KILL la KILL -IF

Kill la Kill The Game: IF is a unique title for sure. It lacks depth and breadth but makes up for it in wackiness and style. Fans of the anime will likely enjoy it, but fighting game fans in general will most likely pass this one by. There just isn’t enough here to make it stand out among the crowd. One thing I can say about it though is that nothing is ever likely to be as bonkers as far as fighting games go…oh who am I kidding?

Limited PC graphics settings aside, Kill la Kill: IF isn’t a bad game; its just not worth its asking price. After you’ve spent five hours making your way through its story mode, a  paltry eight characters and six stages aren’t likely to keep your attention for too long, especially if you don’t plan on playing online. And even if you do take the action online, chances are you’re not going to encounter much competition. All style and no substance, Kill la Kill: IF is mostly fun while it lasts, but leaves you wanting more.

KILL la KILL IF has all the visual prowess of an Arc System Works competitive fighter minus the substance that they are usually known for. It doesn’t necessarily handle badly control-wise, it’s just far too simplistic for even the most casual player to get any real longevity or satisfaction from it. Mix that with a horde survival mode tacked on as an afterthought, and you have an unrewarding button-masher masked behind the scribbled down blueprints of a fighting game.

Kill la Kill The Game: IF held promise of being so much more to longtime fans of Honnouji Academy, but it falls short in almost every way. Its limited online play cripples the game's competitive chances, and casual gamers will be left confused by this title's story though enamored by its artwork. Dedicated fans will no doubt stick through the game if not for Satsuki fan service, but an overly complicated story mode will drag some away. If a visual feast is all you need, then Kill la Kill The Game: IF isn't the worst pick, but this certainly isn't a successor that will meet fans' expectations.

Despite some great looking cel-shaded graphics, Kill la Kill The Game: IF feels carelessly put together. With a shallow roster to match its shallow fighting system, it lacks both the breadth and depth to make competitive play interesting, and its story mode that's simultaneously long-winded and brief fails to make up for an overall lack of interesting content.

Kill la Kill IF is clearly designed for fans of Kill la Kill who are looking for more ways to enjoy the characters, music, and battles of the anime series. Each fighter behaves as they do in the anime, and the excellent voice actor rewards provide a nice incentive to keep playing even after you've mastered every character. However, as a fighting game, Kill la Kill IF doesn't deliver the expected harmony of offense and defense.