Ed has finally arrived in Street Fighter 6, and while his return is exciting, initial gameplay impressions reveal some concerns regarding his move set and overall viability. Based on early playtime, several aspects of Ed’s kit feel underwhelming and potentially problematic compared to the established roster.
One immediate issue is the lackluster range and effectiveness of Ed’s light normals. His light jab and crouching light attacks feel surprisingly stubby, making them less reliable for quick counters or establishing frame advantage compared to characters like Luke, Honda, or Jaime. These characters boast light normals that are not only faster but also possess superior reach, pushing players towards utilizing Ed’s medium and heavy attacks, particularly his zoning-focused light and medium kicks. While his kicks are indeed strong for controlling space, the deficiency in his light punches creates a noticeable gap in his close-range options. Furthermore, his sole positive on block normal attack features a high hitbox, demanding extremely close proximity to be effective, which further limits his defensive and offensive flexibility in tight situations.
Comparisons to shotos are inevitable given Ed’s moveset, but this comparison highlights further shortcomings. His anti-air uppercut, a crucial tool for any shoto-style character, is notably slower than those of Ken, Luke, and Ryu. Ed’s uppercut starts up in 10 frames with 8 active frames at its fastest, and slows down with increased power. In contrast, the traditional shotos boast 5-frame startup and 10 active frames on their fastest uppercuts, maintaining speed even at higher power levels. This significant difference in speed can make reacting to and punishing jump-ins with Ed’s uppercut a much more challenging task.
The performance of Psycho Knuckle also raises questions. Despite trailer footage suggesting it should effectively blow through fireballs, in practice, this hasn’t always been consistent. In multiple online matches, Psycho Knuckle failed to negate fireballs, resulting in unexpected hits even when initiated preemptively. The move’s aftermath also feels inconsistent, with unpredictable landing distances after both hits and blocks, making it difficult to reliably follow up with throws or jabs, even when seemingly in range.
Kill Rush, both forward and backward variations, presents another set of concerns. Forward Kill Rush appears visually similar to Ken’s dash or Cammy’s Hooligan combination, yet it lacks the utility of either. The in-game character manual suggests using it in combos, but its two-stage setup feels awkward and impractical for combo extensions. Using it as a gap closer also feels risky, as opponents can easily punish the predictable approach. The move’s design, featuring a low dive and head cover, hints at potential invulnerability, similar to Cammy or Rashid’s evasive maneuvers, but this invulnerability is absent. While backward Kill Rush is arguably more balanced, forward Kill Rush feels disjointed and lacks a clear purpose within Ed’s kit.
Despite these criticisms, some aspects of Ed are more promising. His heavy kick and Psycho Flicker have proven to be more reliable anti-air options than his uppercut, offering alternative defensive strategies. Drive Rush functionality feels smooth and effective, allowing for relatively easy execution of lengthy combos, as demonstrated by the effortless 22-hit combos achievable with minimal practice.
In conclusion, while Ed’s arrival is a welcome addition to Street Fighter 6, initial gameplay experiences reveal notable shortcomings in his normals and special moves. The stubby light normals, slow anti-air uppercut, inconsistent Psycho Knuckle, and awkward Kill Rush mechanics raise questions about his competitive viability and overall design coherence. Further exploration and potential adjustments may be necessary to fully realize Ed’s potential within the Street Fighter 6 landscape.
