Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves review — Ronaldo highlights the game’s main issues

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Discussing Fatal Fury: City of Wolves can be a mix of sweet and bitter reflections. While on one side, it’s undeniably the most refined SNK game in recent times, boasting impressive graphics and gameplay mechanics. This is truly the golden age of SNK we’re witnessing, as the development team has clearly strived to create an unparalleled experience that fans have eagerly anticipated for years.

However, there’s a sense that Fatal Fury might have been transformed into a promotional tool by the new owners of SNK. This aspect adds a touch of bitterness to the overall experience.

First off, let’s share some positive vibes right away. This sequel to the iconic fighting game is simply outstanding! It appears that SNK has confidently leaped into the contemporary era with

The core mechanics are strong and well-designed, a fact that SNK veterans will quickly recognize by executing button inputs for immediate attacks in frame one. A new element called the “Rev System” adds an exciting twist to gameplay, incorporating both novel and familiar elements. Special moves have been improved and are now referred to as Rev Arts. These moves can be canceled and combined with each other when you’re willing to spend your resources. Each use of a Rev Art fills your Rev Gauge. Once the gauge is full, you Overheat, losing access to Rev techniques and becoming vulnerable to a guard crush. However, it’s not just for offensive purposes; if you have SPG active, you can use Rev Blow to push enemies away from you, and Rev Guard functions as the traditional block mechanic.

The term “SPG” represents “Strategic Power-up Gear,” which might seem a bit funny given its intriguing function. This feature becomes active at specific points within your health meter, and you have the option to choose when that point is, whether it’s the first, middle, or last third of your health. The SPG grants access to the Rev Blow ability and your Hidden Gear ultimate move, while simultaneously enhancing your attack power. Given their potency, deciding when during a battle you wish to activate these tools is a crucial decision. Similarly, it’s essential to keep an eye on your opponent’s SPG level in their health bar and adjust your strategies accordingly. It’s possible to deplete the SPG gauge with a powerful combo before your opponent can utilize it, so aim to remove that portion of their health swiftly while staying vigilant against their heightened capabilities.

By blending engaging gameplay mechanics with an array of vibrant, well-designed characters, you’re on track to create a winning formula, particularly among hardcore fighting game enthusiasts. Although the solo content might be considered leaner for casual players, it remains functional. The game offers an Arcade mode and a single-player narrative unfolds through South Town Episodes. In this mode, you navigate a map of South Town, choosing icons that trigger fights. Each victory earns experience to tackle harder battles. The storyline associated with each character, while not extensive, provides a unique, albeit light, journey as they traverse South Town and encounter familiar figures. Compared to SF6’s World Tour mode or the narrative depth of Tekken, it may seem less robust, but the fast-paced battles are captivating enough to motivate you to complete the story for at least one character.

This brings us to the topic at hand, and the subject of much debate. Although earlier it was asserted that Saudi Arabia’s 96% ownership of SNK doesn’t impact us in any way, the game Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves presents a contrasting perspective. The controversial soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia in 2023, and it is reported that his contract will be extended up until mid-2026. Similarly, Swedish Bosnian DJ Salvatore Ganacci, popular in the region, has faced criticism alongside other stars for performing at the MDL Beast Soundstorm Festival in Riyadh. Both these celebrities have ties to Saudi Arabia, a country that has been criticized for numerous human rights violations, and now they are featured characters in Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.

The information presented will significantly influence people’s opinions towards the game, as it depends on personal ethics and whether one finds character slots filled with marketing gimmicks acceptable. Unfortunately, the sequel of Garou: Mark of the Wolves lacks several original characters, and while Preecha and Vox are welcome additions, some players find Ronaldo and Ganacci to be less appealing.

For a moment, let’s set aside the disputes and identify the issues at hand. It seems that these additions could potentially be consuming development time rather than creating beloved characters, which fans eagerly anticipate. If Ganacci’s appearance at Wrestlemania serves as an example, it appears these inclusions are more about a large-scale promotional marketing event, rather than enhancing the gameplay experience. These characters might generate some attention, but they seem to dilute the quality of the game, and this is particularly noticeable with Ronaldo’s inclusion.

Salvatore Ganacci openly admits to being a long-term enthusiast of SNK games and the King of Fighters series, and even composed an original tune that serves as a theme for the game. Interestingly enough, his character within the game is quite cool. He’s a comic relief character in fighting games, similar to Norimaru from Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter, who was based on comedian Noritake Kinashi. However, unlike Norimaru, who was introduced in 1997 when it took less development time to incorporate a “high effort” joke, Salvatore Ganacci’s character might have been more challenging to create given the current technological advancements. Despite being a real-life celebrity, his carefree mannerisms, smooth animations, and humorous moves in the game make it difficult for players not to appreciate him. Compared to Negan from The Walking Dead appearing in Tekken 7, Salvatore Ganacci seems like a more fitting character for Fatal Fury.

In a different phrase, here’s how you can rephrase the given text:

In Fatal Fury, Ronaldo appears to be an uninspiring character. His in-game representation seems to have little resemblance to the real man, and it feels as if he’s almost a separate entity – playing him is hardly engaging. However, you might still want to try out Ronaldo when you first start playing Fatal Fury due to his unique trait, but it may not leave a favorable initial impression. Compared to other characters like Ganacci, Ronaldo seems stiff and lacks the charm that makes gameplay enjoyable. In fact, selecting another character over Ronaldo – yes, even Ganacci – is a more enticing and fun experience of Fatal Fury. Moreover, Ronaldo cannot be played in the Arcade mode or the Episodes of South Town story. If you scrutinize the game’s animated intro carefully, you’ll notice that while each character gets fully animated scenes, Ronaldo is just a static image that briefly appears before the actual characters take center stage. Not even Ganacci misses out on a moment in the spotlight.

The inclusion of Ronaldo in Fatal Fury feels out of place to me, due to factors like his design, moveset, presentation, limited availability in certain modes, and being based on a real person. This detracts significantly from an otherwise exceptional fighting game experience. It’s unfortunate that this issue can’t be easily ignored, as it creates more controversy over an already contentious matter. It’s a significant blemish on the outstanding work done by SNK’s team.

Before, one could easily overlook SNK’s owners and their games. However, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves has made that impossible because it’s a game that should have marked a strong comeback for SNK fighters. Unfortunately, it’s not as triumphant as expected, making it bittersweet. The team at SNK still possesses the skills to create visually stunning and mechanically enjoyable fighting games suitable for grand tournament stages. Yet, this game may divide the audience more than ever before.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve stumbled upon this gem – Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. It’s an unyielding combat game that thrives on the element of surprise. Knowing too much might just spoil the fun!

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2025-04-22 19:17