Killer Instinct Reviews
The combat system has potential. Shame everything else is so poor.
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.
While I'm still not a fan of Killer Instinct's dial-a-combo mentality nor its eclectic cast of characters, Double Helix's efforts to bring the series back from the dead are commendable—and while some mistakes were made along the way, this is probably the most interesting and enjoyable the franchise has ever been.
Killer Instinct is an incredible fast paced, technical fighter with plenty of Evo tournament potential and ideal for those looking for a combo-centric challenge to master. For the more casual fighting game player it's hard to master and the basics aren't going to cut it once you come face to face with the ridiculous combos that can be unleashed against you.
Killer Instinct is a brutal, attractive and responsive fighting game that feels fantastic on the new Xbox One controller. Its unique combo system provides accessible depth, bolstered by balanced characters and a pleasingly forward-thinking business model.
Killer Instinct is by and large a more than satisfying return for a fighting series that's been left on the shelf for far too long. As a modern fighting game, it manages to hold its own against more seasoned stablemates, thanks to its accessibility and hidden depths. Killer Instinct is a superb fighting game that's currently lacking in content. Please sir, can we have some more?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Double Helix has competently filled the gaps in Killer Instinct's foundation
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.
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!
For now, our recommendation would be that if you're looking for a fighting game that skimps on story and has just a handful of options, but still delivers tournament-ready credentials, look no further. Killer Instinct is making a brash play at the top table and, as far as we can tell, it's got the goods.
Killer Instinct is a beautiful, fun and entertaining fighting game. But the lack of fighters and arcade mode is sorely disappointing.
Killer Instinct is shaping up well and that's the problem – this isn't a full game by any stretch of the imagination. Still, what is here shows that Double Helix will likely do the series proud with an update that is at once reverential and forward-thinking.
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.
Killer Instinct certainly is a fun game that does everything fighting games need to do right. It just doesn't have a whole lot to offer otherwise. So unless you have a dedicated group of fighting gamers to play the game with you, you probably won't get the Killer Instinct experience you were hoping for, and even if you do, high-level play feels a bit shallow. Killer Instinct certainly has a lot of potential to become a great tournament fighter after we delve deeper into the gameplay system and the roster expands. It just isn't quite there yet.
The new 'Killer Instinct' is mired in free-2-play trappings, a lack of content and unnecessary unlock system, is very rough around edges. And yet, the solid and at times pretty fighting twist on 'Street Fighter IV' delivered by the game, is almost a must-own for fighting fans on the new system, which means that long-time fans have no choice but to pony up for 'Ultra Version.' It is almost as though if the game wasn't such a solid fighter, it might been free outright, and the potential (eventuality even) for what has been delivered to sprout a dedicated community, makes buying in now without knowing exact expansion plans and costs a nebulous prospect. Even so, Capcom may find themselves extremely late to the party when they release a fighting game for the Xbox One.
If you're a fighting game fan, it's hard to pass up Killer Instinct's opening price tag of $0. It's a reasonable $19.99 to unlock all the characters from the first season. Either way you look at it, there shouldn't be an Xbox One out there that doesn't have the game installed. By no means is it going to topple some of the more prominent fighting titles, but it is definitely an interesting and pretty game that can be enjoyed by casual and hardcore players alike.