KOF XII’s excellent new system and graphical overhaul are let down by limited single player modes and redundant multiplayer offerings.

When Street Fighter IV rejuvenated interest in 1-on-1 fighting games, SNK Playmore wasted no time in announcing the twelfth instalment in their flagship series. King of Fighters XII would be the first in several aspects; not only would it be the first HD KOF game, but it would finally see the complete cast redrawn from the ground up.

For a franchise notorious for alienating all but the elite, KOF XII seemed the perfect opportunity to sell the series to a new generation of gamers. At the E3 2009 numerous sites were quick to label it the most promising upcoming fighting game. Several months later, and those same sites’ reviews have been less than stellar. What on Earth could have gone wrong?

King of Fighters XII isn’t a bad game. Graphically it’s a thing of beauty, and technically it’s up there with the best of its kind. But whereas Street Fighter IV took the arcade fighter and padded it out with enough training modes and online features to offer a package that offered near-infinite replay value, KOF XII is a decidedly barebones effort that smacks of incompleteness. Were the game’s combat also a letdown then it would be difficult to care; but KOF’s new engine is as good as anyone could have anticipated. And this wasted opportunity is why the game, while entertaining in parts, is overall such a disappointment. The saddest part of reviewing a game such as this is wondering what could have been.

But first the good stuff, and there is plenty. Much like the ’98 and 2002 editions, KOF XII (the series switched to Roman numerals after 2003) is essentially another Dream Match, in that it takes place outside of the series’ regular continuity, allowing characters who have died or previous incarnations of regular pugilists to take part. Gone is the Tactical Shift System from 2003, in are Mature and Terry Bogard in his classic red/blue attire. Conversely, some characters have undergone physical changes; Ryo Sakazaki is looking more and more like his father Mr. Karate, Kensou and Athena are dressed in their Psychic Soldier outfits, and Ralf and Clark appear to have undergone growth hormone treatment.