Killer Instinet or (KI) is how we will refer to this game in this review is a reboot of a fighting game from the 90’s it is a fighting game that is based on characters from different fighting styles fighting it out. The game focus is to create combos to defeat your opponent. KI was a game that started on the arcades, then came to the Super Nintendo System before the company was purchased by Microsoft and rebooted as a launch title for the Xbox One the game is released on a season based schedule that releases new fighters and new game modes, story and challenges.
General Gameplay
It’s a fighting game at its heart. You have a vast set of fighters to choose from to battle against the computer or another fighter online or local system. What makes this game a stand out from the rest is that the ability to chain insane combos to inflict onto your enemy within the match. The game during the season updates now offers a story mode for characters and also different challenges for characters to entice players to replay the game.
Audio
KI audio is a mixture of heavy metal rifts and a loud announcer that is from the old arcade series (the game announcer style of broadcast is what gives the game its charm. Also from the punches, kicks, projectiles being thrown it is all done in very clean and crisp sound. The game itself is broadcast in 5.1 surround sound and through our playtest we did not see any issues with any sound effects or audios from the game that would be inappropriate for any family member. However a note of concern that we did notice with some of our special needs family gaming members that we have seen that the music in the game can get very distracting for some gamers, so parents please take caution when cranking up the sound in the game. Also parents that have headphones for their gaming sessions please also take into consideration about the level of the sound in the game as it can get very loud, very quick.
Visuals
The game has grown from its 16bit roots to its HD version that we see now, there are different types of visuals that we can say is going on with KI. From the different costumes that each characters to the backgrounds that are done very well with color balances for those in our gaming families that have trouble seeing the colors. However there are some costumes and stage fatalities that may be too much for the younger gamers. So parents, please monitor the game graphics with younger gamers to see if this is appropriate for them to be viewing. As this is a fighting game the level of violence is around average as you would see in a game from the 90’s, however parents please monitor the game first before allowing younger gamers to play the title.
Controls
This is where “if it is not broken, don’t fix it” formula works. The control layout is light, medium and hard, for both punch and kicks. Just like the Street Fighter controller setup for the days of old, KI follows this as well. The buttons can be configured before, during, and after a match, as well at the menu system as well. In our playtesting of the game, we did see some family gamers having trouble with the controls and making the motions to get the moves to go. The result was them “button mashing” the controller just to get punches and kicks in. Some even just gave up and did not want to play anymore. Now for the defense of the game and for frustrated gamers, there is a sparring and tutorial mode specifically designed to teach new gamers to the KI series how to play the game. When our play testers got frustrated, we had them go through the tutorials and within a couple of sessions they were able to get the basics down and enjoy the game. So parents, if you have a younger gamer, or an older gamer in the family that is getting frustrated with the game, please have them go through the tutorial first to see if they can comprehend the controls layout. Also with our family members with special needs we did see some of the children struggling with the controls where others were able to pick up and play the game without any trouble. Again each case is different so please observe your children gaming behaviors and act accordingly.
Delivery
If you are in the market for a fighting game and with updates to the fighting roster, this is the game for you. KI delivers on all fronts, with now a story mode for the older season fighters, a balance online mode, and offline fighting as well. The game with all DLC feels more like a fighting game than most out there and with yearly updates it keeps adding onto the roster of fighters with reboots, cameo from other games and new fighters. The over the top combos and stage finishers also make it a stylish fighter without having the gore that other fighters have. Also with the game offering the first character for free, events where you can try out other fighters for free, and also a model of purchasing your fighter vs a roster is also refreshing in a fighting game genre.
Family Friendly
Can KI be called a family friendly game? Well it depends on what you are basing the answer on…It is a fighting game, it does have “fatalities” in the stages, it does have some “suggestive” costumes for its gallery of characters, but with those factors, it is still not a graphic as Mortal Kombat and more family friendly than Street Fighter. When doing our review and play test, some of the testers felt that this can be a family friendly fighting game, where others were more undecided about the level of violence in the game, in any case we decided to go through with our review and we feel that this can be a fighting game that can be played by all members of the family. However parents and guardians please do take caution when younger family gaming members are playing this title and also when online. Also another concern that arose in our play testing was controls and flashy colors and motion when playing as this seem to excite some of our special needs gamers and gave one anxiety when playing online. So again please monitor game play for special needs family members.
Closing
In closing Killer Instinct is a great fighting game, may have more of a T – Teen element in parts of the game but a good title for those that are looking for a decent fighter, also with a “pay as you play” method of just purchasing characters, this makes the game more customizable for those that want a fighting game but not a whole roster of fighters that will just never be used, then this is your game. COMBOOOOOO-BREAKERRRRR!
