Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves

Was Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves worth the nearly two and a half decade wait? Absolutely! Despite the wild ride the game has promotionally (The uproar over the “real people” inclusion as playable characters, then having said real person, Salvatore Ganacci show up to open this year’s WrestleMania), the game is certainly one which will stand the test of time. My only hope is that the support is there which will help SNK further bolster the roster and features so that the streets of South Town will never be too quiet. I mean after all, we still don’t know what Cristiano Ronaldo would do with the Jin scrolls…

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves marks a triumphant return for the legendary fighting series. Its deep combat system may be intimidating for newcomers, but mastering its intricacies is immensely rewarding, especially in the well-developed online arenas.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves could be SNK’s best ever all-round fighting game, with a great blend of new mechanics and familiar returning faves.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves has got that dog (or is it wolf?) in it, bringing depth, originality, and countless ways to throw down in South Town.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is not only a successful return: it is a love letter to long-time fans and, at the same time, a great entry point for newcomers. Thanks to a deep but accessible gameplay, an inspired artistic direction and an avalanche of content for all modes, SNK signs one of its most convincing works of the modern era. The resistance of the online sector and the weight of certain unpopular choices in the initial roster still need to be verified, but the heart is there, and it beats strong. South Town is alive again.

Despite a few missteps, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves remains a solid fighting game and a worthy entry in the series. The fighting system remains good, and the new additions solidify what worked back in Garou: Mark of the Wolves. The various offline modes add lots of material to the game, especially Episodes of South Town, and online play works quite well. The guest characters could've been implemented better, and there are a few presentation-related nitpicks, but overall, fans of SNK fighting games will be pleased with City of the Wolves.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves does not bow to modernity, building a combat system strongly anchored to tradition that will delight all fans of the arcade era. The very pleasant feeling of being in front of a revised version of the fighting games "of the good old days" is only partially ruined by the unwelcome guest characters and rather poor single player modes. With multi-year support already made official and a first season pass completely free, we hope that the title will be able to carve out a niche for itself within the hyper-competitive market of two-dimensional fighting games. Good luck SNK!

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves might not be the flashiest fighter in the ring, but what it lacks in quantity is made up in spades thanks to its rewarding fighting mechanics and unwavering commitment to hardcore players.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves represents a return to form for the franchise. With refined gameplay, expressive art direction, a striking soundtrack and charismatic characters, the title cements its place among the great fighting games of the generation. Despite minor mistakes in the menus and EOST mode, SNK demonstrates competence and boldness in modernizing the series. City of the Wolves pleases old fans and new players alike, delivering a solid and fun experience.

FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves almost perfectly distills the essence of classic SNK fighting philosophy into a modern framework. REV moves, SPG health bars, the Heat system, feints, cancels, multi-line combat - these hallmarks have been faithfully carried forward. However, its high skill ceiling and a streamlined design that paradoxically makes it harder to grasp the core mechanics mean this isn't a game that just anyone can pick up and enjoy effortlessly.

While Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves doesn’t do much to set itself apart from other quality fighters on the market today, it’s a solid new entry in an iconic series that shows that SNK is still a worthy contender amongst the legends of the genre.

Deep gameplay and a wealth of content make this late successor a successful continuation that targets mostly experts of the genre.

I’ve had a lot of fun with Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and the game certainly has a lot of charm. It revises the Fatal Fury series, brings back a lot of cool characters, and you can also improve your fighting skills quite a bit. There’s also plenty of variety when it comes to the game modes, with the story mode being my favorite. It can take a little bit to master a character, and sometimes the game doesn’t always explain how to perform all the moves. But in a game like Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, it always comes down to discovering stuff for yourself and trying things out. All in all, this is an excellent way to revive Fatal Fury and breathe new life into the series, while introducing it to modern audiences. If you have the itch for a good fighting game, I am sure you’ll find a lot to like in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, I surely did!

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a great addition to the series, with a large cast of fighters and accessible controls that let you pull off big attacks with ease.

Despite its flaws, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a great fighting game, and its release makes waves especially now that the genre seems to be going through an identity crisis... we just don’t believe its innovative edge and overall quality are enough to represent today what its predecessor was in its time. That said, if you’re in withdrawal from virtual brawls and are looking for a high-quality combat system, we absolutely recommend it.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves "pretends" to be like the other big titles—accessible to everyone—but in reality, it retains the rigidity and complexity of its hardcore nature. This can be either a good or a bad thing; it’s certainly not for those who prefer an easy ride, but for those willing to fully commit, it’s definitely a title that offers fun and a return to the series’ roots.

A comeback? Yes, we can say so. Fatal Fury: City of The Wolves is beautiful, fast-paced, and has a netcode that works perfectly for facing off against your friends or complete strangers online. There are certainly a few drawbacks, notably the choice of certain characters, Ronaldo in particular, and a story mode that is unfortunately rather anecdotal, but we readily forgive the 26-year wait given the quality of this production, which marks a spectacular return for this essential saga of the fighting game genre.

I don’t imagine there’s many Fatal Fury fans out there who wouldn’t much prefer two actual Fatal Fury characters rather than two characters clearly stuck into the game due to some hefty influence from their controversial owners. I’m sure they would prefer the game to not be associated with KSI and his bunch of cronies. Sadly, I’m also absolutely certain that if it wasn’t for SNK’s owners having more money than God at their disposal, we’d not be playing this otherwise excellent sequel to Mark of the Wolves. C’est la vie, etc. I’m a lifelong fan of fighting games. I love fighting games and I love this game, but honestly, I hate all of this.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves provides a refreshingly old-school fighting game experience, dialing back on the complicated meter systems and overly aggressive play seen in other modern entries in the genre. However, the game’s REV system provides plenty of risk-versus-reward decision making, while the brake and feint functions allow for much combo and playstyle creativity. You’ll certainly get the most out of it by hopping online, though, as its single-player offerings at launch aren’t overly compelling.

A masterful sequel to one of the genre's most beloved games, but it carries an ink stain that's hard to ignore.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a triumphant revival of one of the pioneers of the 2D Fighter that doesn't land every strike it throws, but hits with all of the most important ones for figthing game fans.

City of the Wolves resurrects the long-dormant Fatal Fury series using rich offensive and defensive combat mechanics, a cool comic book-inspired graphics style, rollback netcode that enables dependable online play, and an RPG-like mode that sees you leveling up characters while braving South Town's mean streets. It's a top-tier fighter and developer SNK's best combination of gameplay and presentation since the beloved The King of Fighters 13.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves delivers excellent fighting mechanics and nostalgic charm but struggles with weak single-player content and clumsy menus. A must-play for hardcore fans, but casual players may feel underwhelmed.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is the “new” SNK at its best. Although the single-player content leaves something to be desired and the cast is divisive for including real-world personalities, the game preserves the legacy of the franchise with well-rounded, responsive and addictive gameplay. The art style and soundtrack are also a great success and remind us that this is, indeed, the same developer that marked our childhood in the arcades.

While Garou : Mark of the Wolves remains untouchable, his legitimate heir Fatal Fury : City of the Wolves easily stands face-to-face with ruthless competitors. The SNK formula shines with modern updates and delivers a dynamic game with a high skill ceiling but a relatively low skill floor for newcomers (despite a few thorns). Unlike many other recent fighting games, defense is just as exciting as offense, creating a very balanced feeling overall. However, Saudi Arabia's political interests shine through with a deplorable CR7 cameo. Let's just hope this is a one-time marketing stunt and not the start of something worse.

Fast and flashy, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves’ fights revive SNK’s long-dormant franchise. But outside of the main event, elements like a rudimentary story mode, gimmicky guest characters, and a makeshift user interface dampen the enjoyment.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a slick fighting game with an uncomfortable catch.