The King of Fighters XIV... finally in 2016

[gameoverDude]

KOF XIV teaser trailer

Yes, there will be a KOF XIV for PS4 next year. But I'm a little underwhelmed by it. Did you love those hi-res sprites in KOF XIII? Say goodbye to them. It will be 3D, but here's the catch: it's not QUITE as good-looking as GG Xrd or the upcoming SF V. At best, probably on par with VF 5 graphics. Capcom and Arc System Works must feel insulted right now.

Frankly, this looks like a PS3 game that got cancelled and moved up to PS4. SNK may not have the budget they once did, but damn. At least a PS Vita port shouldn't lose too much in detail.

[KAI]

looks like a PS3 game

Like a PS2 game.

[Lord Satori]

Why are people on shmups forum of all places complaining about outdated graphics?

[ACSeraph]

I'm more worried about the combos and speed in the trailer smelling of Maximum Impact 3. SNK is truly an abusive lover.

[NeoStrayCat]

Eh, not in the mood for complaining (as the whole majority of the community is ATM), I'll just wait until they bother to make the game better, still just pre-alpha for now. Still liking the series as it goes for though, no matter what.

[Skykid]

As a KOF enthusiast, I can honestly say that this is a sad thing. It looks like Maximum Impact, which is all bad, and KOF should basically only ever be 2D unless it's a spin off. As this isn't a spin off but the next series entry, perhaps it's time to hang it's hat up.

Worse still, XIII was pretty well praised for what it was (the proper development of XII) and offered up some superb tournament fodder - why abandon that so quickly?

[Strider77]

Because lameness....

[Khan]

Saw this last night, its early days and the video doesnt really give a decent indication of what it will be like those scenes could be like an intro or something similar to tekken 3 where hwoarang does kata

[Strider77]

Or it could look worse....

[null1024]

I need more footage to say anything other than that the Kyo model looks ugly as hell. Can't make out enough of Iori to tell, but at a glance I didn't see anything too bad with him.
Really, as long as it doesn't take any actual gameplay cues from Maximum Impact, I'm hopeful.
I don't think anyone who was following SNK expected 14 to have 2D graphics, especially with how expensive 13 was.

if whatever 3D gameplay that it did was like Fighting Layer or SFEX [where it's pretty minimal, there's a rather KOF-like sidestep in Fighting Layer and that's it], that'd probably be ideal, although I fully expect them to look at Maximum Impact for whatever 3D gameplay they're bound to shoehorn in [why the fuck does almost everything OTG in MI, who let that happen, why can K' do his sunglasses super OTG]

[Cagar]

Not only the graphics look outdated, but the animations look wonky and awkward as fuck.
It's probably super early footage though

[KAI]

"""High-Res""" screenshots
Can't wait to play this on my ps2

[Squire Grooktook]

Not only the graphics look outdated, but the animations look wonky and awkward as fuck.
It's probably super early footage though

Destructoid and Eventhubs are saying release date is January. If that's true, this is the final look, since they'd apparently need to submit the game by December.

[gameoverDude]

I need more footage to say anything other than that the Kyo model looks ugly as hell. Can't make out enough of Iori to tell, but at a glance I didn't see anything too bad with him.
Really, as long as it doesn't take any actual gameplay cues from Maximum Impact, I'm hopeful.
I don't think anyone who was following SNK expected 14 to have 2D graphics, especially with how expensive 13 was.

if whatever 3D gameplay that it did was like Fighting Layer or SFEX [where it's pretty minimal, there's a rather KOF-like sidestep in Fighting Layer and that's it], that'd probably be ideal, although I fully expect them to look at Maximum Impact for whatever 3D gameplay they're bound to shoehorn in [why the fuck does almost everything OTG in MI, who let that happen, why can K' do his sunglasses super OTG]

I also doubted that it would be 2D.

SNK did keep the Neo-Geo going even in the face of 32-bit boards like Taito F3, Sega STV, Namco System 11-12, & Capcom CPS-III, and their games did play well. Hopefully they can make this play like KOF XIII. All that I expect now.

Fighting Layer's sidestep system would not be too obtrusive. I just hope this isn't MI 3 in disguise.

KOF XIV hi-res screenshots

Shame this couldn't be rendered in 4K then downsampled to 1080p to get rid of jaggies. Nvidia does something like that called Dynamic Super Resolution. Is PS4 capable of a DSR like effect, or would it be too much to ask of that GPU?

[Specineff]

FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU...

RIP KOF Series.

[Strider77]

I would have thought they get some more use out of those hi res sprites. The bulk of the frames are there and could be used again on a follow title as usual.

[null1024]

is there any reason developers seem to hate the idea of anti-aliasing
why is it so jaggy and awful

The models are high poly enough but the lighting looks lazy and there's so little style in those screenshots.
Also, I still haven't seen Iori's face.

I would have thought they get some more use out of those hi res sprites. The bulk of the frames are there and could be used again on a follow title as usual.

Probably because making whatever new characters they're planning would eat budget. Just making one KOF12/13 style character is pretty expensive. They didn't even really change Athena's outfit from 12->13 like they usually do, she just gets a different default palette.

[rugdoctor]

Looks like it belongs on a pachislo machine to be brutally honest...RIP KOF.

[Leandro]

I liked the improved trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGQSbClOg9c

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Lame

[evil_ash_xero]

...if you're going to go from gorgeous sprites to something else, at least have pleasing polygons to replace them.
Otherwise, people are going to complain.

[kid aphex]

Isolated from any kind of history or expectation, these graphics would still be disappointing.

But coming from the aesthetic pedigree of Classic SNK? It's just infinitely more gross.

I feel embarrassed for the medium when I see things this uninspired.

[BIL]

I might've assumed that Kyo model was a lookalike from some unlicensed yaoi doujin. :[

[MathU]

It's a truly depressing day in the history of video games to see one of the very last bastions of high quality 2D spriting finally throwing in the towel.

[StoofooEsq]

Isolated from any kind of history or expectation, these graphics would still be disappointing.

I agree. Those graphics already look bad on their own; putting them next to Street Fighter V or especially Guilty Gear Xrd is just twisting the knife, squeezing lemon juice in the wound, and tossing salt on it. It's not the act of shifting from 2D to 3D itself that bothers me. Capcom has done an alright job. ArcSys definitely killed it. But for what little was shown in that teaser (I could barely call it that), it looked very "off".

I honestly want to believe that's rough early-to-mid footage and there's improvements to be made before release, because I hope that's not what SNKP wants to show in the wake of the other current fighters out and about at the moment.

It's a truly depressing day in the history of video games to see one of the very last bastions of high quality 2D spriting finally throwing in the towel.

Those gorgeous, high-res 2D sprites from KOF XIII and that KOF XII Beta Test will remain with those two games. That's what hurts the most.

[Leandro]

New gameplay footage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9KSNGiY1L0

[BIL]

Ooh, new character. Is FALCOON back on the team? Always good to hear Arashi no Sax #2.

...okay, couldn't bear to write that even in jest. Needed the fuckin mind bleach.

[Khan]

New gameplay footage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9KSNGiY1L0

lol almost had me there

[gameoverDude]

ArcSys definitely killed it.

I have to agree. GGXrd's graphics perfectly capture the hand-drawn GG style for 3D. It made me think, "What if SNK could make a 3D KOF XIV this way?".

SNK should delay KOF XIV to revamp it, and try to capture XIII's style in 3D. After all, they did use 3D models in the development of XII's & XIII's 2D sprites. Maybe they should have hired ASW as a collaborator and used Unreal Engine?

Hopefully the footage is not the final look of the game.

[Strider77]

They should hire an outside company to develop the game.