Bringing an established ’90s franchise like Killer Instinct back to life can be something of a poisoned goblet. Sure, it has a pre-existing and passionate fan base ready to play it. On the other hand, it is incredibly difficult to live up to the classic games of the past. Especially when series creator Ken Lobb returns to oversee development.
Released as an Xbox One launch title in 2013, this free-to-play title offered the chance to bring the franchise to modern audiences. But did she manage to recreate the essence of the original?
History
2013’s Killer Instinct acts as a reboot rather than a continuation of the storyline of the two original games. However, this isn’t a big deal, because a coherent narrative has never been something this series has focused on.
There is a basic storyline, with some elements taken from previous installments. But Killer Instinct doesn’t exactly care why his characters are fighting each other. Instead, they are thrown into action. The gameplay should fascinate players enough so that a general story is not needed.
Characters
Killer Instinct initially faced complaints about its limited roster, as it only contained nine fighters in total. However, this was only the first season of the content that would eventually make it to the title. The roster eventually expanded to 29 individuals across two more seasons of content. This includes every single character in the series’ history, as well as some guest appearances by the likes of Gears of War General RAAM. Added to these are a number of additional stages, bringing the total to 21. If the game was poor at launch, it became a much richer and more varied experience over time.
Unfortunately, there are justified concerns with some of the characters. Certain females have clearly been made as sexual as possible. Meanwhile, Thunder is anything but a sensitive or thoughtful portrait of Native Americans. While this type of presentation has been common in fighting games, it seems numb nowadays.
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