The Orochi Saga - Chapter 1
After KOF made its series debut in 1994, the first game would receive a sequel the next year with The King of Fighters '95. This was a game I've changed my opinion on multiple times. Originally I liked it, then I played the other games and I hated it, but now I like it again... sort of. This was my first KOF game actually, as it was the game Sakurai had recommended way back when during the Terry in smash direct. So what are my "final" thoughts on The King of Fighters '95? Let's begin, shall we?
So first things first, this game is a very solid improvement over 94. The controls are much more fluid and moves overall feel better to perform. Mechanically this game is about the same as the last game, but damn you can get absolutely crazy with some characters in this game if you actually toy around with the moves. Kyo especially has seen some improvement, he's still very much shoto-style, but now he has the double forward kick move which is so fun to play with. KOF '95 is definitely fun to play, just not when you're against the computer.
Ok, but once again I have to shill the presentation here. This game looks absolutely amazing. The character sprites are still in that weird pre-96 style, but the actual animations and details are splendid. For example, Terry is in much better shape this time around, with his animations being more accurate to the Fatal Fury series. The stages, however... good lord. These are some of my favorite stages in the entire series, with Neo Geo Land possibly being one of my favorites in fighting games. An issue some of the later 2D KOFs would have was the sprites looking inconsistent with the backgrounds, but here everything is a consistent art style that flows together perfectly. An eye catching arcade game for sure.
The music is undoubtedly fantastic. That being said, I absolutely adore the arranged soundtrack, every single song in the AST is an improvement, using high quality instruments and naturally adding more to the original melodies. One of the few pros of the PS1 version I played! Even if you don't play this game, definitely listen to the arranged music, it's worth checking out.
So this is actually the first KOF game where the story starts to matter. Rugal is back and meaner then ever, brainwashing Kyo's father while starting another King of Fighters tournament. This game is also the introduction of Kyo's rival Iori Yagami, iconic for his laughing victory animation. It's still a fairly simple plot all things considered, but I'll leave it to you to experience the story yourself.
Once again, the final boss is an asshole. Or should I say, two bosses. Yes, in this game you must face TWO bosses in a row with the same health bar, they are not separate stages. Yes, it is as nightmarish as it sounds. Like last time, I played rather cheap and just used a time out victory to win, I have no shame cheesing an SNK boss. Without a doubt the aspect that makes me rarely want to revisit this game, luckily the AI nor the bosses after this are as difficult... mostly.
And so that is KOF 95. A very solid sequel that I'm glad I gave another chance after playing many games in the series. If you're interested in KOF for the story, I wouldn't exactly recommend PLAYING this one first, but this is where the plot actually begins. Things are definitely looking up from here, as we will be entering the 1996 King of Fighters tournament soon. See ya all again next time for KOF 96.

Reviewed on Jun 11, 2022


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