Classic Custom Combo action
Street Fighter Alpha 2 still a community fave
Good but not great. That’s what Street Fighter Alpha 2 represents for me. I don’t hate the game these days. After a mature return to the game after many years spent adoring Street Fighter Alpha 3, I can honestly say the game is a good setup for the king of the hill that is Alpha 3.
Because Capcom has advised that Street Fighter Alpha 2’s story supersedes Alpha’s story, we’re not rehashing anything here. Just know that everyone is after M. Bison at this point because he’s up to no good as he always is and will be, and Akuma enters the chat because he supposedly killed Ryu and Ken’s master Gouken. Everything that happens in Alpha 2 sets Alpha 3 up in a way that explains why M. Bison is so powerful by the end of the series and why he’s significantly weaker during Street Fighter II. It’s compelling even if you’re a casual fan of Street Fighter.
The graphics haven’t made a significant leap between Alpha games and yet they somehow look cleaner. They’re chunkier and larger, and you can tell they’re getting closer to the Alpha 3 streamlined version that became the hallmark of the Street Fighter experience in the early to mid-2000s before the advent of Street Fighter IV.
Thankfully, while there isn’t a big leap forward in the look between games, there is a sizable improvement in the soundtrack of Alpha 2. Quite a few tracks stand out and it’s worth hunting down the playlist because there are some gems. It’s still not at the Alpha 3 level but it’s getting there if you need reassurance.
What I didn’t care for in Alpha has improved in Alpha 2: how it plays. The play feel has improved with the introduction of Custom Combos, and while clunky to execute, it’s a nice change of pace for the series. They’re in their infancy here so don’t expect the absolute dominance of Alpha 3 V‑ISM but they are cool to see and it’s satisfying to get them to work consistently in play once you know what you’re doing. Watching high-level play shows how Alpha 2 is meant to be played, and it demonstrates Alpha 2’s strengths: Nuanced strategy and a clean engine.
Alpha 2 does have its quirks, though. Sometimes the game just doesn’t feel quite right and by that I mean, I don’t like how it feels sometimes. It can simultaneously feel slow and sluggish but then it course corrects and the game plays like a dream. Combos work but then sometimes, I struggle to get things going. I can’t place my finger on it, even years later, but there’s something off about Alpha 2 but I’ve learned to accept it for what it is and overall just accept Alpha 2. It may be because I didn’t start the series until Alpha 3, but Alpha 2 doesn’t always feel right. I still prefer to play Alpha 3 in every respect, but acceptance of Alpha 2 is a sign of maturity.
Alpha 2 is the midpoint of the Alpha series and that’s OK. It’s got its growing pains but the growth is there and it’s still regarded as a strong fighting game. Alpha 2 has value and as the middle child of the series, it’s got a lot to offer and a certain charm that is brightened by the fact that Capcom learned its lesson and seemingly learned to count to three. Alpha 2 is a good bridge to greatness.
Score: 3.5 out of 5