GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES

About

"GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES" is the latest entry in the "FATAL FURY" series, introducing Rock Howard, the adopted son of Geese Howard, and a host of new charismatic characters. The game features a redesigned system, including the 'T.O.P. SYSTEM' which grants unique attacks and increased power, 'JUST DEFENDED' for bonuses on last-moment blocks, and 'BREAKING' to cancel special moves. This new generation title brings a renewed gaming experience to players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,146 reviews

gameplay62 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

Garou: Mark of the Wolves features stunning sprite work and animation, making it one of the best-looking 2D fighting games ever.
The game has a deep and rewarding combat system, including unique mechanics like the T.O.P. system and Just Defend, which add layers of strategy.
The recent update introduced rollback netcode, significantly improving online play and making matches feel smooth and responsive.

The character roster is relatively small, with only 14 characters, which may disappoint some players looking for variety.
Some players have reported issues with controller input conflicts and difficulty in executing certain moves, which can hinder gameplay.
The online player base is sparse, making it challenging to find matches without coordinating with friends or using community resources.

gameplay
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
44%
3%
The gameplay of "Garou: Mark of the Wolves" is widely praised for its tight mechanics, beautiful sprite work, and engaging systems that offer depth and strategy, such as the "just defend" mechanic and the "top" system for enhancing gameplay. While some characters may feel less balanced, the overall experience is described as fast, fun, and rewarding, making it a standout title in the 2D fighting genre. The game successfully combines simplicity with complexity, appealing to both newcomers and seasoned players alike.
- “Amazing sprites, amazing roster, amazing soundtrack, amazing netcode, and amazing gameplay.”
- “The gameplay and mechanics are fast, fluid, and deep with just defends and the top-in system.”
- “It's the gameplay that shines, and while it may not be as dynamic as its big brothers like KOF, it still has its charm.”
- “The gameplay is really simplified compared to every other Fatal Fury or KOF game, but they are able to achieve this in a fun and interesting manner.”
- “Solid if tricky mechanics: a lot of focus on canceling moves to enable combos instead of relying on easy combo systems, a tops system that amounts to gaining a special move and healing while your health is in a range you choose on your health bar.”
- “Though part of the Fatal Fury series, Garou has nixed the two-plane dodging mechanic.”
graphics
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
41%
7%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, high-quality sprites and animations, maintaining a retro aesthetic that appeals to fans of classic arcade fighters. Many reviewers note that the visuals hold up remarkably well despite the game's age, showcasing smooth 2D animation and iconic stage designs. However, some criticism is directed at the menu artwork and user interface, which detracts from the overall visual experience.
- “Graphically, this game is still very handsome to look at; it's like that one guy you know from high school, who's had the glow-up back then and still maintains it into his 30s... you know the type!”
- “The game pushed the graphical limits of the Neo Geo with gorgeous 2D animation, and the gameplay feels tight and fluid.”
- “Amazing graphics and gameplay considering it's a 21-year-old game now.”
- “The menu artworks are bad at times and the UI is quite repulsive but simple.”
- “Audio delay, input lag, ungodly amount of frameskip with no option to turn it off, ugly as hell menus ruin the aesthetic.”
- “It is an emulator playing the Neo Geo ROM, with a graphical interface that seemed a little 'rushed'... and the game plays slowly, with a little lag and not too responsive.”
music
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
10%
7%
The music in "Garou: Mark of the Wolves" is consistently praised for its excellence, with many reviewers highlighting its variety and quality as a standout feature of the game. The soundtrack complements the impressive sprite work and gameplay mechanics, contributing to the overall immersive experience. Fans appreciate the funky tunes and the nostalgic feel of the music, which has aged remarkably well since its release in 1999.
- “Amazing soundtrack”
- “Garou: Mark of the Wolves has amazing art, top-notch music, killer animations, and a diverse yet accessible cast.”
- “And what SNK does best in its music is to give you a very good variety of different music to listen to.”
- “From its gameplay to its roster, to its soundtrack, to its sprite work, the music fails to leave a lasting impression.”
- “The soundtrack feels repetitive and lacks the creativity expected from a game of this genre.”
- “While the game has its strengths, the music is forgettable and does not enhance the overall experience.”
story
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
69%
7%
The story of "Garou: Mark of the Wolves" is centered around Rock Howard, who grapples with his identity and choices after the death of his father at the hands of Terry Bogard, who then adopts him. While the game features a rich lore and unique character endings, some players find the story mode challenging and note that it lacks depth with only one cutscene per character. Overall, the narrative is engaging and continues from previous installments, but there is a sense of disappointment that the story may not progress further.
- “Garou: MOTW sees the non-canonical story of Rock Howard; after his father is killed by Terry, this latter takes the kid under his wing and raises him as his own. Call it a major guilt trip, but the kid, lost in the choice of following either one of two paths, figures he's got powers... would he follow his adoptive dad Terry Bogard and save the city?”
- “The story for this game is really enjoyable too, with fun lore to discover with each character that you can explore.”
- “As every good game, it requires a rich story, which indeed Garou has.”
- “Sad that the story will never continue.”
- “- the AI in story is near impossible.”
- “Garou: MOTW sees the non-canonical story of Rock Howard; after his father is killed by Terry, this latter takes the kid under his wings and raises him as his own. Call it a major guilt-trip, but the kid, lost in the choice of following either one of two paths, figures he's got powers... would he follow his adoptive dad Terry Bogard and save the city?”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
39%
17%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players reporting smooth performance and excellent netcode, particularly after recent updates. However, some users have noted occasional performance hiccups and sound issues, suggesting that an additional optimization patch could enhance the experience further. Despite these minor concerns, the game is considered one of the best ports in its series.
- “It's easily the best port of MOTW we've ever gotten, fantastic netplay, no performance issues.”
- “Runs smoothly and the new netcode is really great!”
- “I bought it after patch 1.0.1 and haven't encountered any performance problems so far.”
- “If you peruse through all of the reviews, you'll probably come across negative comments about the game's sound, performance, and netcode.”
- “At this point in time, some users are experiencing peculiar sound and performance hiccups, but I myself have yet to replicate them.”
- “Manages to succeed with flying colors in every factor besides single player content and very occasionally its performance.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
The stability of the game has significantly improved with the transition from the problematic Dotemu port to the more reliable Code Mystics version. Users report no input lag, screen freezes, or audio glitches, highlighting excellent rollback netcode and smooth controls, making for a much more enjoyable experience. Overall, the new port is praised for its stability and performance, effectively eliminating the issues present in the previous version.
- “The sounds and gameplay are awesome for this port; I haven't spotted any glitches or bugs.”
- “Dotemu's terrible port has massive input lag/delay, screen freezes, audio glitches, and more bugs.”
- “It's just the original Neo Geo ROM in a very buggy wrapper to get it to work on PC.”
- “Gone is the buggy, laggy Dotemu version, and is replaced by a great work by Code Mystics that gives accurate emulation, and, more importantly, excellent rollback netcode, which is a must for any fighting game, but even more for an older release such as this one.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its intentionally poor translation, which adds a comedic charm. Players appreciate the lightheartedness woven into the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience despite some technical issues.
- “Bonus points for the translation that's terrible, but in a good way that's funny.”
- “Mark of the Wolves features the best animation, combat, and locations, and even a nice sense of humor.”
- “Funny story: I initially had the game on my SSD and it was close to unplayable. After installing it on my HDD, it was better—still frame skips, but at least more playable than before.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is noted for its impressive design and presentation, with some characters being visually appealing or uniquely quirky. However, the balance among characters is criticized, as some are perceived to be less effective or enjoyable than others. Overall, while the character designs are a highlight, the gameplay experience may be affected by this imbalance.
- “Not the most balanced thing ever (some characters just kinda suck), but it's a damn good time with great mechanics, insanely good presentation, and awesome character designs.”
- “It's character design is either great to look at or it's a weird but fun design.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players appreciate the replayability of the game, particularly due to the ability to play as bosses as normal characters, which adds variety to gameplay. However, some users have experienced performance issues that may affect their overall enjoyment and willingness to replay the game.
- “Bosses are playable as normal characters.”
- “Funny story is that I initially had the game on my SSD and the game was close to unplayable. I installed it on my HDD and it was better - still frame skips, but at least more playable than before.”

Buy GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES

9h Median play time

9h Average play time

1h Main story

11h Completionist

9-9h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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