proposition. Also, as I just mentioned, it comes in a 2-CD box, with SSF2 and SSF2T on the other disk - which is nice. But I want to talk about SFA2D. Which means I have to talk about Alpha 2.
Streetfighter Alpha was the beginning of a new series for Capcom. It was still essentially Streetfighter, but it also introduced many many new features that can be found in other games today. To me, the first Alpha game seemed a little experimental. There were big gameplay changes, but there were also big imbalances and the cosmetic side of things seemed rushed (things like sharing backgrounds) plus there were comparatively few characters. Alpha 2 fixes all these things. It added 5 new characters, plus made Dan, Gouki and Bison selectable from the start. The backgrounds are delicious - extremely detailed and richly coloured and textured with some nice parallax scrolling effects in the foreground at times. Rolento’s stage is also impressive - you fight on a big industrial elevator that begins ascending on the second round. It travels a long way up, and if you’re still about at round 3, you’ll reach a nice shot of (what I assume is) the Metro City skyline.
They really are the complete antithesis of the A1 backgrounds.
The music, though still using some classic SF2 tunes (albeit remixed or remastered) is wonderful, full of variety in instrumentation and of exceptionally high quality.
The oft-criticised chain combos of the first Alpha are gone, and in their place are the (ha ha) even-more-oft-criticised Custom Combos. These work by converting the available super meter into a time bar and in that time the game basically removes all recovery time from all normals and specials and allows them to be cancelled repeatedly into themselves and each other. The criticism comes from the fact that the right combination of attacks can be incredibly damaging, plus the “pause” that occurs upon CC initiation means that if you weren’t blocking beforehand, you can’t until the pause has ended…which can be too late. At the risk of revealing my colossal ineptitude, I have to say I’ve never really suffered from this “problem” - although I will mention it as it does exist.
There is more of a story too. Not much, but some. If you fulfil the correct conditions, you fight a “mid-boss” after a little talk, plus there is a conversation with your final boss. A2 carries on the tradition that the end boss varies depending on who you select.
I’ve also noticed that there are a few more influences from the SF2 anime. Check out Bisons’ ending, or the “Australia” stage - that atmospheric, lightning-streaked field where Ryu and Sagat have that awesome first fight in the movie.
I also like the more technical, analytical aspects of the game. The way you win a round will be identified by different symbols, and these are tallied and displayed at the end of the game. It also keeps track of your maximum combo and current score and displays all the results on the victory screen.
The computer AI is pretty good too. Coming back to the game after two years saw me getting whipped soundly on the later fights at 4-star difficulty. I’m getting better, but it’s good to see the CPU comboing into supers and using ACs and stuff. Though I’ve never, ever, ever seen the CPU do a Custom Combo…it’s like they don’t know they exist…which is a little weird.
It has to be said that Saturn + Capcom Fighting Game = Good, and that is just as true here as always. Coming over from the admittedly still good Playstation version, the Saturn version blew me away (hey, this was years ago) with its bigger, better-animated characters, faster loading, higher detail and general overall accuracy. Plus going from that nasty PSX controller to the Saturns’ little 6-button bundle of ecstacy was extremely welcomed, both by me and my thumbs.
However, as with many pre-RAM cart Saturn games, the price for such excellent visual quality means that the sound is rather scratchy and muffled. Well, the sound effects, not the music, which is of an exceptionally high standard, in terms of both quality and composition. Even the ending musics are excellent. I find I get used to this low sample rate very quickly, and after that, don’t pay any attention to it. All the sounds are there, after all, they just sound muffled. It’s no big deal, though I thought I’d better mention it, as many Saturn A2/A2G reviews didn’t bother to.
There’s also some loading between fights. Another pre-RAM cart sign. It’s nothing too intrusive, just a few seconds between fights and before and after endings and menu screens.
Like the Saturn A2, there’s a survival mode and training mode, though the illustration gallery has gone.
What else makes it different from standard A2?
OK. Erm….there’s a dash on the logo. It says “DASH” in the background. That’s it. Just kidding…There’s an “Akuma Mode” - a fight against the disgustingly tough Shin Akuma. There are more versions of characters. All the Alpha characters who have appeared in SF2 games have a “classic” mode, which entails having no super meter or other Alpha-type abilities, but makes them stronger, plus re-introduces the concept of alternate close attacks. Alpha counters take up one-and-a-half levels of meter. The “exposed” life gauge is purple instead of red - whoa!
You can also pick from the start (as opposed to having to repeatedly enter a code like in Alpha 2) such exciting(!) secret fellows as Evil Ryu, Shin Akuma, Sailor Sakura (ie a different colour outfit) and…providing you’ve finished the game with Bison, Cammy! Sadly, Cam is only available in 2-player and training modes - as giving her an ending and mid-boss dialogue would have obviously entailed doing some work.
There are a couple of new moves. Guy and Dhalsim have new supers and Sagat has a super taunt. Sakura has that weird head stomp thing. Hit properties on some attacks are different and a couple of jump heights are changed. I’d say the more you’d played it, the more you’d notice.
I think Capcom made a good move…if they’d released A2G as a stand-alone game - they would have been laughed out of town, especially with their reputation for endless recycling. It couldn’t really be released as a “new” game, but considering you’re essentially paying one-third of the usual price for it, I’d say it’s worth it. Plus, if such a thing as that “Crazed Capcom Completist” actually exists outside my personal fantasy world, it’s probably good for its novelty value as well.
