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 King
of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match (PS2)
SNK's legendary fighting franchise has delivered solid action to players
for nearly 15 years now, and the latest installment, while seeming to be a
look back is actually a nice compendium of the series' 2D era. King of
Fighters 98 Ultimate Match on the PS2 is a rebooted version of the classic
KOF 98 game with improved graphics, music and additional characters. It
includes more than 60 characters in all with more than a dozen new to the
series. Aside from this, the game offers some cool extra modes including
challenge and endurance sections. While its clearly aimed at the hardcore
KOF player, this solid release should satisfy those looking for classic 2D
fighting. |
With its extensive roster of characters, you can be forgiven for thinking
that KOF 98: Ultimate Match is overkill. The game's 64 different fighters
include all your favorites, each with a full compliment of moves, special
attacks and techniques. Mastering each of them will probably be a daunting
challenge, but the key is to focus on a character or two you like best.
This makes the game much more accessible. While this version is based on
the original KOF 98, there have been subtle changes made to give the game
a facelift. Your most immediate impressions will probably be the visuals
which look very nice. The original game's backgrounds have been retooled
with a slick 2D/3D feel that mixes these styles effectively and makes the
game feel more contemporary. The characters themselves look a bit smoother
than they did in the original game but retain their original look and
animation. KOF 98 UM's other significant change comes in the music which
has been retooled as well and sounds much better. Aside from this, the
game delivers the solid and traditional fighting gameplay that players
have come to expect from SNK. With such a large collection of fighters to
choose from, there's plenty of variety and style in terms of attack and
technique. Most of the familiar moves and techniques from the previous KOF
games are intact, and the characters should be well-known by now. Almost
every major character in the series makes an appearance this time around,
and there are several new ones including boss characters that add to King
of Fighter 98 Ultimate Match's sense of completeness. It also makes a nice
primer for those unfamiliar with the series that serves as a good prelude
to the upcoming King of Fighters XII sequel on next-generation platforms.
 This
release retains the basic structure seen in the original KOF 98 to a very
large degree. At the main menu screen, you can choose to battle it out
against a series of opponents in either single character mode, which is a
traditional one-on-one fighting mode or use the more popular team mode,
where you select three characters and fight another trio for supremacy.
Obviously both styles of play have different strategies. Knowing which
combinations of characters to use and balancing your team makes the
three-character mode interesting, while the solo matches offer a more
focused style of play. In the traditional SNK style, you can also choose
from one of three main fighting techniques: Advanced, Extra and Ultimate.
Each of these presents a different method of building up your fighter to
perform powerful attacks and counters. In Advanced Mode, you gain strength
by attacking and the energy gauge builds up as you aggressively attack
your opponent. Extra Mode takes a different approach where defensive moves
are more effective, giving players a more strategic type of play. Ultimate
mode is a combination of both modes and lets you select which moves and
types of play you want to use, giving you the ability to set the game up
to your liking. Each of these fighting styles has their pluses and
drawbacks, but the flexibility offered in each mode makes for a
well-balanced game. Learning to use the different systems and gearing your
style to these techniques is one of the key reasons why KOF has been so
replayable over the years.
KOF 98 Ultimate Battle takes this one
step further and while its inclusion of so many modes is slightly
daunting, it makes for a well-balanced game that offers plenty of depth.
One of the more interesting new modes is the Challenge mode, where you
have to meet a specific goal, such as knocking down an opponent 5 times or
blocking their attacks. This mode lives up to its name, and progressing
through each challenge unlocks additional content. There's also a new mode
called Survival where you have to defeat as many opponents as possible
using a single character. It's a pretty interesting approach and one that
does add value to the game. KOF 98 also includes a Gallery mode where you
can view illustrations and other artwork, some of which you need to unlock
by playing through the game's various modes. The most interesting part of
KOF 98 UM is its character customization options, which allow you to
change the look of your character by swapping out color palettes. This
gives you a very wide range of customization options, which makes this a
solid purchase that allows you to go deeper into the gameplay than most
standard ports would allow. KOF 98 Ultimate Match is a surprisingly deep
and robust port that offers numerous enhancements and changes, but doesn't
mess with the essence of the original game. This fact can be seen clearly
when you boot up the original game in Neo-Geo mode and see how well the
game's solid play mechanics have held up over the years.
 On
the PS2, players will find decent performance with a standard d-pad, but
performing half-circle moves and sweeps is much easier if you use the
analog joystick. Of course, an Arcade Stick is ideal, but the game's
performance is solid either way. Visually, the upgraded graphics look
quite impressive, especially if you're familiar with the original game,
which is coincidentally included on the disc, making comparisons handy.
While it might seem a little redundant because it's arrived only a few
months after KOF Collection, KOF 98 UM is a fairly good release that
offers a deeper more interesting remake of the classic fighter, with more
features, options and upgrades than a straight-ahead arcade port would
offer. Causal fighting fans might wonder what all the fuss is about, but
gamers who are really into the series will appreciate all the changes in
this remake. SNK fighters have never been as flashy as Capcom's and the
streamlined style here allows players to focus on the nuts and bolts of
fighting, without having to face endless streams of fireballs and other
supernatural attacks. It's this somewhat down-to-earth style that is one
of the reasons the series has endured over the years, you need skill,
style and technique to beat the majority of your opponents, and can't rely
on a flashy combo to compensate for your lack of skill. On the other hand,
you definitely need to learn how to use each character's moves and master
the timing for each attack or you'll find yourself button mashing
helplessly until you fall down. This sense of balance, skill and technique
carries to the new game effectively and makes Ultimate Match a solid
brawler. Basing the game's engine on one of KOF's better installments was
a good idea, and this version benefits. It is definitely very much in the
classic SNK mold, and the new features, visuals and graphics definitely
add to its appeal.
- Michael Palisano
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