The King of Fighters XV Reviews
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.
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.
King of Fighters XV isn't revolutionary, but it's a solid, feature-laden package with personality and style.
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.
The King of Fighters XV is a solid 2D fighter on its most basic level and a natural must play for fans of the franchise.
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.
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
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.
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.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
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
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
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.
The King of Fighters XV features excellent core combat that serious fighting game fans will enjoy, though its single-player offerings leave a bit to be desired.
KOF’s resistance to any grand story arc defies the pressure being applied by its rivals. Minimal solo options and routine online duels don’t reinvent anything either. This isn’t laziness on SNK’s part, however. It feels more like a focus on maintaining the design philosophy that the player base has loved all along: potent character design, instantly identifiable team play, and off-the-wall plotlines.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.