• Review: King of Fighters XIII (PS3)

    by
    Reigami
    Published on 01-28-2012 02:25 PM
    1 Comment Comments


    The King of Fighters XIII

    Developer: SNK Playmore
    Publisher: Atlus
    Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iOS
    Genre: Fighting
    Rating: Teen
    Release Date: November 22nd, 2011

    At long last, SNK Playmore has bestowed upon us the thirteenth installment of the popular King of Fighters franchise. After a couple of years of disappointment in KoF XII, fans of the series can finally lay claim to a game they can finally call a worthy sequel. With more moves, characters, backgrounds, store elements, and a revamped battle system that combines some new ideas with some old school mechanics, the hardcore fighting game scene has never looked so good.

    Presentation
    The King of Fighters series is known for recycling the same engine and sprites for many many iterations. From the previous installment the sprites were updated and the game received a nice overhaul. It's no stretch to say the new installment is twice the game KoFXII was. Just the same though, the characters from the previous installment remain visually unchanged. In a similar fashion to Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV, the characters themselves are recycled and more is added to make the game feel full and featured. The story is told with silent portraits with dialogue text littering about. It would have been nice to a bit more animation during the cutscenes, but they do get the job done. Otherwise the production levels are top notch.

    Graphics
    The release of King of Fighters XII brought new life to the characters in the form of high resolution sprites and superbly detailed backgrounds. This sequel adds tremendous amounts by expanding the character roster to a respectable number, adding a plethora of backgrounds, and speeding up the game making it look nice and smooth. The special moves feature a special kind of flair that only the King of Fighters can pull off. Most characters have a very distinct look, (perhaps sans a few palette swaps here and there) and contain a customizable color scheme chosen in the character select menu.

    Sound/Music
    Within the past decade, the series has left us with memorable and catchy soundtracks, I'm happy to say the soundtrack to KoF XIII is one of the best in the series. The high quality music accompanied by top notch sound does well to compliment the game. All the sounds from every special move dazzle and ring with ample flash.

    Gameplay
    Three-on-three matches between widely varied fighters has always been the name of the game in King of Fighters. Characters differ in personality and fighting styles, leaving a good balance when picking a team to your liking. KoF XIII sports many game modes to weave you into the game. Veterans will feel right at home, as the newest entry in the series reintroduces many of the features in the previous installments. The stock system returns enabling players to store up to five meters in their super bars. Upon attacking, a green meter will also fill enabling you to use that meter to cancel moves into other moves.

    Controls are tight and responsive, and play well with a fight stick or PS3 controller. Xbox owners may want to opt for a third-party fighting game controller or fight stick for a more pleasant experience. Despite the fluid controls, button inputs still must be precise, as the game doesn't have a shortcut method (like in Street Fighter) to assist with special moves.

    Unfortunately, newcomers will likely find themselves at a huge disadvantage, as people who are very familiar with the game will likely roll casual gamers every time. The very friendly combo system yields unrelenting results online as a seasoned player with five saved stocks can potentially do 80% damage with little practice. To compensate for this, SNK added a challenge mode for each of the characters that lets new players practice basic and advanced combos.

    Unlockable stages and characters are obtained through playing the game, extending the single player play time. The real concern is always the online experience. The netcode has been completely redone from KOF XII to make sure you get a cleaner, less laggy experience...somewhat. From the games I've played, I've had many more enjoyable lag-free matches, which is a large improvement on XII, Despite this it is not perfect and some matches were simply unplayable due to lag. I attribute this not to the netcode, but to not enough people playing KoF XIII. The less people who have the game, the less fun the online experience is, and overall that means the less fun you'll have with the game online. When the only player you can play seems to be halfway across the country, that ends up being what you're stuck with.

    Still, with the battle system back to where it should be, the game has sped up to white knuckle brawling levels, and with the flashy cancel system that gives way to insane damage, this game is insanely fun to play.

    Lasting Appeal
    As with most fighting games, you fight lasting appeal only if you play with friends or online. The story mode is only for series fans and lacks any real meat unless you've somewhat kept up with the series. You're either looking at maybe a couple of dozen hours of gameplay, or hundreds depending on your gaming preferences.

    Conclusion
    Keeping a little of the new and adding a lot of the old, KoF rebounded itself into a very competent fighting game, but little has changed overall. Characters are still as we all remember them, moves are mostly the same (with a few changes for balancing), the cancel out system is very similar to KoF 2002 and KoF XI, and few new characters have been introduced. While it is a joy to have many of the old faces come back, one can't help but to expect a bit more. Overall the game is fun to play, While not the best in the series, it is a fast-paced fighting system that leaves its lackluster predecessor in the dust.

    Score:
    7.5/10
    Comments 1 Comment
    1. Fuzzx's Avatar
      Fuzzx - 02-12-2012
      Great review man! KOF is by far my favorite fighting franchise since i grew up playing it at my neighborhood "tiendita" while my nana shopped around for stuff. Kudos!

  • Review Scale

    Score 10- Flawless Victory: A score not handed out to every game. Games earning this rare score sit at the very pinnacle of excellence. These games act as the examples for which all others should be measured with. They are instant classics from the beginning. These games not only deliver what was expected of it, but also exceed the player’s expectations. The game’s features are innovative and original. No game is without its absolute flaws, but the finished product you bring home surpasses the anticipation the game has formed. A day one buy is a must. The game you hold in your hands with this score is a video game jackpot.

    Score 9 - 9.5- Outstanding: Games earning scores such as these absolutely must be played. Games that achieve this high ranking do so because they define the genres that they are in. Flaws are few and barely noticeable. Features seen in the game have been renovated to provide something new and fresh. The story, gameplay, graphics, and lasting appeal are all fantastic and is reason enough to bring the game home and to enjoy with family and friends. Every penny you spend on the game is so worth it.

    Score 8 - 8.5- Great: Any flaw the game may possess is overshadowed by its fun factor. These games would be great for gamers to play. These great games appeal to gamers more and more outside its normal player base because of what it brings to the table.

    Score 7 - 7.5- Good: Flaws do exist in these games, but the positive features of the game can counterbalance the flaws. Additionally, players who are predisposed to liking a game of a particular series or genre with this score should enjoy the game. These are in no way bad games, and much fun can be had with them. An overall good game is worth taking a look at, whether you are willing to buy the game or rent it first. That or you can also wait for the game to reach a good price.

    Score 6 - 6.5- Decent: Games falling into this category may suffer from numerous flaws (for example, graphics or gameplay), but are still worth playing. Granted, the player should be aware that a game with these scores may not guarantee them full satisfaction.

    Score 5 - 5.5- Average: An average game is one in which a game’s features are neither good nor completely terrible. Instead, the finished product is manageable. Little has been done to hold the player’s interest. If anything, rent this game before you consider buying it so that you can at least get a feel for the game’s overall experience.

    Score 4 - 4.5- Poor: Games falling into this category may only keep gamers entertained for a short while. While the game may seem enjoyable for moments at a time, it can quickly grow old and may never be revisited again. The game’s overall function is lacking in quality and may not hold the player’s attention for long. The game leaves little or nothing else to return back to.

    Score 3 - 3.5- Bad: If any positive qualities about a game in this category exist, it is not enough to redeem the game for its shortcomings. Sure you may find yourself playing it, but for how long? You will wind up not giving the game a second glance.

    Score 2 - 2.5- Horrible: Games such as these may not be totally unplayable, they nearly are. Additionally, they may lack, or greatly suffer in, the fundamental functionality of the software as a whole. The game simply does not come close to meeting industry standards at the time of its release.

    Score 1 - 1.5- Appalling: Gamers should avoid this game at all costs. The game was clearly not ready to make its way to store shelves in its status. Save your money and find something else. See it in the bargain bin? No! Stay away! Keep moving and look for something else.