The King of Fighters XIV Reviews
The return of SNK's flagship series offers concessions to beginners, and new depths for veterans.
King of Fighters XIV offers an astonishing amount of content, with nearly double the playable characters of most other games available on day one. The fighters themselves are interesting and well designed, both visually and mechanically, and they push limits with an execution ceiling higher than perhaps any other fighting game. King of Fighters XIV’s netcode and technical shortcomings are itis biggest stumbling blocks, but mastering its characters and leveraging what you’ve learned remains satisfying regardless. There are no shortcuts to becoming the new King of Fighters, but the journey to the top is well worth taking.
Whether or not you dig its new look, KOF 14 offers everything you could want in a fighting game: refined gameplay, a bevy of appealing characters, and accessibility that gives way to complex depth.
A successful soft reboot for the venerable fighting game series, and a great jumping on point for those dissatisfied by Street Fighter V.
Lots of characters and online modes to tinker with, but the single-player portion feels limited
The King of Fighters XIV may not impress you with its visuals, but the accessible-yet-complex mechanics make it a well-executed fighter worth your time.
With 50 fighters (17 of whom are all-new), 19 stages, and a host of gameplay modes, SNK is coming out swinging with King of Fighters XIV. The roster is diverse and interesting and the game is easy to get into. The game could definitely use a boost in the visual department, as the art style can come across as safe and bland, but the game itself is solid. As the beginning for a whole new era of SNK, King of Fighters XIV is a win.
King of Fighters XIV falls somewhere between XII and XIII. It's not exactly bare-bones and the roster is mighty, but the gaudy presentation and by-the-book story is distracting, and takes away a lot of the uniqueness of the series.
Aside from some faulty matchmaking, the package is a fighting game worth playing. It looks good enough and runs smoothly, and even when lagging, the online play is nice and clean. And it doesn’t bring anything new to the table (besides Nakaruru from Samurai Showdown in her console KoF debut, along with one or two other new faces), but everything it’s doing is being done right. Finally, King of Fighters is beginning to summon that feel SNK had harnessed generations ago, and it feels damn good. It’s going to have to innovate further to reclaim its crown, but at least it’s back in the court.
The famous fighting saga comes back with a renewed aspect and brings back the gameplay mechanics that made these games great. The King of Fighters XIV is a very entertaining game for the fans of the genre, even though the graphics could run better on the PlayStation 4.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
As a new entry in the series that pushes it into uncharted territory, King of Fighters XIV is an admirable effort. Boasting a huge roster, accessible action and smooth gameplay, there’s a lot to like, but the mediocre transition to 3D and inconsistent netcode hold it back from greatness.
While offering only discrete graphics and gameplay still be refined, The King of Fighters XIV is an excellent starting point for the rebirth of the brand. Content-rich, affordable and fun, the last SNK title is still far from its former glory, but the basis laid are so solid to ensure more than a hope for the future of the series.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A fighting game that packs a punch and is worthy of the series’ name. Once you see past some questionable animations you’ll find countless hours of fun mixing and matching teams on and offline.
The King of Fighters XIV is everything I wanted it to be going in. There is enough content to keep me testing out the teams of fighters. With 50 playable characters to experiment with, it is fun to learn match-ups and play with friends. I found myself coming back constantly to this game, and always finding new characters I really enjoyed playing as.
It's perhaps disingenuous to claim that King of Fighters XIV marks a glorious return to form akin to that of Street Fighter IV, because the more recent 2D instalments in SNK's franchise have been excellent examples of technical fighting brilliance. What the fourteenth entry in this esteemed franchise does is lay down the foundations for future sequels which will – thanks to the relentless march of technology – use 3D models instead of handdrawn sprites. While King of Fighters XIV looks positively shabby when placed alongside Street Fighter V, it arguably offers more depth and variety. The three-person mechanic encourages players to master more than one fighter, and the cast – while perhaps not as instantly-recognisable as the likes of Ryu, Chun-Li, and Blanka – has something for every type of player.Ironically, the biggest sticking point with King of Fighters XIV is the one aspect designed to make it more appealing to outsiders; the new "Rush" mode allows even complete newbies to look like combo-crunching experts, but it's likely to divide opinion with serious players who prefer to rely on their own skill and knowledge when it comes to unlocking the game's most potent moves. Even so, this single concession to a mainstream audience is easy to forgive when taken as part of a package which rewards methodical, technical play in a way that no other fighting game does.
Visual inconsistency aside, the newest entry in the King of Fighters proves to be one of its best. The gameplay and mechanics are as solid as ever and there's plenty for newcomers and old guard alike to enjoy.
The King of Fighters XIV is a solid entry that’s sure to be played in tournaments for the next couple of years and establishes a foundation for newcomers to pick up a controller and learn what the hype is about.
The fourteenth episode of King of Fighters is a fighting game that goes straight to the point. It doesen't get lost in useless graphical showoff, and gives back to the fans the good old combat system, flawless and huge.
Review in Italian | Read full review
King of Fighters '94 may be the title that started the entire series but it pales in comparison to its sequels - such as the superb King of Fighters '98, also available on the Switch eShop. With that in mind, there's little point in buying this if you already own that particular title, unless you're keen to see how far the franchise advanced in the four years that separate them. King of Fighters '94 is fun to play and presents a stern challenge, but it's a long way from being the best the lineage has to offer. Unless you're really keen on this entry, you're better off buying King of Fighters '98.
The King of Fighters XIV is a fully featured fighting game. It still feels like its classic predecessors, but it has been updated in some important areas to feel like a modern take. Its roster is both a celebration of the series that also signifies that this is a new step forward. I’m excited to see KoF back in the spotlight, and I hope to see SNK continue building on this great installment.