Absurdly long combos, an obnoxious announcer, a crazy visual style and C-C-C-C-Combo Breakers are what Killer Instinct is all about and, based on a recent hands-on, Double Helix's next-gen revival thankfully has all that and more.

"KILLER INSTINCT IS FAR MORE COMPLICATED THAN WE EXPECTED IT TO BE... BUT IT ALSO RETAINS THAT PICK-UP-AND-PLAY ACCESSIBILITY."

On a basic level Killer Instinct's gameplay is still based on the same core principles that governed the originals: openers will expose foolhardy non-blockers to your onslaught, auto-doubles are quick and simple inputs that crank up the combo counter, linkers will extend a combo for an annoyingly long time and finishers/Ultras are special moves that you'll want to end with.

The biggest difference now is that combo breakers can be used during more phases of combat. In previous entries players had one shot to nail a breaker, miss it and it's a front-row seat to beatdown town. However, in the new version openers, auto-doublers, and finishers are all breakable. In effect this means battles are much less one-sided and instead the scales tip back and forth constantly.

Combo breakers themselves can also be broken now with counter breakers. These are essentially a way of introducing an element of strategy within the combos themselves through a bluffing game. If a player can predict when his opponent is about to break a combo and execute a counter breaker they can continue a combo unimpeded.

It all gets a bit complicated when you start thinking about the mind game potential this offers and build a meta-strategy around faking a combo breaker into your play. By tricking your opponent into pulling off a counter breaker at the improper time you can lockout the other player for four whole seconds, leaving them completely defenseless and open to your attacks. It's an interesting little mechanic that creates a strategic wrinkle to what is a fire-all-torpedos kind of fighting game otherwise.

It's also a game which looks stunning and runs at a slick 60 frames per second. But while the intricate detail and fluid character animations impress, it's the effects on moves that really steal the show.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/426965/previews/hands-on-killer-instinct-is-a-fighting-game-fans-can-take-seriously/

~ Mod Edit ~

This user was warned by TruckOSaurus for the original title of the thread

I have not been this excited about a fighting game since Soul Calibur on Dreamcast, that says alot :).

It's gonna be great! People are hyped like crazy, judging the number of threads dedicated to this game

Hell yeah. Game after game from Microsofts launch at the moment is getting praise after praise. IMO Its hard to ignore any Xbox One exclusive at launch. Ryse, Killer Instinct, Dead Rising 3 and Forza 5 all getting great praise and all not shooters. This is amazing stuff from Microsoft. Its all about the GAMES.

Agreed, it is a really good time to be a gamer on any platform. This could be one of the highest rated release off any platform, ever.

And still none of them intrest me. Then again nothing on the PS4 launch intrests me either... oh who the fuck cares, i will be too busy with Pokemon and my N64 to play next gen shit these holidays.

oh and btw, can we (Nintendo) p;ease have Rare back now. Even just the awesome IPs, we could actually make awesome games with them and not forget they existed =P lol jks

No you cant. Microsoft look to be making good use of the IPs now, starting with Killer Instinct. Next Id like to see Conker and Banjo reinvigorated like they are with Killer Instinct. Microsoft mean business now. 

This is great times. For great IPs.

This and Jet Force Gemini. I would buy an XB1 for these, provided they are good games of course. The main problem is who is capable of developing games that live up to the originals (no one except the SMG team imo) and who is willing to buy them now (no one except the retro ninty fans who are multiplat gamers and very few new fans). 

And who exactly is supposed to "deal with it"?