The King of Fighters XIII (Xbox 360)

KoF XIII is probably the best game of 2011 for die-hard fans of traditional 2D fighters. From the incredible graphics, to the deeply detailed and difficult-to-master drive cancel combos, to the invigorating options for rushdown and retreat that come...

The discs themselves appear well-made, with nice art on each one - they certainly didn't cheap out on them. They're contained in their own folding sleeve, each with different art on it. The packaging looks great, although you have to carefully pull the...

Fantastic game play & 2D visuals ; Deep customization & very accessible ; Great online play ; Full on story mode ; Just tons of stuff to do

Final boss in story mode is stupid hard ; No voice acting during story cut scenes ; No spectator mode

I love a good fighting game. It’s in my blood. Pulling off huge combos and mastering a character over the course of hours upon hours is my thing. I always look forward to the newest fighters. Learning the method and competing with other players is just...

Fluid and flexible fighting mechanics ; Impressive visuals and smooth animations ; Stable online play with replay support ; Numerous offline offerings ; Character color customization

Online spectating isn't an option ; Lacks replay sharing

Whether you're online or off, the game's presentation is simply gorgeous. The 2D character sprites fill up the screen with astonishing detail, such as the way their clothing flutters. The numerous stages are equally impressive--and infinitely more...

The characters are all drawn in a semi-realistic anime style, having just enough realism to look human but cartoonish enough to justify the ridiculous actions they perform. As for the backgrounds, they do look quite beautiful, as the 2D drawings look...

King of Fighters XIII is definitely an improvement over its predecessor. There are some new modes added in, and the online play (while still not without its issues) is vastly improved over over KOFXII's lag-filled multiplayer. However, there are still...

Overall, King of Fighters XIII is a very fun game to play. It has a lot of characters, an open combo system, and plenty of modes to keep you satisfied online or off. It certainly deserves to be checked out, but I have a sneaking suspicion it will be...