Long-standing fan-favorite Akuma has finally arrived in Street Fighter 6. This DLC character brings power and a straightforward collection of moves to deliver an impactful yet punishable kit. So, let’s dive in and talk about what Akuma brings to the newest interaction of the World Warrior Tournament.
Fans familiar with the lion-manned fighter will recognize much of Akuma’s kit. As one would expect, he sports versions of the tried and true Hadoken, Shoryuken, and Tatsumaki Zanku-kyaku. The Hadoken and Tatsumaki offer ariel options, while the ground Hadoken can also be charged. This gives the classic core of Akuma’s package some strong versatility. But what brings even more options to Akuma players is his Demon Raid attack.
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The basic Demon Raid launches the player into the air and has them landing forward to make a low-kick attack against their opponent. However, while Akuma is in the air, the move can be modified for several different outcomes. A sharp diving aerial kick or downward punch can be used to punish an opponent from above. The jump can also be canceled mid-way through.
This can give the player an opening to switch things up with a follow-up from a place the opponent isn’t expecting. And if the player uses the overdrive version of Demon Raid, they can even sub in an aerial Hadoken or Tatsumaki. With all these choices at their fingertips, it will be easy for Akuma players to keep their foes second-guessing what will be headed their way when they see the fighter spring into the air.
Akuma’s final special move is Adamant Flame. An attack that propels the fighter forward while engulfing their fist in flames. This move hits hard, but can be tricky to gauge its distance. You want to be in the mid-range when you launch it. If you are too close, you’ll probably get punished during the attacks wind up.
Another strong element of Akuma’s kit is his Drive Impact. Unlike some fighters, Akuma’s Drive Impact has a short animation, allowing little time to react to the maneuver. This makes it extremely hard for the opponent to respond with a Drive of their own, making Akuma’s one of the safer drives to pull off.
While Akuma’s kit is fairly straightforward, built on familiar tools with some new seasoning mixed in, the fighter still requires careful implementation. Akuma can dish out a lot of damage, but he doesn’t take it so well. With a health bar that can disappear before your eyes if you aren’t careful, players need to master the character’s moves carefully, or the opponent’s punishing counters will quickly bring him down.
Some readers may wonder how the new fighter adapts to the modern control scheme. The good news is that Akuma is extremely playable with the streamlined playstyle. Thankfully, his Shoryuken made it one of his easy-execute specials, so clumsy thumbs like mine don’t have to struggle with making the dreaded “Z motion” when playing him. The default basic attacks provide all the core elements fighters will need to hold their own.
Solid anti-air and sweeps are easily available, allowing the full range of necessities when using the modern control scheme. The only core element of the kit that couldn’t be squeezed in with an easy combo is the Tatsumaki. But you can’t have everything and have it simple. Plus, the one special move outside the simplified commands gives players a reason to keep practicing their quarter circles.
Finally, I want to take a moment to discuss the character’s newest visual design. With Street Fighter 6 moving the timeline forward, I was looking forward to seeing what sort of design updates the devs would give to Akuma. The new design does not disappoint. Akuma’s look retains all the intimidation of past iterations while giving the character a more weathered look. This is a man who has devoted himself to seeking out the most powerful opponents on earth. His body reflects the agonizing punishment such a quest is bound to inflict on it.
While Akuma shares many traits in his fighting style with core game characters Ryu and Ken, he makes himself stand out with his raw power and versatile kit. Once players learn how to properly implement that kit, they will be ready to unleash huge amounts of damage as they strive to become the next World Warrior!
Akuma is available as DLC for Street Fighter 6 on Xbox Series S/X, PlayStation 5, and PC.
