Killer Instinct Review

The game that I have potentially spent the most time with over the launch of the Playstation 4 and Xbox One is Killer Instinct. As someone who loves fighting games, yet has little to no reverence for the original Killer Instinct, I was as surprised as anyone to find that I was plunking down $40 on this free game to gain access to the ultimate edition of this exceptional fighting game.

Killer Instinct gets a lot of points for its presentation. This game looks pretty good. All of the characters animate really nicely, the artistic liberties that they have taken with the original designs work in the games favour, and the overall art direction of the game is appealing. Not to mention the game is completely over the top metal. There's a brutal, meaty sound that comes with every punch that makes combos incredibly satisfying to pull off. And you'll be pulling off a bunch of combos. That's the crux of the game. Stringing together attacks to create almost comically long combos which trip up your opponent and do incredible amounts of damage. These attacks might be intimidating at first, but the game provides a means to educate new comers in the intricacies of the fight.

The dojo mode breaks down the mechanics of the fighting system in such a way that makes a potentially intimidating genre of game entirely approachable. If you've ever wondered what a cross up is when casually playing a fighting game with someone who has been playing them seriously for years, the KI dojo IS FOR YOU!!

While game modes are undeniably lacking (the options are generally fighting the cpu or fighting a live opponent) there have been promises that some kind of a story mode would be coming later with the further introduction of new characters.

Overall, Killer Instinct is an exceptional fighter, wrapped in a nice looking package. the free-to-play model might deter some people at first, but if you break down what you get for the full price of the ultimate edition, its not a bad value. If nothing else, this game is a solid introduction to the world of fighting games, and I highly recommend you check it out if you have even a fleeting interest in the genre. Be warned though, this game is best enjoyed with friends. Maybe a few beers. It makes it that much funnier when the announcer is just SCREAMING at you.