The King of Fighters XIV
- August 23, 2016
- SNK
Whether or not you dig its new look, KOF 14 offers everything you could want in a fighting game: refined gameplay, a bevy of appealing characters, and accessibility that gives way to complex depth.
"The King of Fighters XIV" is a fighting game that offers both single-player and multi-player modes. The game features 3D graphics while maintaining its classic 2D gameplay and 3-on-3 team battle system. This new edition marks the beginning of a new saga, welcoming back beloved characters and introducing newcomers to the series.
PC
Playstation 4
PlayStation
Reviews
- Deep, technical gameplay that rewards methodical play and offers a lot of depth for dedicated players.
- A massive and diverse roster of characters, providing options for various play styles.
- Accessible mechanics, including Rush Combos, that make the game friendly for newcomers while still offering complexity.
- Graphics are unimpressive and can detract from the overall experience.
- The steep learning curve may leave newcomers feeling overwhelmed despite the game's accessibility promises.
- The story mode is shallow and lacks depth, which may disappoint players looking for a rich narrative.
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
KOF 14 delivers a refined and deep gameplay experience that caters to both newcomers and seasoned players, featuring a large roster of characters and various modes. The three-person mechanic encourages mastery of multiple fighters, while new mechanics streamline combos for accessibility. However, some newcomers may find themselves overwhelmed, and the game's visual presentation has been criticized for lacking flair.
“Whether or not you dig its new look, KOF 14 offers everything you could want in a fighting game: refined gameplay, a bevy of appealing characters, and accessibility that gives way to complex depth.”
“The gameplay is deep should players want to explore it and friendly to newcomers just jumping on with the series.”
“The three-person mechanic encourages players to master more than one fighter, and the cast has something for every type of player.”
“[newcomers may be left in the dust even though it promises accessible gameplay, lacks an overall visual flair which results in a mostly dull presentation]”
“[solid classic 2D fighting mechanics that'll surely satisfy existing fans, massive cast of playable characters, loads of content and ways to play]”
“[deep, technical gameplay., huge character roster., lots of content and modes., rush combos make the fighting accessible to newcomers.]”
- graphics5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have been described as unimpressive and dated, with a lack of variety that detracts from the overall experience, especially in offline modes. While some players find the visuals hit-or-miss, they generally do not enhance the game's appeal, particularly in the context of online play.
“Visuals do little to bring the cast to life.”
“Dated graphics and dodgy netcode slow King of Fighters XIV down a bit, but it's still a deep, rewarding fighter.”
“Not a lot of variety if you’re not going to play online. Graphics are hit and miss.”
- story4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The story mode is generally considered shallow and overly silly, resembling an arcade mode rather than a deep narrative experience. While the game features a diverse cast and a strong fighting engine, the lack of variety outside of online play and mixed graphics quality detract from the overall experience.
“The story mode features a big, diverse cast and an exceptional fighting engine, making it enjoyable despite its silliness.”
“While the story mode might be considered too silly for some, it still offers a decent number of modes to play.”
“The story mode is shallow, but it provides a unique experience within the game.”
“The story is basically just arcade mode.”
“The story mode is silly.”
“The story mode might be too silly.”
- music1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised as fantastic, contributing positively to the overall experience, while the improved net code enhances gameplay performance.
“The soundtrack is fantastic and the net code is far improved over its predecessor.”
Critic Reviews
The King of Fighters 14 review
Whether or not you dig its new look, KOF 14 offers everything you could want in a fighting game: refined gameplay, a bevy of appealing characters, and accessibility that gives way to complex depth.
90%King of Fighters XIV Review – King Me
King of Fighters remains what it has always been with its latest entry: a niche fighter with a great cast, an unforgiving learning curve, and a lot of heart anchored by an incredible fighting engine. It’s not for everyone; no game is. But if you’re willing to dedicate yourself to it, and learn it, it’s a tournament worth entering and a fight worth fighting, all these years later.
70%King of Fighters XIV Review - Fighter's Resurrection
King of Fighters XIV brings one of the genre's longest running franchises to the current generation with mixed results visually. The gameplay is deep should players want to explore it and friendly to newcomers just jumping on with the series. The soundtrack is fantastic and the net code is far improved over its predecessor. We have a winner folks.
85%
