Street Fighter V

71%
Game Brain Score Based on 25,019 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Street Fighter V Game Cover
A technically marvellous fighting experience marred by lack of launch content.
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Street Fighter V is a fighting game where players can choose from 16 characters, each with their own story and training challenges. Match options include ranked and casual matches, both online and offline, as well as a Battle Lounge for playing against friends. This version includes Arcade Mode, Team Battle Mode, and Extra Battle Mode, with the option to earn rewards and purchase additional content using Fight Money. The cinematic story "A Shadow Falls" can be downloaded for free.

  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 25,019 reviews
gameplay1,155 positive mentions
story316 negative mentions
  • gameplay2,957 mentions

    Street Fighter V (SFV) features robust gameplay mechanics that blend accessibility for newcomers with depth for veterans, making it a solid entry in the franchise. The game emphasizes offensive play through its V-System, which includes V-Triggers and V-Skills, allowing for unique character strategies and combos. While many players appreciate the refined mechanics and character balance, criticisms arise regarding the game's lack of content, monetization practices, and some mechanics that may feel overly simplified or unbalanced, particularly in online play. Overall, SFV is praised for its engaging gameplay, though it faces scrutiny for its execution and additional content requirements.

    • “Street Fighter V delivers a top-tier fighting experience with its refined mechanics and diverse roster of characters.”
    • “Incredible depth, always more to learn, and a mechanical improvement over SF4.”
    • “The gameplay is fast-paced and technical, with a focus on timing and precision.”
    • “The gameplay is so stiff and shit, why is Tekken so much better.”
    • “The gameplay is dull and online is populated almost entirely by Ryu and Ken, mostly thanks to the extremely poor balancing.”
    • “The gameplay, this Street Fighter BS I'm positive was popular two decades ago in arcades when it dominated the fighting game scene but fighting games have progressed a lot since then and this series is no longer top dog in this genre for a variety of different reasons the main one of which is that the gameplay is stale, stiff, and stoic.”
  • story2,539 mentions

    The story aspect of "Street Fighter V" has received mixed to negative feedback from players. Many criticize the story mode for being overly simplistic and short, often consisting of just a few easy fights per character accompanied by minimal cutscenes or static images, which detracts from the overall narrative experience. While some players appreciate the character-specific stories and the cinematic expansion "A Shadow Falls," they still find the storytelling lacking depth and coherence compared to other fighting games, leading to a general sentiment that the game prioritizes online play over a robust single-player experience.

    • “The addition of a fully fleshed-out story mode, titled 'A Shadow Falls', is an entertaining 3-hour foray into the Street Fighter universe, even if it's a little canned and full of anime tropes.”
    • “Street Fighter V is a wonderful game and a very nice addition to the Street Fighter game series, highly recommend as it has a nice story and fantastic visuals!”
    • “The story mode is a work of love; you can clearly tell some effort went into it as even the most minor of characters have some cool animations and whatnot.”
    • “The story mode feels almost pointless.”
    • “The story mode is a joke, no challenge mode yet, no costume unlocking because there is no store yet, no directinput support, and thats just what I can name of the top of my head.”
    • “The story mode is ridiculously short and easy.”
  • graphics1,361 mentions

    The graphics in Street Fighter V are generally praised for their vibrant art style, smooth animations, and detailed character models, creating a visually appealing experience. However, opinions are divided, with some players noting issues such as inconsistent character designs, graphical glitches, and a lack of advanced customization options. Overall, while the visuals are considered a significant improvement over previous installments, they may not meet the expectations set by competing titles in the genre.

    • “The visuals are vibrant, and the animations are smooth, making every match feel dynamic and exciting.”
    • “Street Fighter V's vibrant graphics, intricate character designs, and visually appealing stages create a captivating visual experience, although some character models could use further refinement.”
    • “With its polished gameplay mechanics, stunning visuals, and thrilling online multiplayer, it's a must-have for any fighting game enthusiast.”
    • “The graphics engine is hideous, the character models are worse and the fighting is crap.”
    • “The graphics of the game are generally mediocre, even for the standard of console games in the release year (2016), see for example, Ken's bizarre hair and face, Birdie's chain clipping through his arms in obvious ways, etc.”
    • “The game's art style is ugly as hell, and most characters look like uncanny claymation versions of themselves.”
  • monetization903 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it as a blatant cash grab. Users express frustration over the prevalence of in-game advertisements, which appear before matches and during loading screens, as well as the extensive reliance on microtransactions for unlocking characters, stages, and cosmetics. While some acknowledge the option to disable ads, the overall sentiment is that the monetization practices detract from the gaming experience, making it feel more like a free-to-play model rather than a premium title.

    • “While the monetization strategy is questionable at best, the core game is excellent, and, as I think about it, in the past, what Street Fighter V is now would've been 2-3 cartridge rereleases with slightly different names, so, when I feel nostalgic for the good old days when you only bought a game once, I'm not entirely sure it ever existed with Street Fighter.”
    • “Microtransactions are optional; you can grind out all characters and stages with some time investment, but it's pretty doable if you intend to get good at the game anyways.”
    • “The mechanics of the game are really fun and the game itself is great, but it lacks a lot of content and most of the content you can get is locked away, and the key is either fight money or microtransactions.”
    • “I bought the champion edition which is the more expensive version and upon starting it up I'm immediately accosted by dozens of unskippable pop-ups, most of which are trying to grift me for cash or force me to grind for things that are designed to be annoying and therefore incentivize microtransactions, and then half the content in the game is still locked behind a million additional microtransactions.”
    • “A full triple-A game should not have ads when you pay full price + you buy season passes.”
    • “It's absolutely ridiculous that they display ads between fights, in single-player for a game you paid for; where half the content is also loaded into DLC.”
  • music408 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its high quality, catchy tunes, and remixes of classic Street Fighter themes, making it one of the standout features. However, some players find certain tracks lackluster or mediocre compared to previous entries in the series, and there are complaints about the accessibility of additional music content being tied to microtransactions. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally well-received, opinions vary on its memorability and impact.

    • “The soundtrack is also notable, with catchy tunes and remixes of classic Street Fighter themes.”
    • “The music especially feels very high quality and like it has personality to it.”
    • “The soundtrack fits the game well, so kudos to the sound/music team(s) there.”
    • “The music sucks balls and the art style is really lame and not creative in any way.”
    • “The soundtrack is awful, the characters look like parodies of themselves and there's way, way too much particle effect shit all over the screen at all times, making it hard to see what is even happening.”
    • “Compared to the energy of some of the tracks in Street Fighter 4, the soundtrack of 5 is mostly boring.”
  • grinding340 mentions

    The grinding aspect of Street Fighter V is heavily criticized, with many players expressing frustration over the excessive time required to earn in-game currency (fight money) for unlocking characters and content. While some enjoy the challenge and competitive nature of grinding, the overwhelming sentiment is that the system feels tedious and designed to push players towards microtransactions, making it difficult to access a significant portion of the game's roster without spending real money. Overall, the grind is seen as a major barrier to enjoyment, particularly for new players.

    • “The game is too grindy, and unlocking everything is near impossible without spending real money.”
    • “Unlocking characters is a tedious grind.”
    • “Too much locked content honestly, it's more pay to play than grinding to get the locked content since it can take a whole year of grinding online with terrible lag, match search time and playing single player to get everything, it honestly takes too much time to unlock even one character.”
  • optimization320 mentions

    The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering, frame drops, and poor netcode, particularly on PC. The introduction of intrusive DRM has further degraded performance, forcing players to lower graphical settings even on capable hardware. Overall, the lack of customization options and the inability to mod the game have compounded frustrations, leading to a consensus that the game is poorly optimized compared to other titles in the genre.

    • “Caveat emptor, because I don't regret buying the Steam version; it's very good and I mean very good, well-optimized across the board and at a great value during the 2021 winter sale DLC included.”
    • “Optimization on the PC is terrific - I'm running a graphics card which is just below the minimum recommended specs, and the game has no problem turning out 60fps @ 720p/medium settings.”
    • “This game is super good, it's well optimized and everything.”
    • “New intrusive, performance-degrading DRM means I have to lower the graphical settings for the first time on an 8-year-old game.”
    • “This decision has severely impacted the game's performance and player experience.”
    • “The main problem is that Capcom refuses to even acknowledge the technical problems that plague the game, such as people with rigs that exceed the recommended system requirements and yet get very poor performance.”
  • stability146 mentions

    The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with many users reporting persistent bugs, crashes, and lag, particularly in online play. While some players have noted improvements over time, the game was initially released in a notably buggy state, leading to frustration and extensive troubleshooting. Overall, the experience remains inconsistent, with significant issues still affecting gameplay for many users.

    • “The game runs great on my M1 Pro MacBook Pro!”
    • “Runs great on my laptop, even in 4K max!”
    • “I tried this game on my work PC and it runs great at 1080p.”
    • “This game is buggy and definitely the worst Street Fighter, if not the worst Capcom game I have played on PC.”
    • “It was an incomplete, buggy mess that didn't even have an arcade mode.”
    • “Do not buy this game in its current state, buggy, laggy, unpolished trash!”
  • humor135 mentions

    The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a standout feature, with players finding the dialogue, character interactions, and absurd gameplay moments to be genuinely funny. Many reviews note the comedic aspects of character designs and moves, as well as the often ridiculous situations that arise during matches, contributing to a lighthearted and entertaining experience despite some frustrations. Overall, the humor is described as a mix of intentional jokes and unintentional hilarity, making the game enjoyable in a quirky way.

    • “The game is very funny.”
    • “The things people get away with in this game is honestly hilarious and actually pathetic.”
    • “Matchmaking is hilarious; my first match was against a level 200+ (was also a one move spammer/spam down attack while downed).”
    • “Not funny.”
    • “Not funny.”
  • character development106 mentions

    Character development in Street Fighter V has received mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant and intricate character designs that enhance the visual experience, while others criticize certain models as unrefined or overly simplistic. Although some players appreciate the unique playstyles and aesthetics of new characters, there are complaints about the lack of depth in character backstories and the overall presentation. The game has made strides in character design, but opinions vary widely, with some finding the designs appealing and others deeming them outdated or poorly executed.

    • “Street Fighter V has some of the most memorable and beautiful character designs in gaming.”
    • “The character designs are appealing, and the stages are beautifully crafted, each reflecting the personality of the fighters.”
    • “Well balanced, awesome character design with the new V system and all of the fighting goodness you have come to expect from the series.”
    • “Character designs are hot garbage fire, interface is a melting plastic bag holding the hot garbage, and the controls are pretty messy.”
    • “The game suffered, and continues to suffer, from lackluster presentation (horrific character design-- even in the case of series staples like Ken and Alex-- and omnipresent clipping issues), sloppy core fighting mechanics hampered by artificially high latency, and there are still missing features six months into the game's lifespan.”
    • “The character design is as usual terrible and stupid but by now you'll be used to that if you like Street Fighter.”
  • replayability48 mentions

    The game's replayability is heavily reliant on its online multiplayer features, including ranked modes and weekly challenges, which provide a competitive edge and encourage ongoing engagement. However, many players feel that the single-player content lacks depth, with limited replay value in story and arcade modes, leading to a perception that the game is primarily designed for multiplayer experiences. While some aspects, like character variety and training modes, offer potential for replayability, the overall sentiment suggests that without online play, the game may not sustain long-term interest.

    • “The game's online multiplayer provides smooth matchmaking, ranked and casual modes, battle lounges, and weekly challenges, adding a competitive edge and enhancing the replayability.”
    • “Very fun game, infinite replay value, pretty cheap, and overall great game.”
    • “Lots of characters/costumes and endless replayability.”
    • “But more seriously, the game isn't really replayable without online, and at least use, it's pretty popular in the lower brackets at least.”
    • “Not including an arcade mode is baffling, the survival mode is lazily designed and rage inducing, and the story mode doesn't have any replay value.”
    • “A solid fighting game, lacking extremely in single player replay values, too much grinding to unlock characters.”
  • emotional26 mentions

    Players experience a profound emotional journey while engaging with the game, feeling intense joy and disappointment during competitive matches and story moments. The highs of personal achievements and the lows of frustrating losses contribute to a unique emotional rollercoaster, with some players expressing a deep connection to the game's lore and characters. However, there are mixed feelings about the game's single-player content and roster, which some feel detracts from the overall emotional impact.

    • “I cried at the end of the story mode when Ryu turned to Ken and said: "It's me, Ken, I'm the Street Fighter 5!"”
    • “The emotional rollercoaster I go on every time I open this game up is second to none.”
    • “Very few games have made me feel so happy with every win, regardless of the enemy's difficulty.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with players enjoying the exciting and friendly environment that fosters both competitive and casual interactions. Updates have enhanced this atmosphere, providing a satisfying amount of content, while the distinct settings, like the restaurant stage, add variety to the experience. Overall, the atmosphere is engaging, making both story mode and competitive play enjoyable.

    • “The atmosphere of the game all around is just the best; even playing the story mode is exciting.”
    • “It really has this friendly atmosphere where players are taking jabs at each other one second and then cheering the next.”
    • “The whole update has created a better atmosphere, and the amount of content that is available in the game is fairly satisfying now.”
    • “If a lack of single player doesn't sound that bad to you and you are looking for a challenging and competitive atmosphere, I would heavily consider picking Street Fighter V.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

Buy Street Fighter V

Play time

53hMedian play time
327hAverage play time
3hMain story
119hCompletionist
5-241hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 75 analyzed playthroughs

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