The King of Fighters XV Reviews

The King of Fighters XV is ranked in the 83rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
Feb 11, 2022

The King of Fighters XV still feels left in the past when it comes to its single player offerings, but what it lacks in ambition, it makes up in solid fundamentals and great netcode that make the online experience the best the series has ever seen.

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Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Feb 17, 2022

There's still room for improvement but this is the best King Of Fighters has been for many years, with enough new features to please both veterans and newcomers.

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GameSpot
Top Critic
7 / 10
Feb 16, 2022

King of Fighters XV isn't revolutionary, but it's a solid, feature-laden package with personality and style.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 11, 2022

Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.

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8 / 10
Feb 15, 2022

King of Fighters XV marks an excellent return for the series, modernising it at nearly every turn. While we await a story that'll finally do justice to the characterful roster, it stakes a claim to SNK's past with an eye firmly on the future.

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86 / 100
Feb 11, 2022

‎It is a clear improvement over version XIV and is positioned as one of the most complete and accessible games of the moment, without sacrificing its essence.‎

Review in Spanish | Read full review

TJ Denzer
Top Critic
8 / 10
Feb 11, 2022

King of Fighters XV feels like a solid refinement of a lot of its predecessors, learning from their mistakes to become something altogether better here. It’s not perfect, it’s not easy to learn, and there are some characters missing that I feel are must-haves. However, a solid visual redesign, good netcode, original and returning music, a great collection of fighting mechanics, and a wide offering of tutorial and training tools make KOFXV feel like one of the strongest entries in the franchise yet. Where they go from here is anyone’s guess, but this feels like the standard for 2.5D KOF that King of Fighters XIV couldn’t quite reach and I’m glad SNK has finally cleared that bar.

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6.5 / 10.0
Feb 26, 2022

At full price, KOV15 brings very few improvements that mostly focus on online play, a very limited number of modes, a very disappointing story, and slow progress in graphic design, the game doesn't help with taking the series forward but it's still fun to play and it's easy to ignore its few gameplay issues

Review in Arabic | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Feb 11, 2022

A good sequel to the historic saga, a robust and fun fighting game, although still with clear room for improvement.

Review in Italian | Read full review

VG247
Top Critic
Feb 11, 2022

Playing KoF 15, I recall one of my favorite memories – one where I spent multiple hours playing fighting games at an arcade during a trip to Japan. By staying true to that identity as an arcade fighter and focusing on what it is are good at, rather than making sweeping changes in the hope of appealing to crowds other than the communities that have risen around these games for decades, SNK has created a game that reminded me of the quality that can be found in a simple, honest fighting game without too many bells and whistles.

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9 / 10.0
Feb 11, 2022

King of Fighters XV is a delight. It feels like a new dawn for a legendary series, and I am genuinely excited to try out some of the future DLC characters that are on their way over the course of the year.

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Feb 21, 2022

For a lot of fighting game fans, The King of Fighters 15 is exactly what they’ve been looking for - a no frills fighter that focuses on its mechanics and doesn’t hold the player's hand. In a generation where most games in the genre have five-hour campaigns from day one, it’s an admirable stance to take. As much as I love how KoF 15 plays and looks, I can’t help but miss the bells and whistles that are expected. If you’re looking for a fighter that shrugs off that expectation, then the King of Fighters 15 is absolutely for you.

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7 / 10
Mar 3, 2022

Fighting game fans can't really go wrong with King of Fighters XV - a sequel that doesn't shy away from the technical depth of its predecessors. It's obviously still early days, but it feels like SNK has improved upon King of Fighters XIV in all of the ways that matter. Better visuals, expanded mechanics, and, perhaps most importantly, smooth online netcode make for fighter that's hard to fault - even if it's lacking the cutting edge of its peers.

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Feb 24, 2022

King of Fighters XV is a wonderful addition to the series. If you are like me and are hoping for an expansion of the single player modes though, you are going to be disappointed. Still the roster and game play are excellent and the online modes are robust. This is an outstanding entry to the series and I cannot wait for more characters to be added. Now if we could just get SNK to add in some proper single player modes I really feel like KoF could extend past its niche audience.

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9 / 10.0
Feb 19, 2022

King of Fighters XV delivers an excellent fighting game that will appeal to beginners and pros alike. Instantly accessible, the training tools will allow players to go as deep as they like on learning mechanics. Beautiful and deliriously fun - if every game in the series has been as good as this one, I've been missing out.

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Feb 11, 2022

The King of Fighters XV is a great comeback for the series in a genre filled with such big titles. SNK has done a great job at creating a complex but accessible fight system that will appeal to old and new audiences.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 11, 2022

KOF XV is a great game, but it lacks a bit of courage, that spark capable of revolutionizing the series. I don't expect a Copernican revolution like it was at the time of KOF '96, but SNK will have to come up with some new ideas for the next chapter.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Wccftech
Top Critic
8.1 / 10.0
Feb 12, 2022

Overall, The King of Fighters XV is the excellent love letter to the franchise we all needed. It brings a perfect mixture of the best of every Saga while having a more celebratory feel all around. The experience offers everything in a straightforward fashion, and even the Story Mode feels great to play and a great way to learn new characters.

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85 / 100
Feb 11, 2022

The King of Fighters XV is the greatest release in the series rich history. With its fluid and deep combat, veterans can compete in thrilling and intense battles. However, SNK has also included numerous elements that make the game accessible to support newcomers to the franchise. Whilst there aren’t many unlockables, the game shines in the arena, making this a necessity for fans of the genre.

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Unscored
Feb 11, 2022
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