Street Fighter V is a downgrade from Street Fighter IV

In comparing Street Fighter IV to Street Fighter V, I have to proclaim that a serious winner exists between the two games. Unfortunately, it is the prequel that I believe will stand the test of time as the better fighting game! Frankly, Street Fighter V is a major downgrade of skill from its predecessor. EX-Combos and expertly foot spacing that was so crucial to victory in Street Fighter V, and the techniques that legendary pro players such as Diego and Poongko perfected have received a serious downgrade.

Street Fighter V rewards button mashing far more than its prequel entry. Gone are the days of combos requiring expert timing, now Street Fighter V has taken the series a step backward from Street Fighter IV and Street Fighter III Third Strike where precision combos ruled the EVO2K tournament scene with an iron fist! Now players can win through mashing the right buttons at the right time, expert timing isn't always a factor and the skill gap suffers because of how much easier lethal combos remain to execute in Street Fighter V without a penalty.

It's a crying shame, as Street Fighter's pedigree as a legendary fighting game rests on its enormous skill gap, that few other fighters have dared to tread water around. Now casual players can have the same fighting chance as professional gamers who spent hours perfecting their combos and fighting techniques. It ruins the concept of gaming tournaments when a casual player stands as much chance of winning as a seasoned veteran!

 Sure, you can argue that Capcom lowering the skill gap makes the game more accessible to newcomers. But this argument falls flat on its face for a game like Street Fighter when its core attraction to fans is the skill it takes to become good at Street Fighter over other fighting games. When that element is removed and the skill gap is lowered by making combos easier to execute and master, the subtle nuances and complexities of a strong competitive e-sports game are damaged. This damage is not repaired remotely, by Street Fighter V's pathetic online mode with game-breaking lag and a ghost town server with few to any players competing online because the lag and host issues render matches fundamentally unplayable!

Even worse, Street Fighter V removed so many awesome characters from Street Fighter IV and the Third Strike roster that it is absolutely unforgivable for Capcom! Tell me, how is Street Fighter V a superior game to its prequel by removing Adon, Yang and Yun, Evil Ryu and Oni, NOT TO MENTION REMOVING SAGAT?! ARE YOU KIDDING?!

It is my personal hope, that Capcom seriously considers the future of this legendary franchise and goes back to the drawing board, listens to fans, and crafts Street Fighter VI to fix these glaring issues so we can get a proper return to form!