SFII HD designer calls out SFIV for user unfriendliness

Well, this is awkward. David Sirlin, a major designer behind Super Street Fighter II HD Remix (and the awesome Super Puzzle Fighter II HD Remix) is calling out Street Fighter IV. More specifically, he's calling out reviewers who call the game accessible to casual gamers. Sirlin points out a number of complicated commands used in the game as well as a host of very technical maneuvers that only dedicated Street Fighter players can pull off.

"Qcf x 2 +PPP all the time, extra button presses to throw, extra button presses to roman cancel, and many, many extremely difficult link combos work in concert to create that impenetrable wall of execution between you and the actual game," writes Sirlin. Throughout the lengthy piece, Sirlin notes that several things were added to Street Fighter IV that were unnecessary and only serve to make the game more complex. The end result, according to Sirlin: Playing the game becomes more about mastering esoteric techniques than focusing on strategy. To be fair, Sirlin does say that there's no reason the game has to cater to a casual audience, but he finds it puzzling that so many reviews claim that it does.

What do you think? Is Street Fighter IV n00b-friendly? We've posted a poll after the break, give us your vote and tell us what you think in the comments.

[Via OXM]