Street Fighter 6 offers something new to the fighting game genre: another meter! The Drive Gauge gives players 6 levels to use on a variety of techniques from EX Moves to attack-absorbing Drive Impacts. This way, players don’t have to worry about draining their Super meter with these techniques before getting the chance to use those flashy Critical Arts.
But an empty super meter just meant players couldn’t do their super moves. Draining the Drive Gauge means the player will be left burnout. This means they’ll take more damage from their opponent’s attacks, take chip damage while blocking, and are easier to be knocked dizzy. It’s not a good state to be in, but what can people do to deal with it? Here are a few tips to get ahead while burnt out in Street Fighter 6.
5 Learn The Fundamentals
During SF6’s open betas, fans joked that two players going into burnout turned the game into Street Fighter 2. Just like burnout, everyone took more damage from normal and special moves, were more prone to dizzying, and didn't have the extra techniques later games would introduce. So, just like those old school days going into burnout means the player has to rely on their character's fundamentals.
If players learn their main character’s strengths and weaknesses, and figure out when best to use their normal and special attacks, they can keep their opponent at bay. For example, Guile isn't as rushdown-heavy as his brother-in-law Ken, but his normal strikes are good at close-up combos and breaking an opponent's defense. While Chun-Li is better at playing keep-away with her fast movements, triangle jump, and Lightning Kicks that make anyone trying to get up close regret it.
4 Break Out The Bait
While it’s not ideal to get burnout, it can be useful at playing mind games with the opponent. If they see the player in this state, they'll think they're defenseless and try to go on the offensive. What can they do against a sturdy Drive Impact? More than they think if the player can use their eagerness against them. For example, the player can tease openings in their defense, which can trick their opponent into moving in a specific way that opens them up for damage.
The game even encourages this with their Punish Counters, which gives moves extra offensive properties if they connect with opponents who whiff their moves (a la Tekken's Counter Hit state). Like making them crumple to the ground or knocking them into the air for further attacks. Like, say, a super combo or Critical Art that can give the player some breathing room to let their Drive gauge recharge. Still, even the quickest little collection of strikes can help, as all offense counts in burnout.
3 Be Aggressive
With the lack of parries, Drive Reversals, and extra vulnerability, burnout really stunts the player’s defensive capabilities. It makes putting up with the opponent's barrage much more difficult, and the 17 seconds it takes for the first Drive Gauge chunk to recharge a lifetime. However, burnout doesn't affect the player's offensive skills. If they fight fire with fire, they'll keep the opponent too busy to get the advantage.
So long as it's applied carefully of course. If they still have Drive Gauge, they can make the player pay for throwing out random attacks. However, once the player finds an opening in their attacks (by baiting or otherwise), they can crack the opponent open and keep the pressure going until they leave burnout. By shutting down their attempts to take advantage, good offense can indeed become good defense.
2 Run Away
That said, some characters are better on the offensive than others. Ken, Luke, and Jamie are pretty strong at bringing the pain. But players have to think a few steps ahead to play more defensive characters like Guile, Dhalsim, and E.Honda. Guile has strong fundamentals, and big characters like Honda, Zangief, and Marisa have the armor to tank a few errant hits even without Drive skills. But Dhalsim and the daintier likes of Kimberly and Lily need more care.
If push comes to shove, it's best to keep on the move. Poke the opponent to keep them at bay long enough to dash, jump, or otherwise keep away from them until that first Drive Gauge chunk recharges. It's not generally advisable as it can be seen as "laming out" (dodging until the timer runs out). But if the player is at death's door, there's no shame in avoiding being hit until they can hit back with some Drive.
1 Treat The Cause, Not The Symptoms
Ultimately, the best way to deal with burnout is to avoid burning out in the first place. That’s not too helpful to hear when the player's already toasted mid-match. But once it’s over, they’ll get to chew things over and figure out where they went wrong. For example, it might be because they’re using too many big Drive attacks like the Overdrives and Drive Reversals, which eat up 2 chunks of gauge each.
The Drive Rush can empty one chunk after a parry, but it eats up half the whole gauge when it's following a normal attack. If players keep in mind how much each technique costs and when to best use them, they'll significantly reduce their chances of burnout. With careful consideration and luck, they may avoid it altogether. But getting burnout isn't a death sentence. It's just a temporary inconvenience, and one that'll pass by quickly with the right tactics.
Street Fighter 6 is available for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.