Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves

After 26 years, Fatal Fury is finally back—and City of the Wolves hits! It makes a bold return with deep story content, solid offline/online modes, and ambitious mechanics. While I'm not a fan of how SNK implemented the Smart Style control scheme, and the online experience has some issues, this is undoubtedly SNK’s strongest modern fighter yet!

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a fighting game for fighting game fans, thanks to its deep gameplay mechanics and diverse character roster. Offering a slew of single-player and multi-player modes, this game has something for just about everyone.

A masterful sequel to one of the genre's most beloved games, but it carries an ink stain that's hard to ignore.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is not the most innovative or ambitious fighting game of the year, but it’s one of the most heartfelt and enjoyable.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a great addition to the series, with a large cast of fighters and accessible controls that let you pull off big attacks with ease.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves provides a refreshingly old-school fighting game experience, dialing back on the complicated meter systems and overly aggressive play seen in other modern entries in the genre. However, the game’s REV system provides plenty of risk-versus-reward decision making, while the brake and feint functions allow for much combo and playstyle creativity. You’ll certainly get the most out of it by hopping online, though, as its single-player offerings at launch aren’t overly compelling.

City of the Wolves kicks off with a promising start, delivering moments that feel like home runs—or slam dunks (thanks to Terry). That said, not every shot lands perfectly, and some areas could be addressed in future installments, depending on the subseries’ longevity. The REV system has ramped up the action significantly, making the two-decade-long wait worthwhile for fans who’ve eagerly anticipated its return.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is a triumphant revival of one of the pioneers of the 2D Fighter that doesn't land every strike it throws, but hits with all of the most important ones for figthing game fans.

SNK, once on the brink of bankruptcy, is back with a marketing budget that would make genre titans Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat blush.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is what SNK is best at. A pure fighter with great mechanics that are easy to understand and only the best will master. It's just a shame that so many of its modes and unlocks are shallow and don't add much to the overall experience.

A mechanically sound and fun fighting experience is slightly hampered by a lacking set of modes to use it in.

Very few fighting game series get a second act. Most fade. For a series to get there twenty-six years after its first big moment, after the company behind that series has been through bankruptcy and acquired — twice — is nothing short of miraculous. But no miracle is free; like all powerful magics, they extract a price.