The story stays true to the series and picks up after the events of Killer Instinct 2. Each of the characters have their own reasons for fighting in the game whether it be Jago looking for answers after his betrayal in the previous release, Sabrewulf recovering from some questionable decisions he made in previous releases or Orchid's ongoing battle against the highly dangerous UltraTech company. Despite the biographies given for each character in the game, there is still no formal arcade or story mode to complete for a full narrative, so many fans looking for a continued storyline for the loved series won't find one in the new release.
Killer Instinct currently features a cast of six character that includes Jago, Orchid, Glacius, Sabrewulf, Thunder and a new character named Sadira. Each character has their own unique fighting style such as Glacius and Thunder as long range attackers, while players that fight with Sabrewulf would prefer to get in close for some killer combos. While Killer Instinct can be picked up and played for free, only Jago is playable in the free version. The cast will receive the bonus characters Fulgore and Spinal as bonus DLC characters in the new future, and Shadow Jago is available through a special promotion with Xbox LIVE, but this is still a very small cast of characters for any fighting game and what will most likely be the biggest complaint most players will have with the new release.
When simply viewed as a fighting game, the mechanics that make up combat in Killer Instinct make this one of the most solid gameplay experiences to release in quite some time. The characters in the game are very well balanced, and there are a few different ways to play the game including local and online multiplayer modes as well as a survival mode that allows players to aim for the top of leaderboards by defeating the most consecutive enemies. The new Xbox One controller works well for the fighting game, and the new directional pad of the console is a major improvement for fighting games beyond any previous version offered on the Xbox 360, though many fighter enthusiasts will still be looking to purchase a fight stick controller as soon as possible regardless.
Newcomers to the series or gamers looking to hone their fighting skills will find a detailed tutorial mode known as the Dojo in the new release of Killer Instinct. The game features two sets of lessons including 16 basic lessons that deal with movement, performing special attacks and landing successful combos as well as 16 advanced lessons that includes more complex maneuvers such as reversal attacks, juggling and combo breakers. Casual players likely won't need to delve far into the tutorials to enjoy the game with friends, but learning the ins and outs of the combat system is almost necessary when battling against other players online. Killer Instinct already seems to have a pretty strong fan base on Xbox One despite flaws that keep the game from being a must own for all fighting game fans.
Other game modes in Killer Instinct include the fight archives, where players can check out their statistics in offline and online play such as maximum damage or wins and losses. Additionally, players can save fight replays to relive their greatest combos or most exciting victories over AI opponents or other players. Everything a player does in Killer Instinct unlocks additional experience points and currency, and fight titles for player cards can also be unlocked and viewed in the fight archives to allow players to fully customize their player profile online and locally.
The KI Store is also available for even more unlocks including new arenas, character skins, taunts and accessories to customize fighters. Killer Instinct allows players to customize fighters from their color and skins down to basic accessories for the character that includes masks, tops and bottoms to help the small cast of characters feel much more diverse than it actually is. Player profile icons, backgrounds and more are also available for purchase from the in-game store to further customize a player's identification in the game, and there are some pretty cool ideas included here, some of which even offer throwbacks to the classic series. Most of the items available from the in-game store can be purchased with experience points, and there is a lot of additional content that will keep completionists interested in the game for a long time.
Killer Instinct is a great looking game that looks truly next gen. The game doesn't offer any gimmicks such as Xray Attacks or weapons and is instead a pure fighting game that requires plenty of skill and dedication to master any character from the small cast. Balance between characters is important in any fighting title, and Killer Instinct does a good job of making each character perform best with different tactics while also making none specifically better than another. The game features exciting narration fans of the series would expect from the Killer Instinct series, and there are some decent themes to accompany the action in the game. Killer Instinct is also one of the few Xbox One titles that doesn't have excessively long loading screens at launch, so that's a plus as well.
The other major gripe gamers will have with Killer Instinct, and rightfully so, is the many different versions of the game available at launch, most of which are very cost prohibitive as downloadable games go. Additional characters are available for $4.99 each, extra costumes are $3.99 each and accessory packs will set gamers back $2.99 for each that is purchased. Players can choose to purchase every character in the Combo Breaker pack for $19.99, but no costumes and accessories are included. The Ultra Edition version of the game costs $39.99 but also comes with all characters, costumes and accessories pack as well as early access to content and the full version of the original Killer Instinct arcade game. Finally, the PinUltimate Edition comes will all of the previously mentioned content plus a Premium Tri-Fold Case, Jago and KI Logo pins and additional pins available from in-game. Needless to say, Killer Instinct can quickly go from a free-to-play title to a very costly investment, so only truly devoted fans need apply for this new release.
CLOSING COMMENTS
Killer Instinct is a solid fighting game that suffers from a few awful design choices by the team behind the game. Double Helix has crafted an entertaining fighting game that is both well balanced for fighter fans and plenty of fun for casual players as well. The game features a great tutorial mode and contains plenty of unlockables, but much of the in-game content is only available for purchase with real world currency, and there aren't very many characters in the game no matter how much money players are willing to drop on the new release. For early adopters of the Xbox One, Killer Instinct is the only real option for fighting fans, and though it's a decent fighting game, its pricetag and costly content make it a less than ideal option for gamers on a budget. Fight it out in Killer Instinct only on Xbox One, if you can afford it!
Killer Instinct is now available for free exclusively on Xbox One. Killer Instinct is rated T by the ESRB for Violence, Blood, Mild Language & Mild Suggestive Themes. For more information on the game, check out the official Killer Instinct website.
Game Features:
- Online Multiplayer 1-2
- Purchase Part or Full Roster
- Detailed Tutorials
- Classic Killer Instinct Arcade Unlockable
- Achievement Support
Game Information:
Developer: Double Helix
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Available exclusively for Xbox One (reviewed)
Release Date: November 22, 2013
- Solid fighting game
- Tons of unlockables
- Great tutorial mode
- Not enough characters
- Have to purchase in-game content with real money