Killer Instinct

Killer Instinct is one of the most thrillingly addictive fighting games in years, recreating the mid-1990s series like you remember it, just not necessarily how it actually was.

An excellent fighting game, fast and furious, easy to learn hard to master and with superb audio and graphics. A jewel for fans of the genre that will have a long life.

Killer Instinct is a good fighting game despite its obvious lack of content.

Not only is its combat system flashy and well thought out, it's well explained too, thanks to its powerful training tools, and what is easily the most complete guide to terminology and tactics ever assembled in a fighting game.

Maybe Double Helix didn't choose the best model to bring back this beloved Franchise to life, but they certainly did a great job maintaining everything that fans loved from the original game. Killer Instinct fans shouldn't let this game pass without, at least, trying it.

Flashy, brutal and deeper than you'd expect. Killer Instinct is back baby.

No one would have bet on Double Helix, yet they proved everyone wrong: not only does this return of Killer Instinct hold intact the spirit of the original, but it takes the franchise to a whole new level. It might lack some content and still be a WIP, yet this is one of the sweetest treats the nextgen has given us.

One of the best Xbox One launch exclusives and a great fighting game, with a very good combat system and probably the best tutorial section ever seen in the genre. Our only complaints are about the thin characters line-up and the absence of a classic Arcade mode.

By no means is it going to topple some of the more prominent fighting titles, but it is definitely an interesting and pretty game that can be enjoyed by casual and hardcore players alike.

Ultimately, however, costing nothing to download, we recommend giving the game a try, because even with a lack of content, Killer Instinct is a fun fighting game that's able to appeal to newcomers and hardcore fighting fans alike.

Fans of the Killer Instinct franchise need not worry, this is a great game to launch with the Xbox One.

It plays smoother, looks better than anything out there, and has a kick-ass soundtrack with a goofball announcer to boot. If you absolutely must recreate your childhood, then pick up the $40 pack, but most will be satisfied spending half that.

The great training offered by Killer Instinct will help you get your feet wet, and it might just introduce you to some concepts that'll make you understand all fighting games on a slightly deeper level. That's a great touch.

Unfortunately, the weird pricing structure and noticeable depth of features holds back the screaming, rage-filled “Powerthirst” of fighting games from really making a statement. It’s no Street Fighter competitor this time around, but it’s good enough to measure up against the rest.

Excellent mechanics and incredible playability make up for Killer Instinct's shortage of single-player content.

Killer Instinct may seem little light with only six characters at launch, no lobbies for online play, and no Story mode until March, but the fighting mechanics are top notch. You can't argue with how easy the game is to pick up and play, and you'll have a ton of fun in the process. This is easily one of the best Xbox One launch titles.

Six characters (two more to come) are too few too be happy, but the style and gameplay mechanics of Killer Instinct are interesting, brutal and fresh. Don't miss it.

Killer Instinct certainly is a fun game that does everything fighting games need to do right. It just doesn’t have a whole lot to offer otherwise. So unless you have a dedicated group of fighting gamers to play the game with you, you probably won’t get the Killer Instinct experience you were hoping for, and even if you do, high-level play feels a bit shallow.

Killer Instinct is shaping up well and that's the problem – this isn't a full game by any stretch of the imagination. Still, what is here shows that Double Helix will likely do the series proud with an update that is at once reverential and forward-thinking.

A fairly barebones fighter, but an entertaining one all the same. In time, it could be an excellent Xbox One exclusive.

With a pricing scheme that doesn't feel exploitative and a balanced character roster, the well developed mechanics will keep you busy until the new content drops next year.

So far, there's a solid foundation, but in terms of content is extremely empty compared to any other actual fighting game. Only time will tell if Microsoft keeps bringing enough support and content to this promising return.

For now, our recommendation would be that if you're looking for a fighting game that skimps on story and has just a handful of options, but still delivers tournament-ready credentials, look no further. Killer Instinct is making a brash play at the top table and, as far as we can tell, it's got the goods.

The new Killer Instinct succeeds at stoking nostalgic fires while updating the action. However, a piecemeal season-based approach means that the initial incarnation is extremely light on content, revealing a fighter that’s as packed with vibrant combos as it is unfulfilled promise.

Even though the demo is pretty disappointing, the full Killer Instinct proves to be a really nice addiction to the fighting genre. Most of the characters come directly from the first Killer Instinct-game, but this time they look really gorgeous on the new Xbox One. The fighting system of Killer Instinct is a very layered one, which will keep you busy for loads of hours although a campaign mode is definitely missed.

An excellent tutorial partially makes up for the tiny roster. [Feb 2014, p.68]

The breaker system and surprisingly freeform combo mechanics offer some depth/longevity, plus it’s amusing enough for button-mashers too.

It's a slender offering, even if you pay up, but Killer Instinct is full of potential. [Jan 2014, p.62]

The spirit of Killer Instinct remains sometimes painfully true to its roots, but Double Helix has competently filled the gaps in the original's foundation. They've also laid new groundwork to teach players how fighting games actually work.

Double Helix Games had to do something big for this brand new Killer Instinct, something that sticks with the codes of today's fighting games. They took a lot to Street Fighter, it's not genius, but you can feel the balance between old stuffs and new ones. It's fast and explosive but Killer Instinct hits far too hard in the wallet.

One of the most brutal fighting game is finally back on Xbox One. Killer Instinct is here with its latest installment, next gen visuals and the well-known ultra combo addicting style.

I'd go as far as to say that Killer Instinct is my favourite launch title for Xbox One. With a little more content, it could seriously have been a killer app for the system. It might be only half a game so far, but what an excellent half that is.

If only there were more of it across more characters that had a story, Killer Instinct would be gold. But as it stands, it’s not yet living up to the potential the series has.

The dojo is amazing. All fighting games from now on need to step up.

An excellent reboot of an unfairly forgotten fighter, but the way it’s being sold does it no favours and severally restricts the fun to be had online.

Killer Instinct still has it, no doubt about it. On the other hand, six or eight characters respectively is an almost shamefully small amount of content. This is not a debut, but the third game in a series that only brings one new character to the table. So to me, this is clearly a game of two sides, as it even stays pretty basic when it comes to game modes. Still, I do like what's there, but even at those 20 bucks it's a bit meager, especially compared to everything else that came out on current gen in recent years.

At launch, Killer Instinct serves as a solid foundation for what could eventually become a good fighting game. More characters and stages are coming down the line, but at launch, the game's limited single and multiplayer modes are glaring and will grow stale quickly.

The reboot of Killer Instinct is pure gameplay with a well-crafted combat system. The rock solid 60 fps action is fun as hell for those who will try to master the shiny gameplay. Sadly, the lack of content is a big issue and six characters are simply not enough.

As a modern fighting game, it manages to hold its own against more seasoned stablemates, thanks to its accessibility and hidden depths.

Are you one of those still waiting for a new version of Killer Instinct after 20 years? Xbox One will give you the opportunity to play a great Killer Instinct edition: fast, furious, and full of brutal combos like you hoped it to be. Anyway, the free to play formula will ask you for too much money if you consider buying any single “Round” Microsoft releases, and if you focus on details. Instead of focusing on the violently fast gameplay, you’ll see some poor animations, imprecise hit-box and frequently buggy graphics.

There’s a fantastic combo system at Killer Instinct’s core, but right now it feels like half a game – one full of promise, certainly, but not an especially next-gen one either. The cascade of particles may not be enough to retain player interest until the rest of the game arrives.

Killer Instinct is definitely fun, if a bit lacking in depth. The lack of campaign mode and limited character options mean it won't take long for you to breeze through the entirety of the content offering, but the online versus should ensure that you get plenty of enjoyment for your investment.

Despite the interesting combo system, Killer Instinct offers too little at the moment. There isn't enough of anything, let alone characters, even though it is a blast from the past to rediscover those. If Killer Instinct ever gets 'more', it might find its way back to the top of the fighting game ranks.

A lack of modes and content makes Killer Instinct mostly a glorified demo. The promised extra content could change this, but that Killer Instinct turns out to be a boring fighting game is harder to fix.

While I’m still not a fan of Killer Instinct’s dial-a-combo mentality nor its eclectic cast of characters, Double Helix’s efforts to bring the series back from the dead are commendable—and while some mistakes were made along the way, this is probably the most interesting and enjoyable the franchise has ever been.

Killer Instinct is a fun fighting game, and its free-to-play approach will certainly be successful. But make no mistake: it will never have the depth of this genre's leaders.

While undoubtedly the lightnight fast combo-orgy-brawling shows potential, the price politics and technical glitches make sure that this is little more than a beat-em-up snack.

There’s plenty of depth to the mechanics here for those that want to sink their teeth into a new fighting system, and there are some informed nods back to the franchise’s roots, but if you were intending to buy an Xbox One on the promise of playing this until you could afford another launch game, chances are you’ll get bored of it by the end of launch week.

As much as Killer Instinct is a sound and inviting fighter mid-battle, it's an experience that ultimately feels hollow everywhere else. Online play – as spare as it is – may present a limitless well of competition to draw from, but with only six fighters to master and very few modes of play, Killer Instinct lacks the value and staying power offered by most other modern fighting games.