Killer Instinct Reviews
Killer Instinct won't win awards. At the end of this new generation, it won't turn up in the lists of greatest console launch titles ever. And it won't cause the established fighting game creators - the Capcoms and Namco Bandais of this world - to fear for their jobs. But its heart - and its business model - are in the right place. Success!
Though the roster limits the possibilities a bit, Killer Instinct makes a triumphant return with smart, fluid fighting.
An excellent reboot of an unfairly forgotten fighter, but the way it's being sold does it no favours and severally restricts the fun to be had online.
Excellent mechanics and incredible playability make up for Killer Instinct's shortage of single-player content. Franchise fans and fighting game junkies will be most pleased.
Double Helix has competently filled the gaps in Killer Instinct's foundation
Killer Instinct shows you the ropes quite well and has a combo system that's fun to execute, though slightly less fun to defend against.
The revival of the old-school fighting game has over-the-top appeal but still feels like a half-strength title, even when you buy everything.
Killer Instinct may seem little light with only six characters at launch, no lobbies for online play, and no Story mode until March, but the fighting mechanics are top notch. You can't argue with how easy the game is to pick up and play, and you'll have a ton of fun in the process. This is easily one of the best Xbox One launch title.
If only there were more of it across more characters that had a story, Killer Instinct would be gold. But as it stands, it's not yet living up to the potential the series has.
Killer Instinct may not be the new king of fighting games, and it feels a bit rushed in terms of content, but it is very solid and far exceeds my expectations for it. With a pricing scheme that doesn't feel exploitative and a balanced character roster, the well developed mechanics will keep you busy until the new content drops next year. It'll be interesting to see what the community at large thinks of it over time, but in my living room, it's a welcome addition to my fighting game roster.
At launch, Killer Instinct serves as a solid foundation for what could eventually become a good fighting game. More characters and stages are coming down the line, but at launch, the game's limited single and multiplayer modes are glaring and will grow stale quickly.
No one would have bet on Double Helix, yet they proved everyone wrong: not only does this return of Killer Instinct hold intact the spirit of the original, but it takes the franchise to a whole new level. It might lack some content and still be a WIP, yet this is one of the sweetest treats the nextgen has given us.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The combat system has potential. Shame everything else is so poor.
Killer Instinct is a budget-priced title that looks better than most next-generation projects we've seen so far. Once the rest of the add-ons are actually finished, this could even be one of the best titles in fighting games.
Killer Instinct is one of the most thrillingly addictive fighting games in years, harkening back to the mid-90s version you remember.
With a stellar training mode and open-ended combo system, "Killer Instinct" is a knockout next-gen fighter for fans old and new.
As it stands, the lack of content keeps Killer Instinct from achieving greatness — the lackluster look of the game doesn't do it any favors either — but Double Helix has put together a very promising first step.
Fans of the Killer Instinct franchise need not worry, this is a great game to launch with the Xbox One. I wanted to give it a higher score but releasing the game with a limited roster and some minor technical issues held it back a bit. I'm also not fully "on-board" with their pricing model, but they do have two good packages to choose from that unlocks all the characters. Don't get me wrong; if you enjoy fighting games this is definitely something to check out.
Killer Instinct is definitely fun, if a bit lacking in depth. The lack of campaign mode and limited character options mean it won't take long for you to breeze through the entirety of the content offering, but the online versus should ensure that you get plenty of enjoyment for your investment.
Ultimately, however, costing nothing to download, we recommend giving the game a try, because even with a lack of content, Killer Instinct is a fun fighting game that's able to appeal to newcomers and hardcore fighting fans alike.