King of Fighters XII (PS3)

You always have to be somewhat dubious when a franchise is rolled out – look at the demise of Sonic to see what dangers lurk for a horse that’s been flogged beyond use.

So it was with some trepidation that King of Fighters XII was put to the test. First impressions were that the visual side of the game had improved, but the proof of the pudding is always in the eating and nice graphics should always be treated with a pinch of salt.

The 2D fighter has plenty of characters for you to utilise in your quest to beat the living daylights out of your opponent with the usual array of gravity defying moves.

But once you’ve got to grips with the usual arcade mode you might be left feeling a little bit empty. For there’s a lack of modes or other options once you’ve mastered taking on the computer. Multiplayer is offered but single players will feel particularly left out by the empty shell feel of things.

And that’s the core of the problem, despite a graphic tweak here and there – which isn’t at times particularly favourable – the game seems to lack any depth.

A successful title, especially in this modern era of gaming, requires longevity; the feeling that you’re getting every ounce of enjoyment from a disc. Sadly, King of Fighters XII doesn’t leave you with that inner buzz.

Instead, in a nod to its arcade-style roots, it’s more of a short term fix which only real has a long-term future if you’re prepared to play with pals.

Traditionalists will enjoy getting to grips with some good old-fashioned 2D fighting. But with the power harnessed in modern consoles, you can’t help feeling that there isn’t enough in there to get the most out of the game.