It’s been a long time coming, but the streets of South Town are alive again, and let me tell you, “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” absolutely makes it worth the 26-year wait since their last entry “Mark of the Wolves.” When I first fired it up, that rush of nostalgia hit me hard, but it didn’t take long for the new energy to take over. SNK didn’t just dust off a classic; they rebuilt it with a fresh attitude, layering bold new ideas onto the bedrock that made the original games legends.
Right off the bat, the game’s art style hooked me. It’s vibrant, rough around the edges in a good way, and practically crackles with life. Every punch, every special move pops with an exaggerated, comic-book flair that just fits the world of Fatal Fury perfectly. South Town feels less like a static background and more like a living, breathing place where every fight carries a story. The big innovation here is the new REV System, and it’s a blast. It gives you an arsenal of offensive tools to play with from the jump, REV Arts, REV Accels, and even REV Blows if you’ve built up the right momentum. Managing the REV Meter becomes a constant push-pull; do you go all-in early and risk overheating, or play it smart and strike when the time’s right? It adds a layer of strategy that had me constantly thinking mid-match without slowing down the action.
One thing I really appreciated was the dual control options. Arcade Style lets you show off your muscle memory and technical chops, while Smart Style gives newcomers a way to pull off flashy moves without memorizing a phonebook of inputs. I tried both, and while I ended up sticking with Arcade Style (old habits die hard), I love that the game makes room for everyone. It’s rare to see a fighter this accessible without watering down the core experience. The character roster is another highlight. Starting with seventeen characters (plus five more from the Season Pass), it feels like a true celebration of everything Fatal Fury stands for. Old favorites like Rock Howard and Terry Bogard stand shoulder-to-shoulder with fresh faces, and they all fit seamlessly into the chaotic, stylish world SNK built here. Each fighter’s animations are packed with personality, and it’s clear the team poured a lot of love into making them feel distinct.
I spent a good chunk of time diving into “Episodes of South Town,” the game’s single-player RPG mode. It’s a cool idea, building up a character, earning XP, customizing your skills, and while it’s definitely a fun side dish, it didn’t quite have the staying power I hoped for. Some missions felt a little repetitive, and I found myself wishing for a deeper narrative or more dynamic progression. It’s a solid addition, just not the knockout feature it could have been. If there’s one area where “City of the Wolves” shows its rough edges, it’s in the presentation outside of battle. The menus are a bit clunky and confusing at times, and I had a few moments where finding the option I needed felt more like a fight than the matches themselves. Online play, too, isn’t perfect, matchmaking can be spotty, and I ran into occasional lag that undercut what would have been thrilling bouts.
But honestly? Those issues are easy to forgive when the core gameplay is this strong. The fights feel incredible. Movement is sharp and responsive, attacks land with real impact, and no matter which character I picked, I always felt like I had a chance to turn the tide with the right play. SNK’s commitment to full cross-play also makes it easier than ever to find a match, and once the online kinks are ironed out, I can see this becoming a real mainstay in the fighting game scene. At the end of the day, “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” doesn’t try to reinvent the fighting game wheel, and honestly, it doesn’t need to. It knows exactly what it wants to be: a stylish, aggressive, deeply satisfying fighter that honors its past while carving out a spot in today’s competitive landscape. It’s a love letter to the fans, a welcome mat for newcomers, and proof that even after decades away, South Town’s wolves still have plenty of bite.
8/10
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Related: Reviews by Nick Navarro
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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