One element I loved about the game, that is a continuation of the originals that most fighting games do not do, is how each fighter has two full health bars. When one’s bar is depleted, the action stops for a second before resuming with the health bar of the other fighter remaining. This is a different spin on the rounds system that Injustice: Gods Among Us also chose to do earlier in the year. The ability to maintain two health bars is extremely helpful in Survival Mode.
One of the absolute worst aspects of Killer Instinct is the lack of available modes at launch. As a free-to-play title, there will be plenty more content coming, including what is said to be a second season of eight more characters in 2014, as well as the addition of a story like arcade mode for each character, after season one ends in March. However, for now, that leaves the game itself pretty bare. Versus mode is obviously going to be one of the biggest selling points of the game, but when not playing with friends, the computer can get tiring after awhile. Survivor Mode is available as a supplement for now, but it doesn’t quite make up for it.
Similar to how the game is limited in game modes, the game is also limited in characters for now at only six. However, it is almost worth it once you see how distinguished each fighter is from one another. A lot of fighting games have too many fighters that feel like clones of others, but each of the six available feel like they were worked on separately and given a level of attention that we can only hope future characters in the game get.
As a launch title for the Xbox One, the graphics and look of the game is obviously very important and Double Helix did not disappoint. The level of detail on each character, including something as simple as the fur of Sabrewulf, is phenomenal. The backgrounds are rich and colorful and you can really see how beautiful they are due to how close the camera is to the action. While playing, I can’t remember one moment of slowdown at all while playing with the smooth 60fps throughout.
While there may not be a complex story mode to keep you entertained, the full version of the game should keep you occupied for quite a while if you are a completionist, due to a long list of unlockables through the in-game credits you earn by playing. You actually have to unlock stages beyond the first through this method, but there are not very many. Accessories and other collectibles are another story as it will take you a very long time to collect them all. Not to mention that if you buy the Ultra Edition, you receive Killer Instinct Classic, which includes two versions of the original from the arcades to keep you busy.
Killer Instinct is a fantastic return to a series long thought dead, making you almost feel like you got a surprise visit from an old friend from your childhood. The combat is as good as ever, which should be no big surprise to fans of the series. While complex, the game features one of the best tutorials I’ve seen in a fighting game with the Dojo to teach you the ropes. Sadly, the game is held back due to a lack of overall content, with only six playable characters at launch and Versus and Survival mode being the only game modes outside of training. However, you will still have a lot of collectibles and unlockables that will keep you coming back if you are a perfectionist. Killer Instinct is definitely one to check out if you own an Xbox One, even if it’s just the free one character version. The fun part will be to see how well the game grows with the additions in the future.
[Editor’s Note: Killer Instinct was reviewed on the Xbox One platform. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]
