Old school SF gamers will not be let down with this gem!
Then I pick up SF 4 a week ago..... This game made feel like I felt when I was 11 years old getting SF 2. The game has every element that made the SF franchise the king of console fighting games (sorry Mortal Kombat) while adding next gen elements that make it relevant in todays gaming climate. The graphics and animation are top notch, beautiful. The controls are tight and moves that seemed impossible with the xbox d-pad in the HD remix are almost effortless in SF 4. The difficulty seems about right. Medium is a challenge but isn't too cumbersome if you're using a fighter you're familiar with.
The trial modes are standard fighting game fare, time trial, survival mode. A new trial actually awards you for pulling off certain combo's and moves. I find some of them rather difficult but then again I don't have hours to spend practicing a move like I could when I was 12. The multiplayer function is pretty good. I found it VERY hard to find a match to fight in and usually had to create my own lobby and hope someone joined me. I said screw this and started playing arcade with my fight request open and honestly I never got to fight an actual arcade match because ppl kept challenging me! It really had that arcade vibe, except when I lost I didn't have to go to the back of the line.
Bottom line, this is a top shelf fighting game. Probably the best I've played for the next gen (Soul Calibur being the second best). If you enjoyed playing the SF games of old this is a must buy. If you're a fan of fighting games this is a must buy. Playing this game is like getting back with old friends from your childhood who have grown up and matured, but at their core are still the friends you love.