This... While it's nice to see a lot of people go hyper happy with this game's announcement/beta show, it's a game that hasn't been around in such a long time. You guys for those showing so much happiness about this game, you guys aren't thinking the "what if" possibilities?

Look at the latest Duke Nukem game. Utter disappointment. Sure, this Killer Instinct game might not be like that, but one never knows.

It can indeed be turned around... Except I didn't go "This is going to be a success!" like those who arrogantly went "This is going to be shit!".

My optimism stems from being excited about a new game title that I have been waiting for. Yeah, it is fanboyism, but I am not blind to the flaws.

I think a lot of us are aware of the potential pitfalls of the game. Where the developer has only done mediocre games so far and has no experience making a fighting game at all. I think a lot of us just have a healthy dose of optimism.

I think a lot of us feel most of the negativity the game is getting stems from:
-the art direction
-the MIcrosoft exclusive
-free to play demo model

I feel Any time a really old franchise is brought back/resurrected, fans seem to have this perception of how the game should be and have a very narrow view and perspective towards the game, and if its not met they just dismiss it outright and bash it. I think that is why the more optimistic of us, are being more vocal in the games defense.
[edit]: NRS has been borrowing more heavily from other franchises (particularly the SF franchise) with both MK9 and Injustice in is use of double dashing, loss of a dedicated block button and armor. Both games have been extremely well received by the fighting game community in general. So to brush KI off just because it looks like its very heavily influenced by SF is kind of childish IMO. I don't think the criticism is fair towards the game or speaks that the game will be bad.

I agree with that.
Though, so far, most arguments against new KI have valid grounds and its not just "narrow perception".


Please, no need to turn this into odd arguments, which have nothing to do with anything.
Nobody saying, that KI borrowing gameplay elements from SF is bad. Afterall KI controls were always based off SF. The thing is that new KI looks a lot like SF4 in graphics and physics and art style (from what was shown anyway). This external similarity is not neccessary and robs KI of its own identity, which is exactly why this game was popular back in the day. This is exactly what people talking about. Not about "KI taking gameplay gimmicks from SF" which actually we have zero proves of, at the moment. Fanboyism and not "being blind to the flaws" couldn't coexist. This is the key difference between fan and fanboy.

I'm approaching this with guarded optimism. I'm slightly wary of the free to play model and their motivations for going this route as opposed to a regular disc version.

As for how it looks? I think it looks fantastic. The detail on the characters, the background, the lighting, I really dug the art style. I've seen a lot if people call it SF4-esque. Maybe it's a little brighter than it should be, but honestly? What was it supposed to look like?

So yeah, for me, cautious optimism, mostly excitement. Back in the day, MK1 and MK2 were my favorite arcade games, but I loved me some KI too. Here's hoping that they can modernize it while keeping its soul intact (and here's hoping they ditch the F2P model)

Personally, I'm frustrated not because of its general exclusivity to MS - I accepted a long time ago when MS bought Rare I would never play KI on a Sony platform. KI has always been the one IP - the one - that would have sold me an MS console. I would have seriously bought a 360 for this had it been announced as a 360 launch title.

And now it's happening, and it's on a system that, ethically, I cannot and will not support. Just damned irritating.

I won't judge the game until I know more about it, but Jago, Sabrewulf and Glacius could look worse. I remember seeing some of that GL game in action, and it didn't seem bad, just kind of unremarkable. Here's hoping it brings new stuff to the table and against all odds, Double Helix does something to set this thing apart from SF and MK.

At least we can put that 'free-to-play' scare behind us. Here's hoping a CE comes out with a sweet artbook and soundtracks, or something. Even if I can't play the game I'll be interested to see where it goes, and look forward to being part of the experience, at least marginally.

Before I jump back into the aesthetics debate, I want to talk about the gameplay and what conclusions I drew from the exhibition footage. The exhibition itself was streamed on Cross Counter's twitch page with the developers on commentary (and sometimes players) along with tournament veterans Alex Valle, Justin Wong, and Gootecks playing casuals.

Let's start with the good. I listened to the developers for about 30 minutes, and it seems they know their stuff. I'm not too worried about the gameplay engine anymore. These guys weren't just commentating the matches; they were coaching Wong and Valle on spacing options and strategies, AND they explained what fighting game influences led to said options' implementation. It was still a bit basic, but that's fine. Some companies often can't even get the basic stuff right.

As for the game's playstyle, a lot of people are drawing parallels to Third Strike (including the developers). To me, that seems like a better comparison than that of SF4. Third Strike's aerial combat feels very fast and fluid IMO while SF4's mobility feels a bit more restrictive. It even looks a bit KOF-ish in places.

In a nutshell, the game looks like Third Strike's mobility mixed with MvC3's combo potential, which is awesome. I'm just wondering when they're going to find the time to properly test this game. It looks like they have a long ways to go development-wise. The first game had roughly 10 characters if I think, so sticking to that number would help, but that's a small roster by today's standards. Are they really going to be able to finish this thing in six months, and if so, will they be able to polish it?


But if you look at the spurs in contrast with the rest of his body, they appear to be a different color and texture. It's like something mineralized or calcified inside his body like a kidney stone would and is now protruding through his skin.

If it is his skeleton and he's able to turn it into fluid like everything else in his body, I'm not going to call bullshit because I honestly have no idea what that shit is. What I do know is that it looks weird to me. Glacius' whole theme is that his form is stable but indefinite. No matter what his shape, there was a cold fluidity about his old design. These spurs, bones, whatever you want to call them, they give a sense rigidness, and rigidness is anything but what comes to mind when I think of Glacius. To me, It's like seeing Fulgore with exposed flesh or Cinder with armor.

But let's work the other direction. You seem to dig the spurs: what about them works? Perhaps there's no logical reason why an alien wouldn't have protruding bone structures, but what about it clicks with concept of a shape-shifting ice creature?



Though I didn't realize it then, part of the problem is that it reminds me of the Gingersnaps werewolf design. Not a bad design by any means in a horror movie, but Killer Instinct is more about "cool" than "scary." The proportions were a bit off in the original KI, but the more tamed appearance worked in his favor. There's was a sleekness to it that emphasized the humanity without making him look human.

I love that he's still blue, but MortalSidd is right about the shade. I would have made it much darker.
(EDIT: by the way, in case anyone was wondering, I'm not buying an Xbone. Just wanna get that out there)

E3 Stage Demo and interview with the developers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHVuO03LKAQ

Miles923 fan interview of a developer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AR4mr5lCBk

This should clear some things up for you guys. ^^

Game-play looks horrendous IMO. Hopefully they can completely fix it for those of you who would want to purchase it.


It's also pretty fucking stupid that anyone that plans on using Jago as their main doesn't have to pay any money for the game pretty much. But if you want any other characters to main you have to start dishing out some cash.

I actually think it looks great so far. My only two concerns is weather it will have finisher/fatalities, and i also think a combo breaker should juggle the opponent a little higher to let you jump in with a follow up. Otherwise it looks great.

I also think that a great business model. You can buy the full retail model and get all content for $60 or you can choose to get a starter character (jago) and all game modes free. it completely eliminates the barrier to entry for so many players who might be too intimidated to get into fighting games. You go and download a demo now-a-days like Injustice and its just a limited trial with one mode against a few character and it might not give you a full taste of the game. Now with this it allows gamer to test out all the game modes, test out the games network code, etc.
They also state that the full retail cost of the game includes a season pass with bonus content (14:45).

What about the gameplay don't you like?

CINDERRRRRRRRRRRRRR confirmed.

Glad to hear Cinder will return. The characters that were in both 1 and 2 are safe, it is the others I worry about, like Cinder, Thunder and Tusk.

Wouldn't every character return? They don't have that many characters in the first place... They kind of need every character.

That's pretty much what I'm expecting; the entire KI roster plus Maya, Kim Wu and Tusk, likely along with Eyedol and Gargos. Even then it's still on the small side; not surprised they're adding a bunch of new characters.

Today has been one giant disappointment for me. The new pokemon suck and now this.

My second favourite fighter revived after all these years - on the Micro$uck X bitch One (what dolt came up with the new name? or is counting irrelevant these days?)

I would be so happy to see the dream fulfilled if it weren't exclusive to the final nail in the coffin for Microjerk. I understand that sharing games will be impossible without internet connection and paying for the whole damn thing again. 2nd hand shops will be all but obsolete if it weren't for Nintendo & Sony. By charging more for everything and advertising too heavily, M$ will shoot themselves in the foot.

I'm happy for you though, J-R, i hope it lives up to the expectations.

Well, that's the thing. I don't have sky-high expectations. I'm just glad that there is a new KI and I just hope Orchid will be in it... which she most likely will. I'm just lucky that everything else (other than it to be an Xbox One exclusive, of course) looks cool so far. The graphics, the gameplay, and what the developers have talked about - it all looks and sounds great to me. It could indeed be ALOT worse!

Orchid WILL be in. There's absolutely no way she wouldn't be. Not only because she's one of three females in the series, or because the series needs every character in just to have a roster above 15, but because she's one of the most popular characters in the franchise.

Kind of like how some people think Yoshi won't be in SSB4 because he wasn't in the reveal trailer, but he will be in there.

I'm glad to hear Fulgore is returning as well. I'm assuming Orchid will return too, and I'll be happy to see some new characters.

In one of the interviews with the developers, they state this takes place after Killer Instinct 2, so technically it's KI3 and not a reboot. Also in regards to Saberwolf not having metal arms they basically said he pulled a Jax from MK and torn them off.

They also stated that they are in discussion with various members of the original KI development team to get their input and approval on certain things.

So they were cybernetic enhancements? I always thought they straight up ripped his arms off.

For that matter, Cinder was dead; Glacius' KI2 bio said that in the future his descendant or relative or whoever "earned his freedom by slaying a fire being and returned home." But he was an experiment....they can make another one, I guess.

I'll honestly be very, very surprised if Fulgore's face isn't on the box or whatnot. That's been the odd thing; that Sabrewulf's been one of the first ones shown with Jago whereas Fulgore was basically the face of the series.

Speaking of which: calling it right here, right now, well before MK10 is even announced: Jago and/or Fulgore as XBone exclusive guest characters.

From one of the videos it sounds like they are showing fleshed out bios for the current characters at E3. While I haven't seen or read them myself, the developers basically said Saberwolf ripped out his metal arm implants and regrew his arms to become more in touch with his humanity. I'll admit it does sound kind of stupid, but then again I haven't read the full fleshed out bio to really understand what they are saying. Not really the worst character concept idea when you think about it, but...I know some people are going to take exception to it.

Jago's look is explained as him trying to become more at one with his monk spirituality. The tiger spirit he was following in the previous games, where actually Idol manipulating him.

It was Eyedol? Could have sworn it was Gargos.

I'd like Jago's look more if his mask didn't look like it was made of iron. His hair is pretty cool, and the Tiger tattoo is a nice detail. But that mask is too much.

It was Gargos, not Eyedol.

Sorry my mix-up. Yeah they did say Gargos. I din't really follow the story much with the original KI games, I just enjoyed playing them.