| King Of Fighters: Neowave review |
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“No way can u say KOF:NW is better than 2K2. The character artwork makes people look like they have round noses. Also tried three qcb Iori and was so fast it did a super cancel and it is all just so messed up man”
“Ryo’s short shoryuken from a distance, hahahaha, that was an insanely strong thing and it was removed in 2002. Fair enough. You still can’t do that ’98 combo. I rest my case”
“Playmore sucks”
Just three sample quotes from around the good ol’ interweb, from loyal King Of Fighters devotees, deep in discussion about the first attempt at KOF-dom on Sammy’s Atomiswave hardware. It highlights the time-honoured problem with long-running game series that are updated on a yearly (or certainly frequent) basis. You will always get the comparisons, because long-term followers will always have a special place in their hearts for a particular game, or in some cases, a particular combo or style of artwork.
Thankfully, for all the moaning and precise debate of exactly why Terry’s facial expression looked better in the character select screen in KOF 97, what we have here is a solid, well-presented arcade fighter that does exactly what it sets out to do. Of course, there is no escaping the fact that this, the tenth 2D instalment in the series, does not reinvent the wheel, nor does it innovate in any shape or form. But when the basics are as snug and familiar as this it is easy not to care, right?
Internet fans will repeat their oft-used mantra about ripped sprites appearing yet again, and yes, some of the sprites on show here are indistinguishable from their recent, or even 1996 counterparts. But with every new serving of KOF action there are generally cursory alterations to the roster and basic presentation. Neowave is no different. The frontend art style is striking and impressive, as opposed to what you may have been led to believe, and certainly a sterling effort in a similar vein to the Power Instinct series. The in-game character design is unremarkable, although the sprites do look a little more smooth than usual. Particular kudos must be given for the inclusion of the Art Of Fighting 2-era Geese Howard. Fans may recall the intro to Fatal Fury: Wild Ambition when the long-haired, unspeakably evil crime overlord murdered a certain Mr Bogard. As cheap as all bosses in the SNK universe generally are, it does feel rather nice to be able to give this particular version of Howard a good leathering.
47 characters are available, in a "Dream Match" scenario. There is no discernible storyline, other than the familiar 3-on-3 teams engaged in battle for some destiny or other; this time around there is no braggadoccio or cutscenes after a fight, just a succession of dust-ups as a means to an end.
What is new about the game lies in the mechanics and gameplay. For the first time ever, a fifth button has been added to the mix. This is not, however, a willy-waving exercise on the part of Sammy at the NeoGeo’s pathetic four-buttons-only set up – what we have here is the trigger for the all-new Heat Gauge. Engaging this mode sends your on-screen avatar into a red-hot frenzy of destruction and rage…. well, they glow a bit and you are able to register increased damage on your opponent. This new feature can work surprisingly well, particularly if you are skilful enough to hammer the unfamiliar extra button just prior to nailing a combo.
Along with the Heat gauge, we are also treated to three different modes of combat, all available on the character select screen. Super Cancel offers the luxury of three “super” bars, and the time-honoured beat-‘em-up ability to cancel one move in favour of another, and other such trickery. Guard Break mode allows you to sacrifice one of your super bars in exchange for a devastating, unblockable attack, and throws the Garou-tastic “Just Defended” parrying system into the mix. Last and by no means least comes the “Max 2” mode, which is suited toward the more offensive players. The super meter fills up automatically, meaning that powerful special attacks can be used more often, including “desperation” moves when your energy is less than a quarter full. The ability to more readily “Power Geeeeeeyser!!!” your opponent's ass comes at a cost: loss of two crucial evasion tactics – the roll and the evade.
The three modes, particularly the Guard Crush, raise the playability stakes somewhat, giving real depth to the gameplay as you learn to parry and make best use of the attacks to obliterate your foes’ defences. Seasoned veterans who are fans of the technical minutiae of the 2002 installment will feel right at home here. Newcomers will probably make best use of the Heat Mode, for existing four-button heads it may be slightly unnerving reaching for that button with the little finger… with some practice, however, the extra power boost can give your combo attacks a satisfying feel.
The PlayStation2 handles the port surprisingly well. Those familiar with the arcade version will be aware of the jagged, pixellated look of the sprites on certain hi-resolution monitors. This can be ironed out when playing at home, using a handy softening feature on the options screen. The action itself is smooth, the hi-res backdrops look superb, and compared to the inexcusable loading times present on other Playmore releases, you won’t think you are using a NeoGeo CD, twiddling thumbs and making beverages between fights. There are your standard KOF options, with the addition of a choice between 2D or 3D backdrops (the 3D option being PS2-exclusive), and an amusing if fairly useless character edit mode, which allows you to change colour palettes and suchlike. The arranged and indeed even the original soundtrack (both selectable) are among the better recent efforts in the long-running saga; the combination of riffage, pop and some chin-strokingly excellent jazz fusion makes stoving someone’s head in all that more pleasurable. The only downside to the whole package is the shock omission of the Time Attack/Challenge mode, which would have given the single-player game a tad more longevity.
Another Playmore effort that does more good than it does bad, then. Probably. Sure, picking up the 2002/2003 double pack is better bang for your buck, but Neowave certainly deserves a place in any fight fan’s collection. It is endearing, well-presented, and exceedingly playable. We should not be arguing and moaning because a peripheral character’s outfit hasn’t changed since nineteen-ninety-whatever, or that the artwork is “retarded”.
Probably the best way of looking at this new KOF game is to be as grateful as possible. It would have been easy for SNK Playmore to discontinue the franchise, but luckily 2D scrapping is still incredibly popular in the East, and they have chosen to make use of the Sammy equipment following the demise of the long-serving MVS to continue producing updates of the classic NeoGeo fighting stalwarts.
Whilst some recent additions to the post-Neo universe have been shoddy at best (such as the 3D misfire that was KOF: Maximum Impact), the quality control appears to be improving.
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System: Sony PlayStation 2
Genre: Fighter
Developer: SNK Playmore
Publisher: SNK Playmore
Players: 1-2
Version: Japan
Reviewed: Mar 2006
Writer: Sean Smith
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Pros:
- Deep fighting system and time honoured KOF gameplay
- Artwork, presentation and backdrops are an improvement
- Commendable arcade conversion
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Cons:
- Doesn't do anything new
- No time attack/challenge modes
- "Dream Match" aside, no storyline or cutscenes of note
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King Of Fighters: Neowave Video: 4.8MB
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