A Ferocious Fighting Game Returns
Unbelievably, it has been 26 years since the last new Fatal Fury game, and SNK Corporation have obviously decided that that is quite long enough.
In that spirit, they have come to market with FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves. Garou: Mark of the Wolves, the last game in the series, first appeared in 1999, and this game acts as a follow up to the events of that one.
Now, I’m not the biggest expert on the Fatal Fury series of games, it has to be said (indeed, this is the first I’ve played on Xbox) but having taken in multiple fighting games from an early age, I can hopefully make a decent fist of this review (sorry). Anyway, on with the fisticuffs!
South Town Showdown: Story Modes and Narrative
The story of the game is a bit of an odd one, as while there are a plethora of modes to take in, there are really only two that have anything resembling a narrative.
Arcade mode is the obvious first mode, as each character that we can choose to play as has their own reason for entering the tournament of fighting, as is usual. However, there is a new mode that has been introduced in FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, called Episodes of South Town or EOST, and this is described as a solo RPG. I’ll say it now, RPG is pushing it a bit, but the narrative playing out here is again tied to each character’s progress, and it provides a welcome diversion from all the punching.
I’ll talk more about this mode later on down the line, but one thing that is pretty cool is the way the arcade storyline is presented, in a comic book style with still images and voice overs. It all works very well.
Big, Brash, and Bombastic
What about the presentation? Well, here the news is excellent.
There is a very strong look to FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, and while the backdrops are the standard kind of thing with moving parts (but no breakable bits, sadly), the characters that we fight as and against are drawn in a kind of pseudo 3D style, making them look as if they are standing out from the backdrop.
Everything moves at a cracking pace, and the animation of all the characters is beautifully done. Being a bit of a martial arts geek, it is good to see that Karate and Taekwondo, for instance, are animated in very different ways; this makes me happy. However you play, firing off special attacks fills the screen with explosions and particle effects. In a few words, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves is big, brash and bombastic. I for one am here for just that.
Sound is equally impressive, with fully voiced cutscenes and excellent music. In fact, the music can be selected into playlists using the Jukebox mode, and this is a good way to make sure your favourite tunes are played. All in all, the way the game is presented is pretty much bang on.
REVving Up the Fight
The thing is, all this would be for naught if the game plays like the dinner of a dog, wouldn’t it? Well, fortunately, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves is pretty much spot on in that regard too.
One thing I will say is that fighting games have got a lot more complicated in recent times, with various bars to build up and manage, in addition to keeping an eye on your health bar. FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves is no different, and this time around a new system has been introduced called the REV system. In addition to this (please don’t ask me to explain the system, but you can use it defensively or offensively) there is also the S.P.G. system, which powers up your character when their health bar hits a certain point. When this is activated, new moves become available, and the mastery of these things will stand you in good stead.
The fighting action is very good, and while the special moves are tricky to pull off with an analogue stick, practice really does make perfect.
Episodes and Online Throwdowns
But what of those modes? Well, I have spoken about EOST already, and that is a lot of fun, as the RPG part of the game works as a levelling mechanic; gaining levels makes you stronger. Every fight we have to take part in has a level assigned to it, and they are colour coded depending on how hard they are compared to your current level. Obviously, levelling for the harder fights is recommended!
The other offline modes are Arcade, as well as a Versus mode, for couch based fisticuffs. It goes without saying that there is a practice mode to help you get to grips with each character.
Online modes are also available, in Ranked, Casual or Room Match flavours. They all do pretty much what they say on the tin, with Ranked being home to the proper sweaty tryhards (although I got the biggest ass whupping in casual mode, where someone who labeled themselves as a newcomer managed to pull off a 35 hit combo and completely delete my health bar). Normally though, Casual is a bit more laid back and Room match allows you to invite people to battle. The net code is very good indeed, and I have had no lag whatsoever while fighting online. This does of course mean my failures are all my own and I can’t blame the game, sadly…
A Welcome Return for a Fighting Legend
To summarise, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves is an excellent fighting game that can be recommended to anyone who loves a fighter. It is bold and colourful, explosive and engaging and keeps you playing “just one more match”, waaaaaay into the early hours.
If you want a fighter, look no further – FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves is the game you have been looking for.
Important Links
FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves Howls onto Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/fatal-fury-city-of-the-wolves-howls-onto-xbox-series-xs-ps5-pc/
Buy FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/fatal-fury-city-of-the-wolves-special-edition/9NPPW057HBDW/0010
