The King of Fighters XIV Reviews
The first 3D outing of the venerable King of Fighters series gets a second chance with King of Fighters 14 Ultimate Edition.
Is King of Fighters XIV an impressive addition to the year of fighters, or is this an unwelcomed comeback to the ring?
On PlayStation 4 The King of Fighters XIV was impressive, and on PC it's even more so. Being frank, I think it's the best 2D fighter out there, all things considered.
If you’re a fan of King of Fighters then King of Fighters XIV is a welcome new addition to the family. It’s a great fighting game that players of other fighting games can respect and get into quite easily.
The King of Fighters XIV is an odd beast of a fighting game that has tons of depth and great character variety. It’s not much to look at and it does a terrible job at teaching you how to play, but once you get it down it’s one of the most satisfying fighting games out there to learn and destroy at. If you have the time to get over that brick wall, this will probably be one of your favorite fighting games.
King of Fighters 14 is rough around the edges and is certainly not a perfect game, but what it lacks in graphics and compelling story it more than makes up for in gameplay. Delivering some of the best fighting in the series to date with fresh takes on old mechanics, any fighting game fan would be missing out if they judged King of Fighters 14 by its graphical punch.
The King of Fighters XIV is a solid comeback for the series, and the generally subpar 3D visuals are quickly gotten used to after a few minutes with the game. The proof is in the pudding; the same classic 2D fighting gameplay KOF has been renowned for is meaty, with plenty of depth for series vets to work with, an easier time for newcomers looking to get into it, enough modes for both solo and online players, a supersized character roster, and plenty to unlock in terms of artwork, music and more. Improvements could have been made in other areas, such as the weak story and presentation (menus and models), but more importantly, KOF XIV should have some great competitive legs, and deservedly so.
The King of Fighter XIV channels the spirit of the 90s whilst very subtly evolving to attract more casual players. Coupled with a truly electrifying character roster and robust single player options, the game feels like a legitimate classical experience done justice. It caters to more than just the hardened warriors of yesteryear. If eSports are your forte, though, SNK has you covered with one of the fighting genre’s broadest spectrums of options to tinker with.
Overall for this being my first time playing a game in this franchise I felt the game was a pretty solid offering. It was pretty easy for me to pick up and play but it has that depth the more hardcore fighting game fan may be looking for. I prefer 1v1 fighting games but the 3v3 didn’t bother me too much and it works well with the huge roster on display here. I’m also not a big online player in fighting games so I wish there was more single player content as the story mode isn’t very long. I don’t think this is the king of fighters but I do think The King of Fighters XIV is worth checking out.
Whatever the reason The King of Fighters XIV feels like it lacks some of the magic of the earlier games. It's a game that really wants to be the "king of fighters" itself, but has forgotten that means having some fun along the way.
King of Fighter XIV is a new beginning for the fourth arc of the series story and its success has made SNK into remastering other games like Samurai Shodown. If you're into fighting games and you're looking for a real challenge, King of Fighter is the proper choice instead of Tekken and Mortal Kombat series.
Review in Persian | Read full review
I loved my time playing the game for my THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV review, and I’ll continue to play for the rest of the year until I can get that Platinum trophy.
If you aren't a diehard fighting game/KoF fan, rent it or wait for a price drop. Fighting game/KoF fans? Go crazy. You'll enjoy it.
Given that the computer port has many problems, the game itself is of great value. Despite of its average graphics, The King of Fighters XIV is one of the best recent fighting games because of a huge roster, numerous playable modes and a fantastic gameplay
Review in Persian | Read full review
King of Fighters XIV is brilliant. It is certainly an upgrade on the last game, with upgraded visuals, a cool story mode, depth of characters, and great locations being the main boasting point. Having said that, the actual gameplay is brilliant stuff, with the combinations and movement of characters being a particular highlight. It is just a shame the online experience is rather hit and miss, even after the patch.
Even though The King of Fighters XIV has less than stellar graphics and an empty promise of being more accessible, it's still chock full of fantastic fighting that fans will love every second of.
So, in 2021, is it worth picking up KOF XIV? In all honesty, no. With an appallingly-bad story mode, and notable absence of online opponents, there is really not much content to justify a purchase. Yes, the gameplay is fantastic, and these other flaws are not indicative of that, but simply put, you’ll be getting a very empty game. Waiting on KOF XV would likely be your best bet, but if you do opt of the 14th instalment, you will still get a fighting game with sharp, fast-paced and rich gameplay. Nevertheless, although I do have to hand it to SNK for their successful attempt at entering the 3D fighting game market, considering the other options available, I find it difficult to recommend KOV XIV over them. Who knows, maybe KOF XV will continue to build on the foundations laid here, but that awaits to be seen.
In Summary, if you are looking for a fighting game on PS4 this year, pick it up as it's good fun even though complicated in places. The graphics are a generation behind, however, this doesn't really effect the gameplay at all. If you are looking for a story mode, I would avoid King of Fighters XIV as it's too shallow to be worth £50 unless you have played the previous games.
It’s been 22 years since the release of the original King of Fighters and with The King of Fighters XIV, it’s a gem of a game that’s stayed true to its roots, but remains as relevant as ever.
The King of Fighters XIV is almost everything you could ask for from a fighting game. It’s fast, flashy, full of content, and most importantly, fun.