King of Fighters: Maximum Impact Updated Hands-On - Near-Final Impressions

The King of Fighters series has enjoyed critical acclaim and considerable popularity since its NeoGeo arcade debut in 1994. While console and arcade games alike have charged ahead into the third dimension, the King of Fighters series has concentrated on consistently delivering a deep, technical fighting experience, moving at the lightning pace that is the hallmark of the modern 2D brawler. Having survived the SNK bankruptcy (and its subsequent development by Eolith and later by the reborn SNK Playmore), this much-beloved franchise is in for its biggest visual and gameplay shake-up yet. The version we played was reportedly nearly final code, save for some localization issues yet to be worked out.

The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact represents a huge departure from the rest of the series--not because of its 3D visuals, but because the game has been generally retooled to be more accessible to a home console audience. While the characters borrowed from previous KOF games largely retain their original fighting moves, a Tekken-like chain combo system has been added to the mix, introducing button-mashing to a series known for its emphasis on joystick-button combinations. Futhermore, Maximum Impact's four, brand-new characters all emphasize button combo moves to a much greater degree than the game's predecessors. Also, although eight-way running isn't possible, you can sidestep. Doing so before executing certain moves can prove an effective way of breaking your opponent's guard. Maximum Impact has been fitted with some typical features of a console fighting game as well, such as a mission mode, through which you can unlock new content. This works much like Soul Calibur's Edge Master mode, sans the world traveling.

Maximum Impact's new characters are Alba Meira, who relies on chain combos and gothic flair, Lien Neville, who fights with the emphasis on technical precision you'd expect from a world-class assassin, Mignon Beart, whose cutesy manner and fighting style seem inspired by Bloody Roar's Uriko, and Soirée Meira, whose capoeira style is an obvious nod to Tekken's Eddie Gordo. Chae Lin is also, strictly speaking, a new character, but her moves are so similar to those of the absent Kim Kaphwan, that she can be called a reskinned version of the Korean KO king. Of additional interest is the game's inclusion of Rock Howard from Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves. Rock has been included alongside the King of Fighters cast before, but only in crossover games, such as Millenium Fighting 2001. According to SNK, Maximum Impact marks the young buck's formal initiation into the KOF roster.

Unsurprisingly, Maximum Impact's storyline is driven by the presence of these new fighters. The game has a self-contained plot, unrelated to the rest of the series. Maximum Impact is essentially about gang warfare. Alba and Soirée, in particular, are on a mission to avenge their former caretaker and leader, Fate, who died while attempting to assassinate Duke, a character who first appeared in the game Burning Fight. Duke's Southtown gang, Mephistopheles, has been rapidly gaining power. With Fate dead, Alba and Soirée are the new leaders of the only gang capable of challenging his rule.

Unlike in previous versions we've seen, which featured only Japanese character voices, the version we played has the option to choose between original and English voice-over. Both sound decent, so this choice will probably be a matter of individual player preference. Most of the story seems to be narrated through text, however, with occasional sprinklings of spoken dialogue.

In all, The King of Fighters: Maximum Impact is looking sharp, as it nears completion. While 2D fighting purists will likely avoid the game in favor of upcoming King of Fighters arcade ports, it seems more likely to sit well with the mainstream audience SNK Playmore seems to be actively courting.