After more than twenty years of absence, Fatal Fury has made an impressive comeback with City of the Wolves, re-establishing itself as a direct competitor to Street Fighter. While SNK has kept busy with other franchises like King of Fighters and Samurai Shodown, the distinctive style and structure of Fatal Fury have been sorely missed by enthusiasts of traditional 2D fighters. City of the Wolves emerges as a streamlined, aggressive, and mechanically rich alternative to modern fighting titans, notably avoiding many newer gameplay shortcuts such as Drive Impacts or throw loops.
Despite lacking some modern standards—including a more intuitive UI and certain expected features—City of the Wolves delivers excellently in all the critical areas that matter to genre fans. When it connects, it delivers a powerful impact—similar to a well-timed Buster Wolf.
Authentic Combat with Contemporary Elements
Honouring its heritage, City of the Wolves employs a four-button control layout—light and heavy punches and kicks—with close and far variations for each. Close-range attacks typically inflict more damage and offer superior combo possibilities, while distant strikes excel at spacing and counters. What truly sets this game apart from others like Street Fighter 6 is the absence of universal movement options; no character possesses a built-in teleport, projectile immunity, or high-speed dash to maintain pressure. Each fighter must approach differently, and doing so involves genuine risk, enhancing the mental chess match that defines competitive play.
One player observed that whilst quick bypass mechanics are enjoyable, they appreciated how the game emphasises tactical spacing and adaptation, compelling each combatant to understand and anticipate their opponent’s strategy. This approach allows characters with more advanced mobility options to feel distinctive and formidable in their own right.
The Rev Meter and Strategic Depth
City of the Wolves introduces the Rev Meter, which functions similarly to the Drive Meter in other titles but increases over time rather than depleting. Players begin each round at 0% and build their meter through defensive blocks or activating special techniques. These include EX moves, Rev Guards (which reduce chip damage and push opponents back), and Rev Blows—armoured strikes that demand attention.
Once the meter reaches 100%, players enter an Overheat state where Rev techniques become locked, and blocking drains the guard gauge. When depleted, a player becomes vulnerable to a full combo. This system adds high-stakes decision-making, particularly since EX moves can be chained for massive damage, quickly increasing the meter. The balance between completing a powerful combo or conserving meter for future rounds adds strategic depth.
While Rev Blows can feel overly generous due to their low cost and safety on block, especially at lower skill levels, experienced players have methods to counter them. The most effective is a Rev Blow of their own, though this is only possible during SPG (Selective Potential Gear)—a unique buff that activates during a player-chosen segment of their health bar. However, if a player sets this buff to a later health stage, they may be left vulnerable early on against this powerful tool.
Adaptable Combo Design and Balanced Systems
Despite minor complaints, combat in City of the Wolves is dynamic and rewarding. Players can link together EX moves for straightforward damage or execute intricate combos involving feints and braking for greater reward. This duality accommodates both casual players and seasoned veterans.
The game also offers robust defensive mechanics. Players can roll forward or backward when waking up, are briefly immune to throws, and can use Just Defend or Hyper Defense systems to punish careless offense. These systems help ensure fights remain varied and skill-driven.
A Diverse and Refreshing Character Roster
Launching with 17 characters, City of the Wolves includes most of the classic Mark of the Wolves lineup and four newcomers. Preecha and Vox Reaper stand out—Preecha brings Muay Thai flair with accessible yet satisfying combos, while Vox Reaper excels in rushdown tactics, compensating for his lack of projectiles with rapid movement and unblockable pressure.
Returning fighters like Terry and Hokutomaru are equally compelling. Terry brings familiarity for longtime fans, while Hokutomaru impresses with his unorthodox mobility, including double jumps and air projectiles that distort jump arcs and bait counters.
The Guest Character Conundrum
Guest fighters Cristiano Ronaldo and Salvatore Ganacci add mechanical novelty, though their inclusion feels tonally inconsistent. Ronaldo’s football-themed attacks enable creative setups involving summoned balls, while Salvatore plays as a comical bruiser whose animations draw heavily from his music videos. Despite being fun to use, these characters lack the narrative integration or visual flair expected from a series with Fatal Fury’s legacy. Ronaldo, in particular, does not appear in major single-player modes, making him feel like an afterthought.
Single-Player Experience and RPG Elements
City of the Wolves offers a standard Arcade mode with character introductions, rival battles, and endings—sufficient, though nothing groundbreaking. However, the standout is the Episodes of South Town mode, which introduces RPG-lite elements. Players select battles from a map, earn experience, and unlock skills and stat upgrades that enhance each character’s journey. Some matches feature special conditions—like opponents immune to damage except for rare, instant-kill strikes—that vary the gameplay, though not always enjoyably.
This mode enhances the overall package by providing players more story context and a sense of progression often absent from traditional arcade campaigns.
Room for Improvement in Learning Tools
One notable weakness is the tutorial system. Although it covers core mechanics, it fails to contextualise many advanced techniques. For instance, it barely addresses how to counter Rev Blows or use Brakes effectively, even stating that it’s a topic for another time—without actually offering a follow-up lesson. This gap can hinder newer players attempting to master the game’s deeper systems.
Online Performance and Interface Challenges
Regarding multiplayer infrastructure, City of the Wolves includes rollback netcode, which is essential for modern fighters. The online experience during pre-launch and beta phases was generally solid. However, poor connections revealed some weaknesses, with occasional lag and input drops. While competent, it doesn’t achieve the consistency of industry leaders.
Matchmaking options are available—ranked, casual, and room matches, plus replay tools—but the interface for navigating these modes is notably clunky. The room match menu feels outdated and sluggish, resembling office software rather than a premium fighting game. It doesn’t spoil the experience but feels jarringly at odds with the otherwise stylish in-game presentation.
Final Assessment
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves represents a strong comeback for SNK’s iconic fighter. Its combat is a satisfying modernisation of the classic Fatal Fury formula, presenting a grounded yet exhilarating alternative to the flashier styles of contemporary rivals. The roster is diverse and mechanically rich, and while the guest characters raise eyebrows, they don’t diminish the overall quality.
Some flaws remain—from limited teaching tools to dated menu design—but the core fighting system is excellent. After a 25-year hiatus, City of the Wolves proves that Fatal Fury still has bite.