THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV

King of Fighters XV is a delight. It feels like a new dawn for a legendary series, and I am genuinely excited to try out some of the future DLC characters that are on their way over the course of the year.

71%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

optimization, stability

89% User Score Based on 5,433 reviews

Critic Score 82%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

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About

"THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV" is a popular fighting game that features a wide roster of iconic characters from the long-running franchise. The game offers a variety of game modes, including a story mode, online multiplayer, and various offline modes. Players can engage in fast-paced and strategic fights using a variety of combos, special moves, and super moves.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,797 reviews

gameplay163 positive mentions

optimization9 negative mentions

gameplay
378 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
53%
4%
The gameplay of King of Fighters XV is widely praised for its tight controls, deep mechanics, and a blend of classic and modern elements that cater to both newcomers and veterans. While some players appreciate the accessibility and fun factor, others express concerns about the inclusion of auto-combos and matchmaking issues. Overall, the game is recognized for its fluid combat, diverse character roster, and solid netcode, making it a strong contender in the fighting game genre despite some criticisms regarding its depth and online functionality.
- “Its shatter strike mechanic introduces tactical depth by giving players new counter-attack options, while max mode allows for explosive combo potential.”
- “I'm glad SNK kept many of the mechanics and speed of the previous entries, mainly because it stands out from its other competitors, keeping it technical, deep, and fast-paced at the same time.”
- “The gameplay is fast-paced and intense, as well as polished and fair.”
- “Matchmaking is a piece of shit and the no-talent one-button combo mechanic is a disgrace.”
- “The gameplay isn't as fast-paced as KOF13, but it's still the same furious neutral where you really need to control with jumps, spacing, and hit confirms.”
- “The game has almost no single-player content, so unless you have friends to play locally with, the game is pretty much useless on PC after the first few hours of gameplay.”
graphics
259 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
5%
The graphics in "KOF XV" have received mixed reviews, with many praising the significant improvements over its predecessor, "KOF XIV," and highlighting the vibrant art style and character designs. While some players appreciate the enhanced visuals and effects, others feel the graphics still lag behind contemporary fighting games like "Tekken 8" and "Street Fighter 6," describing them as decent but not groundbreaking. Overall, the game is seen as a step in the right direction for SNK, though there are calls for further graphical enhancements in future installments.
- “The visuals are phenomenal—hands down the best King of Fighters has looked in 3D—and the gameplay is as fun, tight, and fluid as you could expect from an SNK entry.”
- “The graphics are a beautiful cell shading and is definitely a step in the right direction for the franchise.”
- “The graphics, music, and gameplay are awesome!”
- “Graphics are way behind any other game; there is almost no one playing it. Don't you dare pay full price for this.”
- “The graphics are so detailed, you can even see the buttons of Chizuru's outfit have a crane image on it.”
- “The graphics blow, and dear god, is the online such trash.”
story
206 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
81%
6%
The story mode in the latest King of Fighters installment has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it underwhelming and lacking depth compared to previous entries. While some appreciate the character interactions and alternate endings based on team compositions, others criticize it as a simplistic arcade mode with minimal narrative engagement and poor character development. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the gameplay is enjoyable, the story aspect feels like a missed opportunity, offering little for those seeking a rich single-player experience.
- “It's also just such a good sequel to XIV, building off everything that made XIV weird and different and fun and fascinating—all the new story and character and thematic elements, the tone of the thing, the new soundtrack direction—while putting in the hard work to perfect how it looks and plays.”
- “The story definitely isn't anything special at all, just your run of the mill fighting tournament, but at least there's some character specific cutscenes.”
- “The story mode is basic but the interactions between characters is a nice touch.”
- “The single player options feel as limiting as fighting games from the early 2010s were... just versus, training, character combo trials, and arcade/story that's it.”
- “Unfortunately the game does not have a lot of single player options, the only thing you get is the story mode, which is just a glorified arcade ladder with cut scenes sprinkled in between to help with the variety.”
- “The 'story' mode is really a joke; besides the story mode, there're some simple combo trials, and a relatively easy 'boss challenge'.”
music
196 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
54%
4%
The music in "KOF XV" has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its diverse and high-quality soundtrack that includes both new tracks and a vast library of classic songs from previous entries in the series. The addition of a customizable jukebox feature allows players to curate their own playlists, enhancing the overall experience. While some players noted the challenge of unlocking certain tracks, the general consensus is that the music significantly elevates the game's appeal, making it a standout aspect of the title.
- “The inclusion of an entire library of songs from SNK's history makes the soundtrack 11/10.”
- “The music, as expected of an SNK fighting game, is top-notch, exploring a wide variety of styles while allowing the player to fully customize their soundtrack experience down to the menu theme.”
- “The soundtrack is very good and very enjoyable, as usual SNK is known for their great soundtracks, and they haven't disappointed with this soundtrack.”
- “Uncomfortable controls at PC (I have set all necessary keys in settings), bad music, bad graphics and design.”
- “[b]possibly the worst soundtrack in the entire franchise of KOF.”
- “Dj station is a mode where you can listen to music from KOF series games, but many songs are not remastered, and with horrible audio.”
optimization
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
66%
26%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its performance on lower-end systems and noting improvements after updates, while others report frequent crashes, stuttering, and frame drops, particularly during intense gameplay moments. Overall, while there are commendable aspects of optimization, many users feel that significant issues remain, especially in online modes and with specific graphical settings. Further updates are anticipated to address these concerns.
- “Performance wise, it's running incredibly fast on a USB3 HDD, and it loads competently fast, with no loading screens, just a scoreboard of what's up next, and boom the stage is there.”
- “This game is super well optimized and will run on a potato, and backgrounds and characters look very nice in my opinion.”
- “Edit (05/22/22): after the major update involving Team South Town, I can say that the optimization of the PC port has improved immensely.”
- “The biggest problem is that it's poorly optimized.”
- “Even on the most performance-centered settings on my workhorse of a computer, the game stutters and freezes from time to time in offline play.”
- “There are performance issues like frame drops and stuttering.”
character development
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
19%
19%
Character development in this game is highlighted by its vibrant and stylish character designs, which blend old-school aesthetics with modern visuals, creating a visually appealing roster. While many players appreciate the engaging and fun character designs, there are calls for deeper storylines and character development akin to previous titles in the series. Overall, the game boasts a large and diverse roster that enhances the gameplay experience, though some critiques mention inconsistencies in design quality and gameplay mechanics.
- “The character designs are incredible. I like the new renditions of some old ones and how well they look now with their old style translated to the new game. Plus, the new characters are very nice too, my personal favorite being Isla by far.”
- “The roster is filled with some of the most fun and stylish character designs I have ever seen in a fighting game.”
- “I've never seen a character designed too poorly to make it playable and fit for competitive play, ehem Billy Kane, ehem.”
- “I tried to ignore the 2013 graphics, the clunky animations and gameplay, and the questionable character designs, but to no avail.”
- “I'm really hoping that in the future there will be more story and character development added, like previous titles.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players noting its light-heartedness and entertaining character interactions that enhance the overall experience. Many find the quirky animations and character designs amusing, contributing to a fun atmosphere during matches. While some technical issues can lead to unintentionally funny moments, the humor remains a standout feature that appeals to both casual and competitive players.
- “When you do the frankensteiner move, he does a pose and says 'hey' and I think that's kind of funny.”
- “I love his exceptional character design, music, engaging combat system, and delightful humor.”
- “Still, it is an improvement versus the last game; the humor is entertaining and adds personality and light-heartedness to each match, making it an enjoyable experience for both casual and competitive players.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
90%
The stability of the game has received significant criticism, with many users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and lag, particularly during online play. While some players note that performance can be acceptable on high-end systems, the overall experience is marred by persistent technical issues that detract from gameplay. Additionally, the matchmaking system has been described as problematic, further complicating the stability concerns.
- “To me, 4K runs perfectly; the game also has the option of ray tracing, which is barely a dealbreaker, but on my system, it runs great.”
- “Worst KOF in the whole series, buggy, doesn't feel good to control. If you play it and call it good, you should honestly reconsider your choices. Play 98UMF or 13, don't buy this.”
- “Start to fix your broken, laggy, buggy game, SNK!”
- “The game crashes and freezes constantly and randomly, and it has nothing to do with PC settings, since mine is capable of running much more demanding games. The problem lies in KOF XV's build and its unusual behavior.”
replayability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The game offers significant replayability primarily due to its extensive roster of over 40 characters, allowing for diverse playstyles and strategies. While the story mode provides some replay value through different endings and unlockable content, it is relatively short and less engaging for repeated playthroughs. Overall, the combination of a wide character selection, online matchmaking improvements, and additional content like trials and music unlocks enhances the game's replayability.
- “While the combat may not be as satisfying as SF6 or Tekken 8, KOF's diverse 40+ roster offers a wealth of replayability.”
- “Replayability: 39 characters that expand the playstyle possibilities to amazing horizons.”
- “Pros: it has a wide roster, deep systems, a good amount of content like trials mode, a replayable story mode, and a lot of unlockable music.”
- “The story mode is a decent arcade experience but doesn't really have any replayability (other than seeing new endings and unlocking music which requires playing through story mode with different teams).”
- “Lots in story mode though short, much replay value with special endings and bonus music to unlock at a crazy amount (you can then set them to any arena you choose).”
- “Even if they're playable in XV, they're DLCs so they're canonically still not in the main plot.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
71%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be both time-consuming and tedious, often requiring significant dedication to progress. While some appreciate the fast-paced and beginner-friendly nature of the game, others feel that it can become overwhelming, especially for newcomers. Overall, the balance between enjoyment and the grind varies, with many suggesting that casual matches may be a better way to learn characters before diving into ranked play.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I love the characters and lore, but actually playing them always feels tedious to me.”
- “If you don't have previous experience with the series, it will be grinding.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "King of Fighters XV" is highlighted by its nostalgic connection to the franchise's history, offering a wholesome experience that resonates with long-time fans. Reviewers appreciate the attention to detail in character endings, which evoke a sense of warmth and emotional fulfillment, making it a standout in the series despite its less advanced features compared to newer titles.
- “In a tangible and electric way, KOF XV is the most KOF that KOF has been.”
- “I found it to be a very wholesome experience, and there's so much attention to detail in terms of the long history of the King of Fighters franchise and even the other franchises such as Art of Fighting and Fatal Fury.”
- “The 'wholesome' story truly shines in each of those character endings.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn mixed reviews; while some criticize it as a cash grab typical of many franchises, others appreciate that it does not heavily rely on aggressive tactics like excessive DLC or in-game ads, with most content being accessible without direct wallet pressure.
- “Like too many great franchises, it's become little more than a bad cash grab.”
- “It does have season passes (well, 'team passes'), but this is one of the few fighting games that is not openly going straight for your wallet, having 90% of its content as DLC, or doing shameless things like putting ads (let alone ads on single-player content) between matches.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere in KOF14 is vibrant and immersive, with lively arenas that enhance the feeling of a real tournament. However, some players express disappointment over a perceived downgrade in overall atmosphere compared to its predecessor, despite improvements in character models and a shorter campaign.
- “In KOF14, the arenas were full of life and really added atmosphere to the fight, making it feel like an actual tournament was being watched by fans.”
- “In KOF14, the arenas were full of life and really added atmosphere to the fight, like an actual tournament was being watched by fans.”