Previously teetering on the edge of financial ruin, SNK has made a remarkable comeback, boasting a promotional budget so substantial it leaves even legendary fighters like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat green with envy.
Propelled by its vast wealth, the momentum for the resurgence of the niche 90s fighter, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, has been unmatched. This movement has graced London buses and boxing rings in New York.
But does the actual game have the chops to capitalise on its monstrous marketing cycle?
One intriguing aspect of the fresh endeavor by rejuvenated KOF Studio is that despite the glossy marketing hype, it retains a somewhat modest production value.
This game, essentially a follow-up to the legendary 1999 title Garou: Mark of the Wolves, boasts a solid lineup of familiar characters, bolstered by two unique guests who will be discussed in more detail.
It’s important to mention that the Special Edition, often thought of as the standard version, includes the first Season Pass with this release. This pass guarantees five new characters after launch. These fresh competitors include Ken and Chun-Li from Street Fighter, extending the tradition of collaborative content between SNK and Capcom.
This package offers quite a bit, and though it might seem bare-bones when navigating through its rigid and unattractive layout, it’s clear that a great deal of thoughtfulness has been put into its creation.
The fighting system is really fun, but there are a few systems we’d like to draw attention to.
In the main event, the standout characteristic of the release is the REV, serving as its focal point. Prior to engaging in combat, no matter which character you choose, you have the option to determine where your Special Ability Item, commonly known as SPG, will be placed.
When your health level reaches your specified Self-Preservation (SPG) zone, your character gains access to a wider range of combat moves. This includes powerful REV Blows, similar to Drive Impacts in Street Fighter 6, and hidden super-attacks called Gear, which operate in tandem with your Power Meter.
Beyond the SPG’s ideal range, you can also activate REV for powered-up special moves and defensive strategies. However, these actions will raise your character’s overall temperature. If your character becomes too hot, they’ll temporarily lose access to certain special moves unless they manage to cool down during combat or by moving quickly around the stage.
Indeed, the combat system offers a multitude of factors to ponder. It’s dynamic and intense, with a strategic element hidden beneath its fast-paced nature. You could opt to initiate aggressively by activating your SPG at the start, or you might choose to conserve it for a tactical turnaround towards the end of the battle.
In every character, the fundamental play mechanics remain similar, but each one offers fresh possibilities and challenges for you to manage. The longtime favorites Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui stick to their established combat styles from previous games, while Preecha, the newcomer, is a kickboxer with twister-like abilities.
All the main characters are exquisitely brought to life through animation, while Salvatore Ganacci and Cristiano Ronaldo, as guest characters, appear less refined in their animations.
The DJ is portrayed as a humorous character resembling Dan, which we can understand and find amusing due to his music video-inspired dance moves. However, the Portuguese football sensation seems completely out of place and doesn’t fit well within the game, not even appearing in the standard Arcade mode.
Moving on to what we’ve discussed earlier, it’s worth mentioning that the primary single-player experience in this game is divided into multiple episodes, known as “Episodes of South Town”. These episodes are interspersed with brief cutscenes.
This game, though labeled as an RPG, essentially presents a series of battle situations marked on a stationary map, punctuated by visual novel segments. Each character possesses their unique narrative arc – with the exception of CR7 – and you gain experience points following every fight, which in turn advances your level.
Unfortunately, there’s very little more to it than that.
As you advance in the game, you acquire additional health points and stronger attack options, yet your adversaries will also become stronger, making advancement seem less significant. Although you gradually unlock abilities that slightly customize your gameplay, these choices are rather limited.
Absolutely, fighting games can certainly be fun without extensive campaign modes, but it’s hard to ignore the impact of expansive narratives like Street Fighter 6’s World Tour and Mortal Kombat 1’s cinematic storylines when considering budgetary limitations yet again.
As a die-hard fan, I haven’t had the chance yet to engage in online play on live servers, but during previous beta tests, the rollback netcode felt rock-solid. The multiplayer aspect comes with a “clone” mode, which lets you square off against AI replicas of an opponent’s playstyle – reminiscent of the ghost fights in recent Tekken games.
Apart from these, you’ll encounter familiar elements such as: a collection gallery for all the artwork you’ve uncovered so far, a music player that lets you enjoy not only the pulsating tunes from this new game but also tracks from previous installments in the series, and extensive learning resources.
This offering is comprehensive and primed for growth through upcoming updates and additional content packs. About the only complaint, aside from the combat itself, lies in its somewhat sluggish menu navigation.
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2025-04-21 10:08