When it launched last June, Street Fighter 6 immediately earned critical acclaim, differentiating itself from its predecessor. With 18 fighters and a wealth of single-player content on offer, Street Fighter 6 gave players plenty to enjoy in its earliest days, but that’s not stopping the team from pursuing a post-launch content plan similar to the one that eventually righted the ship with Street Fighter V. Last July, the SFV debutant Rashid joined the roster, followed by new challenger AKI in September. During Capcom Cup X, we went hands on with Ed, the latest Street Fighter 6 DLC character, before he joins the fight this week.
Ed first appeared as a non-playable character in Street Fighter IV before joining the actual roster in the second wave of Street Fighter V’s DLC. Raised by Shadaloo as a potential replacement body for M. Bison, Ed can wield Psycho Power, which he uses to great effect in Street Fighter 6.
As a protege of Balrog, Ed uses a combination of boxing and Psycho Power. He can pull off a mix of close and far-range attacks, but his bread and butter feels like his mid-range offerings, including a medium kick that actually activates a low-to-high mid-range punch combo that opponents will need to react quickly in order to block both punches.
His special moves include a charging uppercut and a Psycho Power projectile that feels similar to Luke’s fireball, but again, his mid-range attacks are most effective, including a charged attack that can grab his opponent into the air, opening them up for a combo. You can also charge his heavy punch to pull off a Superman Punch that passes through the opponent and opens them up to additional attacks. Meanwhile, his Super Arts are also powerful, including one that throws a bevy of fast punches, one that launches a slow-moving, multi-hit projectile, and a cinematic Critical Art that ties the opponent up with ropes made of Psycho Power as Ed unloads on their body.
Ed is also fast, letting him get in and out. Cornering . He feels like he has a high skill ceiling, but even after playing him for just 45 minutes, I was learning devastating combos, particularly when I was able to corner my opponent.
Ed arrives in Street Fighter 6 on February 27 as part of the Year 1 Character Pass. That pass also includes the aforementioned Rashid and AKI, as well as the upcoming Akuma. For more on Street Fighter 6, be sure to check out our review and our exclusive coverage hub.
Brian Shea
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