SNK Classic Presented in a New Way.
I didn’t really play many SNK games until Capcom vs. SNK, which is still my favorite fighting game to this day. King of Fighters: Maximum Impact brings back the usual cast of characters that fans know and love.
One of the best things about the game is that players can choose between two character designs, one of which is a 3D version of the characters classic 2D appearance. The other character design is completely new. This shows that developers took the time to cater to both the hardcore franchise fanboy and those new to the series.
The gameplay is pretty much the same as all 3D fighters. It is combo based and uses the sidestep move to dodge blows. Gameplay is much faster than I expected, and many of the super-combos cause much more damage than I prefer. This, coupled by the fact that players can be hit while on the ground, makes for some very short rounds if any super combo is involved.
I can’t stand losing more than 50% of my life in a match I am winning just because the CPU magically decided that it could do a super combo with a character that seems completely worthless when you play as him. This may just be my pet peeve.
Lastly, the game offers more of an unlockable character profile when players complete the story mode than an actual ending. I’m not a huge fan of that. I think fans deserve an ending when they beat a game. Unfortunately, fight game developers seem to think that you need to beat the game on every difficulty by only using one button and not taking any damage in order to view a 30 second ending for your character. Another pet peeve of mine.
I thought the sound was pretty good, and didn’t mind the lackluster voice-acting. I actually think cheesy dialogue helps set the mood for these types of games. Gameplay is quick, but I really wish developers would allow players to use the analog stick during the game (all moves are based on face buttons and d-pad). Tag team and 3-on-3 gameplay are not present in this title, which may anger some fans of the series.
Overall, this is an ambitious game that is not quite as good as it’s 2D predecessors. This doesn’t make it a bad game, and fans should pick it up just to see the characters in 3D. Definitely in the “rent-it-first” category for all but the most hardcore SNK fans.