The fighting game genre is at its best for many years. Despite the fact that some time ago the genre seemed condemned to ostracism, both due to the general level of the titles and the number of games that hit the market, it seems that we are now in a new golden age of the genre, and as every age requires , there must be a king. The King of Fighters is, without a doubt, one of the most emblematic 2D fighting sagas in fighting games, but will this be enough to take over the throne of fighting games? We tell you in our analysis of The King of Fighters XV for Xbox Series X.
A controversial roster
One of the most important aspects of any game of the genre is the list of characters that we will have at our disposal. On this occasion, the people of SNK Playmore offer us the possibility of having three new additions to the vast roster of characters from The King of Fighters franchise: Isla, Dolores, and McDougall. In addition, we will also have the return of characters that were present in the previous installment of the franchise, such as Luong or Antonov, among others. In addition, the people of SNK have also brought back iconic characters such as Chris, Nanakase or Elisabeth, which will undoubtedly be a joy for fans of the franchise, offering a total of 39 characters to choose from.
Although the number of characters is good, the truth is that not everything is positive in this regard. SNK’s commitment to continue with characters from the previous installment and the inclusion of the three new fighters that we mentioned will not be to the liking of all fans, especially considering absences as important as that of Ramón or Rock (which will arrive in the first DLC of the title).
The feeling in this regard is that, despite having a interesting variety in the initial template (something fundamental in any game of the genre), it seems that SNK has not thrown all the meat on the grill, and instead of betting on a more powerful roster with which to face its main competitors, the decision has turned more to offer a more continuous experience with respect to the plot of the last title.
Sober in the playable
Regarding the gameplay, The King of Fighters XV takes the basis of the previous game and polishes some of the mechanics that were included in it, with the MAX bar as one of the main elements to perform combos of greater power. To be able to use this, it will be necessary that we have at least two energy bars, which we will get as we hit our rivals. Once obtained, we will have the possibility of carrying out two actions: more power in our blows or enter the MAX state quickly. This second option allows us to cancel a combo attack, as well as greater ease when chaining several of them, although we must bear in mind that it is consumed at a dizzying speed.
where there exists a change that will surely be well received is in the use of EX attacks. As in other games of the genre, it will no longer be necessary to have the MAX bar to use them, but rather we can execute them by simply spending half an energy bar, which allows for more dynamic combat. Another important novelty is the inclusion of destructive blows. This blow will not only allow us to knock out our rival, but it is also a powerful defensive ability, since it offers us the possibility of countering an enemy attack to later chain it with a special attack, allowing us to change the course of the game if we use it correctly.
Finally, the game maintains the system of special attacks, special MAX and Climax. The use of these attacks will be essential when fighting against our adversaries, especially through the use of Dream Cancels, which will allow us to chain attacks to generate the greatest possible damage. This element will be differential when fighting against other players, although it should be noted that the learning curve will not be easy for those who are not used to this mechanic.
Lights and shadows
Another aspect that we must talk about in our analysis of The King of Fighters XV is related to game modes. On this occasion, the people of SNK has opted for the rollback netcode, which means that our online games will have total stability, thus offering the best possible experience in this regard. It should be noted that in this aspect we will have the possibility of raising and lowering ranks, carrying out friendly combat and even training with other players, which is an interesting variety.
However, not everything is so positive in the single player aspect of the title. In addition to having the classic versus mode, The King of Fighters XV offers us combo missions, a tutorial to introduce us to the mechanics of the title, and a story mode that will be forgotten by fans of the franchise. However, despite the level of the story, we must highlight the work done by the studio when making some of the title’s cinematics, with a very successful anime appearance.
technical result
Given the level that some rivals of the genre have shown in their latest installments, there were some doubts about whether KOF XV would be able to offer a visual finish to match. Although it is true that it does not reach the quality levels of other titles, the game looks quite good in motion, with well-crafted animations and improved modeling compared to the previous installment.
As for the sound section, we find somewhat bland melodies in the first bars of the title. However, the title offers us the possibility of unlocking numerous tracks from previous installments of the franchise, for which it will be necessary to meet certain requirements that are established in the title.
Conclusions
The king of Fightes XV takes the playable basis of the previous installment and improves it, offering a fighting game that, although it is behind the referents of the genre in some aspects, you will be able to fight one to one with them. The introduction of destroying blows and the new use of EX encourages more dynamic combat than in previous installments. In addition, the inclusion of the rollback netcode is a success for the online aspect.
However, we also find some negative aspects, such as the absence of iconic characters from the series, which give rise to a template that not everyone will like; as well as the testimonial presence of offline modes, with a story mode that will be easily forgotten by those who complete it.