Review of “City of the Wolves”

It’s quite a moment for fans of the Fatal Fury series, as Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves makes its entrance after a lengthy hiatus since 1999. For those who appreciated the complex and distinctive mechanics of the earlier titles, this new game feels like a well-earned upgrade, while newcomers can enjoy a unique combat experience unlike anything mainstream fighting games offer, even if it falls short in terms of content volume.

Let’s be straightforward: Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves isn’t trying to be Tekken 8 or Street Fighter 6. It skips the elaborate alternate modes, cinematic cutscenes, and flashy graphics, choosing instead to appeal directly to enthusiasts of fighting games. It’s all about sharp reflexes and skill mastery, akin to classic arcade games. The mechanics favor those willing to learn universal techniques rather than character-specific moves, making it easier to delve into the roster and feel accomplished. With features like Just Defense, REV Blows, and counters, City of the Wolves offers deeply satisfying gameplay for those ready to commit.

While the engaging combat mechanics suggest a promising future for its multiplayer scene, the single-player options seem somewhat outdated and uninspired. With little in the way of a compelling story or diverse modes, casual players might find themselves less impressed, especially if they compare it to more content-rich games like Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter. Your appreciation of City of the Wolves will likely depend on your expectations going in. If you know the territory, City of the Wolves might just be the fighting game that stands out this year.

Creating a modern fighting game is no small feat. Developers often face the challenge of appealing to both the competitive circuit and casual audiences. Looking at City of the Wolves through this dual lens, SNK seems to have struck a balance between technical precision and enjoyable play.

Exploring the moves of any character in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is straightforward; there’s no overwhelming need to memorize complex combos. This simplicity might seem like a drawback compared to games like Tekken, where each character demands a long learning curve. Despite its minimalistic approach, City of the Wolves achieves depth through a focus on overall combat rather than intricate chain attacks. This makes mastering characters more about applying universal mechanics to different fighting styles, akin to contrasting heavyweight slow fighters with nimble acrobats, much like picking between weapons in Dark Souls.

The essence of City of the Wolves lies in mastering its core mechanics. Skills like REV Guard, which help maintain spacing while defending, trump the need for character-specific combo expertise. This focus allows for a seamless transition among characters and makes experimentation fruitful rather than daunting. The mechanics are immensely satisfying to execute. Mixing perfect blocks, counters, and advanced moves as fights unfold can make you feel professional in no time. The game’s precise hitboxes ensure that even frame-perfect evades and dramatic last-second strikes are a thrill.

While the game highlights ease of combat control, evidenced by the simpler character inputs, new features like Smart Style offer a tweaked approach to control. Similar to Tekken 8’s Special Style, it simplifies high-level moves into fewer commands. Nonetheless, given the existing simplicity, activating Smart Style can make the gameplay feel excessively easy, as though it’s doing too much of the work for you.

When it comes to its single-player content, City of the Wolves offers respectable, albeit somewhat lacking, options. There’s no traditional storyline, only a standard arcade mode and an intriguing Episodes of South Town (EOST). In EOST, players navigate through South Town with a chosen character, developing them and gaining skills as they advance. These RPG-like skills, which enhance basic stat growth and offer modular improvements, are intriguing and add depth to single-player gameplay. However, EOST tends to feel like a complex arcade mode rather than a full-fledged narrative experience. While the term “exploration” is used often, the mode focuses more on menu navigation than true exploratory gameplay.

Overall, despite its single-player limitations, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves offers a solid gaming experience. Although it lacks the cinematic flair and expansive modes of its peers, its strong foundation and engaging mechanics make up for it. SNK’s effort to revive this dormant franchise for a new era is commendable, and there’s hope future installments will capitalize on these strengths.

With its release on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S on April 24, 2025, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves aims to capture the interest of both long-time fans and newcomers. This review is based on a PS5 experience, where the game earned a well-deserved 8 out of 10.