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While Killer Instinct is fun, it's ultimately undone by its lack of game modes. Veteran fighters may want the high reward at the end of that rainbow, but casual fighters will likely find themselves in the dust once they bump into opponents that can easily brush off any of their combos. There's a high learning curve involved here, especially since these moves vary by character. There's also the appropriately-named Counter-Breaker, which allows players to continue their combos uninterrupted. Just about any combo can be broken, which could leave you hearing "C-C-C-C-Combo Breaker!" an awful lot. Once players learn a specific fighter's Combo Breaker, Killer Instinct switches to a game about reading opponents and exercising timing. However, there's one classic mechanic that will separate the pros from the phonies: the Combo Breaker. Skill is certainly something one can fake easily in Killer Instinct, especially given how easily one can button mash their way into a random combo. While the analog stick proved sufficient, devoted fighters are going to want to shell out for an arcade stick. Unfortunately, Xbox One's revised D-pad still doesn't respond to these kinds of inputs very well I spent the bulk of this review using the analog stick. Many of Killer Instinct's special moves rely on classic controller inputs, like quarter-circles. You can toss in special moves to make combos look better and toss in Shadow Moves, which operate similarly to Street Fighter 4's EX moves. Entry blows ask players to link heavy attacks to light attacks, light attacks to medium attacks, and so on. Killer Instinct's combos are simple enough to button-mash your way into. It's a formula that may entice veterans, but might also chase off newcomers. While the game's exterior boasts flashy multi-hit combos and keen special moves, the foundation centers around counters, making it more a game of cat-and-mouse, rather than a race to brutalize the opponent. Killer Instinct is built on a bedrock of rock-paper-scissors combat. And while the gameplay proves capable, the lack of game modes and fighters make the initial release feel like an incomplete product.
Killer instinct ps4 fightstick series#
Many hallmarks of the series are here, including bombastic combos and back-and-forth battles. For fighting fans, the launch of Xbox One doesn't offer much beyond Killer Instinct, a revival of the classic Super Nintendo-era franchise.