I am super excited for this game! Those who are getting an XBO should check this game out. It different from other fighting games. The combo system really sets it apart. Also, it's free! Jago is the only playable character in the free version but it's still worth playing. He's a good all atound character.
How much would you pay for classic characters like Sabrewulf, Glacius and the newly-announced Thunder in the upcoming free-to-download Xbox One exclusive Killer Instinct? Microsoft has slapped a $4.99 price tag on each character's head, but why buy piecemeal when you can get the whole shebang for $20?
Killer Instinct On Xbox One Is Free, For Your First Character
Tekken isn't the only major fighting game series with a sequel that starts off costing nothing. The Xbox One's launch day fighting game… Read… In case you missed it at E3, here's how the new Killer Instinct works. Xbox One owners will pay nothing for the initial download, which includes the game's most boring character, Jago, for free. Each additional character — there'll be six total at launch — will cost $5 in Microsoft's new Real Money Points.
But buying these characters individually is just plain stupid, when you can get all six starters and two additional post-launch characters for $19.99 in the Combo Breaker Pack. And for those who like to sprinkle their smart with a little silly, there's the Ultra Edition, which contains all the characters plus costumes, accessories, and a copy of the original Killer Instinct.
In short, it's a free-to-play game that's really a $19.99 fighting game broken up into pieces for the incredibly picky. It's a clever way of making a demo with a really cool "buy now" button.
I'm not really excited about this game. Unlike other games of the era, I don't think KI's mechanics have aged well. I have fond memories of playing it but I can't actually go back and play it. Double Helix has no pedigree as a fighting game developer so I don't have any real confidence they're going to make something worth playing.
Silent Hill Homecoming G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Front Mission Evolved MX vs. ATV Reflex Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters Battleship Killer Instinct Strider Harker
Not exactly an all start lineup, and like Phreak said, not fighting games.
As for the pricing model, I don't mind it. You can buy Characters you like, and ignore the ones you don't. People who are "ALL IN" can just pay the $20, and guys like me can use the free character to let @Sobka wipe the floor with us.
I don't mind the pricing model, and I don't mind resurrecting old properties.
I guess I just think about the 16-bit fighters that were able to resurrected successfully. SF is kind of the best in the business, and saw evolution through the years, so when the big deal of SF4 was to come out, I had more confidence that they'd do something good. They pared down some of the insanity of later SF games and made something everyone could enjoy.
Or I think about MK. MK was always kind of a janky fighter, but owned it with so much character and distinction, and the reboot had a lot of good people working on it that knew fighting games. The reboot honestly surprised me at how good it was even with those people working on it. It wasn't just full of character, it also had interesting mechanics that were worth exploring.
Other games haven't aged as well, IMO. I think about Samurai Showdown, awesome for being pretty but not that great of a fighter. I kind of put Killer Instinct and Clay Fighter in that same arena. Those games don't have the mechanics to age all that well, IMO, and so I'm not so hot on this.
Now, if someone said that Fatal Fury was coming back, I think that would be more interesting, because I think Fatal Fury is probably better than those other games. I'll definitely download KI (can't beat free to start) but I'm not excited about it at all, and I usually get excited about new fighting games.
Sorry if I came across as too negative, I really did have an awful day yesterday. On a positive note, I really want to play Divekick.
Lol. No worries. Everyone is intitled to their own opinion.
You and Randy are right, Double Helix doesn't have a very good track record. But they haven't had very good ip's or big budgets to work with. For the new KI they brought it veteran fighting game devs and producers. Also, MS is backing them. I've been following the development since the game was announced and I reay like what they've done so far.
Killer Instinct will modernize and separate fighting styles By Megan Farokhmanesh on Sep 01, 2013 at 11:30a @Megan_Nicolett
Microsoft's upcoming Killer Instinct reboot for Xbox One will offer a more modernized version of the game by separating the fighting style of different characters, more so than in previous titles, producer Torin Rettig told Polygon.
We spoke with Rettig during PAX Prime 2013, where he explained that when recreating Killer Instinct, the team had a very specific aesthetic, gameplay style and tone they wanted to capture. However, the last Killer Instinct game was released nearly 17 years ago — something that Rettig and his team are well aware of.
"Fighting games have come a long way since then, and we wanted to make sure we were making a modern fighting game in addition to making a game that was true to the original [Killer Instinct]," Rettig said.
According to Rettig, one of the most important perhaps different things Microsoft is doing with the remake is giving each character a more defined fighting role. Characters in fighting games, Rettig said, are typically separated into a few categories: rush-down characters who get in your face, zoning characters who keep their distance, a grappler who relies on a deadly grab and hybrids.
"Most of the characters in the original game, while they had unique moves, tended to play in a rush-down gameplay style," Rettig said. "They tended to get in your face, do a lot of big combos and be done. Every character had a projectile; every character had a lot of the same kind of tools. We wanted to make each character a little bit more distinct."
In the new Killer Instinct, Jago will be a hybrid of rush-down and his "own style," Rettig said. Thunder is a grappler, while Glacius, one of the "biggest changes," is a zoning character. Rettig added that the franchise has a lot of "rich history to build on," and that part of the challenge is pinpointing what fans loved best about those titles.
"When you bring back something that's classic that people remember so well, it's interesting because it is a challenge," Rettig said. "People tend to remember things a little bit differently than they actually were. They tend to highlight certain aspects of the experience. That helped to guide us in terms of what was most important — what do people remember most fondly about the game — and to make sure that we were getting those things down."
Let fists, claws, blades, and batons fly in fast-paced combat as Killer Instinct returns, only on Xbox One. This limited-run edition comes in a premium case that doubles as a display for collectible Pinny Arcade pins.
The legendary fighting game franchise is back with next-generation visuals, over-the-top action, a wild cast of combatants, rocking reactive music, and C-C-C-Combo Breakers. Choose from a diverse set of characters, each with fluid animations, unique combat tactics, and flashy special attacks. Utilize an open-ended combo system to rack up huge combos as your opponent looks for openings to break you and turn the tides of battle. Go online and test yourself against players from all over the world, or brush up on your combat skills in detailed tutorials.
The Pin Ultimate Edition was designed by Penny Arcade and includes the first two pins (Jago and Killer Instinct 3D Logo) from a collection of 16, packed in a premium case that unfolds into a pin display. Start your collection now!
The game also features all the Killer Instinct Ultra Edition content, which includes:
All Season 1 characters (8), but keep in mind some content will be made available after launch too!
Season pass for all costumers (8) and accessory packs (16). Additional pins will be sold separately or as part of future promotions!
Early access to all Season 1 content
Original Killer Instinct Classic Arcade game And…Fill that empty void on your game shelf with the custom Pin Ultimate Edition folio. Designed by Penny Arcade, the folio opens to display the two included Pinny Arcade collector pins: Jago and Killer Instinct 3D Logo. Each character will get its own pin and the official Killer Instinct page will reveal surprise pins, every month until the end of the season, that can be earned through your community and in-game efforts. Additional pins sold separately or available as part of future promotional activities, so keep an eye out!
I got some hands on time with KI yesterday. It's soooooo good. The controller is much better than I expected to be with it too. Especially the D-pad. I can't wait to play more.
I really wish that I had extra money and free time. I'd love to build an arcade cabinet for this. I was just listening to the bombcast where the guys from tested are making a mame cabinet. Made me think about making a KI one.