Against all odds, we've got a new Fatal Fury game. While Garou Mark of the Wolves is something I'm only used to people talking about in the past tense (usually for street cred), the clouds have parted and a celebrity-rich sequel in Fatal Fury City of the Wolves.

Fatal Fury is one of those series where difficulty feels baked into the reputation- maybe it's because of how long its been since the last one. Despite this, City of the Wolves seems to be promising the world: a continuation of the post-Geese story, new system mechanics and even Cristiano Ronaldo, for whatever reason.

Title: Fatal Fury City of the Wolves

Developer: SNK Corporation

Publisher: SNK Corporation

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch

The Wolves Of Fate Are Turning

I've written at length about how much I adore the specific flavor of modernity Fatal Fury City of the Wolves feels. Sure, it's got fancy meters and universal mechanics like Rev Accel and Rev Guarding, but its all wrapped in a hard coating of needing to really, really sink your teeth into the game to get any use out of it.

It's a game that heavily rewards practiced execution and awareness- while the invincible SPG attacks might seem like flashy modern inventions, the ability to unceremoniously Brake your special moves are integral to proper gameplay. For every cool flashy thing in the game there's another high-skill option that you'll absolutely need to learn to appreciate the game's complexity.

Despite a steep learning curve, it's a great case study for how that barrier to entry is where the fun is. Once you get into the groove of it, just learning something as simple as holding your charge input during another attack so you can do a rev accel combo feels almost like a secret you're getting away with.

As a result, fights feel more intense. You really need to be aware of your opponent probably being That Guy and not only blocking your move, but parrying it and stealing the round for it. It's what makes battles so enthralling- the situation can and will change. Even being in SPG mode makes a big difference- until you snap them out of the glowing part of their health bar, you've now got to worry about them having an invincible reversal that also works in the air

The game's Rev system is an interesting case study on presentation- while it's functionally similar to Street Fighter's Drive, the fact that it's presented as a gauge that fills up as you use it rather than emptying out, it feels so much more aggressive.

It helps that the roster itself is so diverse- even if you're familiar with the rev system itself, there's so much more to learn when it comes to applying it to your specific character, be them more straightforward like Terry Bogard or more unique ones like newcomers Cristiano Ronaldo and Salvatore Ganacci.

It's not just the guest characters either- new faces like Preecha and Vox Reaper are really interesting in how they play, feeling much more at home with the Rev system since they were made with it in mind.

Of course, if you've got more on your mind than just climbing to the top of ranked mode or getting cool clips for Will it Kill, there's still stuff to do in single player. The Episodes of South Town mode is an RPG-like story mode where you're leveling up your character and exploring the world in a more story conscious way- Geese Howard is dead and now there's a power vacuum you need to sort out.

It's great because the episodes are character specific- play as Kain and now you're driving around town with Vox and Rock having to deal with riots and thugs, specifically from the angle of gang royalty. Between this and the arcade mode, if you're a fan of the characters for their stories you're sure to be fed by the end of the game.

Fatal Fury City of the Wolves – Verdict

If you're looking for a new fighting game, it's incredibly easy to recommend Fatal Fury City of the Wolves. From its looks to its controls, it's an incredibly fun game that feels rewarding once you learn its inherent rules.

If you're not just a netplay freak though, it can feel like a bit of a hard sell: Episodes of South Town is an okay single player mode, but unless you're interested in doing it with the whole roster you may feel like you're out of things to do fast. That's a genre-wide problem, though: the point of playing a fighting game is to learn to play it well, alternate modes are just canvases to flex on.

To that end, Fatal Fury City of the Wolves an incredibly fun time. It's scrambly, it's chaotic, yet it doesn't feel like it's overly tuned for people with no desire to hit the lab. Couches or tournaments, you're probably going to have a lot of fun with this one.

• Presentation: 9/10
• Gameplay: 9/10
• Content: 8/10

Final Score: 8.5/10

Game reviewed on PC. Review copy provided by publisher