Our long, national Street Fighter IV-less nightmare is finally coming to a close. 

Retail store managers across the country are at the airport to receive the shipments, and they’re posting signs with the exact time the games will be available in the coming hours and days.  

In case you were wondering “sure I’ve heard the hype, but is this game actually any good?”, here’s some food for thought:  

It’s averaging a stunning 95 on Metacritic (Metacritic just averages, so it’s hardly perfect.  Stick with the opinion of your preferred reviewers for specifics, but Metacritic IS pretty good at picking the superstars).

There are also a bunch of released scores that have not yet been added to the Metacritic database:

EuroGamer , 10/10

“This is, in almost every way that matters, the perfect Street Fighter.  Or, as my friend at ATEI would put it: dude, this is actually the second coming.”

Mirror UK , 5/5
“Street Fighter IV is quite simply the best fighting game of all time.”

Ars Technica
“The hype was justified: Street Fighter IV is an amazing game. 

Hit the jump for even more rave reviews!

GameTrailers , 9.2/10

GamePlayer.com AU , 9.5/10
“It is a shining beacon of quality and hope in an otherwise dying, largely forgotten genre of video gaming. Recognising this, Capcom has wisely kept it accessible to newcomers, sufficiently evolved for veterans, and chock full of the chess-like depth that made the series so infinitely playable in the first place.”

Team Xbox , 9.2/10
“A subtle yet effective freshening of a classic.”

PSX Extreme , 9.4/10
“Street Fighter IV is without question the best fighting game available right now, yes, better than Virtua Fighter 5. It boasts the amazing fluidity, balance, and appeal of Street Fighter II and III, with a great sense of reward. With unique stories per character, this is a game you’ll actually want to play through with every fighter and unlock the remaining ones.”