Juri Duty Completed
This weekend, I had the good fortune to sit down with Capcom’s upcoming scrapperStreet Fighter 6for the second time in as many months. Having already spent some solid time with the flashy fighter at the VSFighting tournament just six weeks ago, FGC punching bag Chris Moyse was given the opportunity to spend a solid few hours at a brand new build — showcased at premierUK trade show EGX.
And this time was special. This time, there was 100% more Juri…
💀#gameface#juri#sf6pic.twitter.com/Ls3PbNzpgp
— Chris Moyse (@ChrisxMoyse)Jun 13, 2025
While I’m admittedly known for my propensity to beat around the bush a little, (ok, a lot), when featuring games for preview and review, I’m going to respect the clock today and just delve straight into it: At this stage,Street Fighter 6is looking and feeling fantastic. What’s more, the core of my early thoughts toward the new sequel is formed around one significant, undeniable summation:
Street Fighter 6getsbetterthe more I play it.
When I first sat down with theSF 6last month, the very first element that hit me, in comparison toStreet Fighter V, was the series’ new sense of pace.SF 6has a whole new “weight” to its characters that seriously changes both the flow and the momentum of the fight, sacrificing a little ofSFV‘s speed in return for a meatier and more deliberate fighting experience. There is a “crunch” toSF 6,an impact that is quite unlike anything I’ve experienced in the franchise to date.
Early on, this almost feels like a negative. Playing as Ryu, I almost felt like I was playing asZangief, taken aback by the reduced speed of the fight, the “heft” of the series’ shoot star, and occasionally feeling as if I was missing my links because I was hitting them too early —SFVmuscle memory in full effect. Frankly, I don’t mind admitting that, for my first 10 games or so, I felt a legitimate pang of concern — a worry that perhaps in an effort to distance itself from its recent predecessors,Street Fightermight have lost a sense of momentum, of second-to-second breathless engagement. I honestly thought, for a brief period “Is this game evenexciting?”
But, like many new friends, you just have to get more familiar with one another.
Shut Up and Drive
The longer I’ve exploredSF 6, the more infatuated I have become with its intricacies. There’s no denying thatthe new Drive Gauge management systemis pretty daunting at first glance — overly eager players will be entering “burnout” before Round 1 has landed its first few black eyes. But it is in smart use of both the Drive Gauge, the Super Meter, and various new mechanics thatSF 6will weave its tapestry of violence.Routes. That’s what is sorely needed inSF, and that is what this fancy new fighter is all about.
Ok, cool, so you have a tip-top optimized combo down. And maybe it works in various conditions on an offensive and defensive basis… But what if you fit in a Drive Rushhere? What if youalsohad a Level 3 Super on deck? Conversely, what if you’ve already burned out? What if you only have gauge for the first part of your go-to punish? Do you know what you may do with what you haveright now? This is whatStreet Fighter 6will ask of the player: Can you adapt to the moment? Can you capitalize on your resources? Can you pace yourself to not do flashy 45% damage and leave yourself completely meterless for the next 10 seconds? This is what givesSF 6‘s gameplay its variance, and each player a bespoke approach to the fight at hand.
As you playSF 6more, it reveals itself — starting out as a heavy-hitting, heavy-weighted, but recognizable entry to theSFcanon and, from there, lifting the lid on the new facets it brings to the party. During mysecondinning with the title at EGX this weekend, I was already pre-prepared forSF 6‘s general “feel,” and was now ready to start delving into its deeper mechanics. And, withmy main squeeze Jurion tap, I was fortunate enough to have a head start when the first bell rang.
I found that most of Juri’sSFVcombo routes were all present and correct — this helped me to get up and running. But now there was the potential for all-new entrances and exits to these routes. New ways to build upon the knowledge I already have, alternate openings, early enders, and new ways to extend combos beyond their initial closure. I already have the tools to get started, (as will you with your chosen character), butStreet Fighter 6opens up new possibilities with those same tools, asking you to adapt to any given situation at any given moment. This is the player-to-player variance that the series sorely needed, and it’s shaping up wonderfully.
Oh, and I should note that while myself & Ms. J are down 4 lyfe,Nu-Attitude Kenfeelswicked.
Black and Blue (and Pink and Green and Violet)
Street Fighter 6looks marvelous, with visuals that have more thickness and depth in reality than what is depicted in many of Capcom’s promotional screens. While the stages and character models are all smartly designed and beautifully rendered in the celebrated RE Engine, the devil is truly in the details. It’s the hair fringes dancing in the wind; blossoms falling from the skies; dirt kicked up from the ground; clothes reacting independently of the wearer; and transitional animation during and after motion. These are what bring a real sense of excitement and personality to the fight.
Perhaps most notable of all is the stunning visual effects that emanate from Specials, Supers, and the cinematic Critical Arts. From the classic, iconic Hadokens and Sonic Booms of yesteryear, toKimberly’s fizzling paint-can grenadesand her Day-Glo teleportation clouds —Street Fighter 6bleeds dynamism from its pore, bringing electricity, zest, and spirit to a franchise thathas gottenupsettinglyblandin its recent lack of personality.
As an early demo build running on gaming laptops,SF 6played very well from a technical standpoint, though it must be noted that there was some heavy sweating going on as the weekend progressed, which would play out on-screen in the form of occasional slowdown during the fights’ more spectacular moments. Whilst I’ll pay lenience to what is, an unoptimized demo, I still can’t help but wonder howSF 6is going to squeeze onto last-gen platforms.
One would think that there is simply no way that Capcom won’t be pressed to cut corners to get the dazzling fighter heaving out of a PS4’s processor. The RE Engine is pretty malleable, (we gotResident Evil Villageonto last gen, after all), but when you also take into account the crossplay factor — as well as the competitive FGC scene — it becomes even more imperative that the Gen 8 version ofSF 6is up to snuff. Because I don’t know a local scene that has 10 PS5 setups, do you?
Your Turn Soon
This write-up barely scratches the surface of my thoughts onStreet Fighter 6at this stage. Some of you will get the opportunity tocheck out this build for yourselfin just a few weeks from now and thus, form your own opinion. Importantly, this beta will not only give us our first look at the stability ofSF 6in an online capacity, but it will also give expert players their first chance toreallyexplore the meat & potatoes of the new mechanics via Training Mode. This free rein will giveStreet Fighterexperts — players far better than I — a chance to get a handle on what makes the game tick, (at least at this early iteration).
While I can’t wait to get my hands on it, Ireallycan’t wait to seeothersget their hands on it.
Street Fighter 6is still some way from hitting the shelves. And, as we all know, a fighting game nevertrulyshows its stripes until the honeymoon period is passed. Regardless, one intent is abundantly clear: Capcom is goingall outto giveStreet Fighter‘s reputation a fresh coat of gloss, endeavoring to deliver a fully-featured, great-looking, engaging, varied fighter that will win over the community’s part-time players, its lab-dwelling technicians, and its long-running, veteran acolytes.
You can take it from one of the latter:Street Fighter 6is on a path to glory. Let’s hope it can stick to it.
