Thu 16 Jul 2009
King of Fighters XII is the follow-up to KOFXI, which is the latest game in a longtime that SNK has made any updates to the series. What’s special about this fighting game is that it allows players to choose a team of three different characters to challenge other players’ teams, instead of the traditional one-on-one match-ups. Like its predecessors, the game is designing its new characters using sprites from the ground up. For the Xbox 360 version, we are seeing a much larger and more vibrant character models. However, there is a price to be paid for such extravagant art. You’ll soon notice that the lineup of fighters is limited to just 22, which is significantly lower than what the previous titles had offered.
Graphically, the game is making a huge leap with a totally revamped 2D animation. The character moves a lot smoother and the same positive remarks can be said about its fighting arenas. They exhibit a more vibrant color and express high volume of details! You’ll be pleased with the 3D lightmap effects, which are typical in Capcom’s fighting games, where characters display mystical glowing energy when performing special moves. The gameplay is quite similar to its Arcade ancestors. You have two punch buttons and two kick buttons – both provide light and heavy attacks. The biggest change to King of Fighters XII’s control mechanics is the addition of throws, which can be completed by pressing two punch buttons.
The developer has also included a new “critical counter” system. This will allow you to charge up the critical meter and unleashed it upon performing a strong maneuver to match against an incoming hit. A flash of green light will follow suit signaling your opponent’s dizzy stature. At this point, you can take advantage of the “custom combo”, literally a customized one. There is no limit to unleashing the type of attacks you want to impose on your opponent! On a number of occasions, we discover some “slipping” animation during a combat scene, which feels like the characters don’t have solid footing. Expect that some of your favorite characters may not carry their old move set but they are being replaced by another fighting style.
Two new characters are joining the cast of King of Fighters XII. One is Mature, a beehive-wearing blonde, and Elizabeth Blanctorche, a female magician. So far, it looks like SNK Playmore will be kicking off their 15th year anniversary with a bang! Many of the past standard combos still work in this edition. If you have played other King of Fighters in the past, most likely you’ll be able to feel right at home with this one. We are a big fan of SNK titles since the NeoGeo days, and our expectations are relatively high with the release of King of Fighters XII. Is King of Fighters XII fit to be the fighting king? It won’t be long until we have the answer to this question. The game is expected to be in stores July 28, 2009.