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The King of Fighters XV (PS5) Review
Developer: SNK
Publisher: SNK / Koch Media
Genre: Fighting
Release: 2022
The King of Fighters XV is a confident return for one of fighting gaming's most established franchises. Rather than radically reinventing the formula, SNK builds upon the foundations of The King of Fighters XIV, refining the combat, expanding the roster and finally delivering the rollback netcode that the series had been missing. The result is a fast, technical and rewarding fighter that is particularly strong for players willing to invest time into mastering its systems.
The biggest weakness is that some of the single-player content feels secondary to the competitive experience. Nevertheless, on PS5, KOF XV is a polished and satisfying fighting game with excellent team-based mechanics and plenty of depth.
Gameplay & Mechanics
The defining feature of The King of Fighters XV remains its 3-on-3 team battles. Rather than switching characters during a fight or using assists, each fighter enters the battle individually. Once one character is defeated, the next takes their place.
This creates an interesting layer of strategy. The order in which you select your three fighters matters because the amount of remaining health and available meter can significantly affect how each character performs.
Combat is extremely fast and rewards aggressive play. Characters have access to normal attacks, command moves, special moves, EX attacks, Super Special Moves and Climax Super Special Moves. Movement is particularly important, with short hops, jumps, rolls and evasive techniques creating a much faster neutral game than many traditional fighters.
MAX Mode returns and provides another important resource-management layer. Players can activate it to enhance their offensive options and extend combos, while careful management of the power gauge is essential for producing maximum damage.
The new Shatter Strike mechanic adds another defensive and offensive option, allowing players to absorb attacks and potentially turn the situation around. It fits naturally into KOF's aggressive combat system.
Strengths
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Excellent 3-on-3 team mechanics.
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Extremely responsive controls.
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Fast and technical combat.
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Large variety of character playstyles.
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MAX Mode adds considerable strategic depth.
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Shatter Strike provides another useful tactical option.
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Combos feel rewarding without completely removing the game's technical skill ceiling.
Weaknesses
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The learning curve can be intimidating.
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Mastering three characters is considerably more demanding than mastering one.
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Some mechanics are poorly explained to newcomers.
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CPU opponents can occasionally behave inconsistently.
Character Roster
The roster is one of KOF XV's biggest strengths. The base game launched with 39 characters, combining returning favourites, redesigned fighters and new additions.
Characters feel sufficiently different to encourage experimentation. Some specialise in close-range pressure, others rely on zoning, counterattacks, grappling or complicated combo systems.
The team structure also makes roster experimentation particularly enjoyable. You aren't simply choosing your favourite characteryou are building a team whose members can complement different positions and meter requirements.
The extensive DLC programme subsequently expanded the roster even further, giving players plenty of additional characters to learn.
Story & Themes
The Story Mode continues the narrative established by The King of Fighters XIV and brings the current saga toward its conclusion.
There are character interactions, team-specific dialogue and endings, giving the mode more personality than a simple arcade ladder. However, the actual narrative is fairly lightweight compared with story-focused fighting games.
The supernatural elements, rivalries and returning characters provide plenty of fan service, but the story is primarily an excuse to bring the enormous cast together for another tournament.
For longtime KOF fans, there is plenty to appreciate. For newcomers, however, the story can be difficult to follow without knowledge of previous games.
Graphics & Presentation
KOF XV represents a significant visual improvement over KOF XIV.
The characters have considerably more expressive models, better lighting and improved effects. Special moves and supers are particularly impressive, with screen-filling effects providing plenty of impact without making the action impossible to follow.
The game retains KOF's distinctive mixture of realistic proportions and exaggerated anime-inspired character design. Some animations still show their age and there is occasional visual inconsistency between characters, but overall presentation is substantially stronger than its predecessor.
On PS5, the game benefits from quick loading and a smooth presentation that suits its fast-paced combat.
Sound & Music
The soundtrack is excellent.
SNK has always placed considerable emphasis on music, and KOF XV continues that tradition with energetic rock, electronic and character-specific themes.
The DJ STATION is an especially nice addition, providing a huge selection of music from across the KOF catalogue. It gives longtime fans an enjoyable way to revisit the series' musical history while playing.
Sound effects also provide satisfying impact to punches, kicks and special attacks.
Final Verdict
The King of Fighters XV is a strong modern entry in SNK's legendary fighting series. It doesn't completely reinvent the franchise, but it doesn't need to. The combination of fast combat, the distinctive 3-on-3 system, a huge character roster and excellent team-building possibilities provides an enormous amount of depth.
The addition of rollback netcode is particularly important, making KOF XV a much more appealing online fighting game than its predecessor. The PS5 version also provides a polished way to experience the game, with impressive presentation and responsive performance.
Its biggest shortcomings are the relatively lightweight story and the difficulty of explaining its complex mechanics to new players. Once you get beyond that initial barrier, however, there is an exceptionally deep fighting game underneath.
Score: 8.5/10
