The Next City of the Wolves Beta Could Be Make or Break for SNK

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Just a heads up, SNK has unveiled an upcoming open beta for their latest game, City of the Wolves. As we approach its launch in late April, the outcome of this beta test could significantly shape the reception of COTW upon its official release.

The initial beta test of COTW happened in February’s end. Initially, this was planned as the sole opportunity for players to explore the online features and fundamental aspects of the game. Regrettably, during that period, SNK and fans experienced a rather underwhelming experience, which has left me concerned about the final release.

As a die-hard fan, I’ve got to say something upfront: the gameplay is simply astounding! It might just be the thrill of a new relationship, but the mechanics feel intricate, offering both potent offensive and robust defensive moves. The intricacies of combo routing are mind-blowing too, demanding precise execution that makes it an exciting challenge on its own.

To put it simply, the beta version of COTW faced harsh criticism due to its suboptimal matchmaking system. Much like numerous other players, I encountered situations where wait times were excessive, only to be matched with someone who appeared to be located far beyond our galaxy, causing significant lag spikes that made the game virtually unplayable. However, when it functioned properly, it offered a silky-smooth experience, although it didn’t quite reach the level of quality set by Street Fighter 6 or Guilty Gear Strive in terms of their rollback technology.

As a passionate admirer, I acknowledge that it was indeed a beta version. The purpose here was to assist SNK in identifying potential bottlenecks and ensuring a smoother experience during the complete release. Unfortunately, custom rooms often posed challenges. More often than not, players found themselves unable to join public lobbies, requiring the host to restart their game and recreate the lobby to resolve the issue.

In keeping with their commitment, SNK has rolled out a second beta version, addressing concerns raised by players from the get-go. Notably, they’re making the training mode accessible to all and including offline match options.

As I dove into the world of City of the Wolves for the very first time, I found myself with just three main options: Ranked matches, Casual games, and Custom rooms for private play. To get me started, a brief tutorial was provided to help me grasp the essentials of this intriguing new game.

Without delving into the reasons for its omission, it’s clear that the training mode was significantly absent, making the play experience of this intricately mechanical game somewhat challenging and even frustrating. This challenge was compounded by the connectivity problems previously discussed.

From now on, players will have an opportunity to try out various characters beyond just Rock Howard in the tutorial section. Particularly thrilling for grappling enthusiasts, this trial phase will feature Tizoc, our homegrown wrestler with lucha influences.

Surely, the training mode will be beneficial if the online functionality is improved compared to the previous version. Frankly, I’m no tech wizard when it comes to server problems and matchmaking, but given the short span between the first and second betas, not to mention the actual game release, I have concerns that there might not be much room for SNK to make significant changes at this point.

It’s possible that I might be making a mistake here, but I hope not. The world of fighting games is expanding rapidly. Titles such as Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and Guilty Gear Strive offer robust online play and a wide variety of characters, while casual players continue to enjoy Mortal Kombat 1. Additionally, upcoming projects like 2XKO and Virtua Fighter 6 are on the horizon.

For Succession of the Wolves (COTW) to shine, SNK must come through with an impressive performance. The gameplay is solid and the artwork is vibrant and attractive, which are promising foundations. However, if they can effectively address the online issues that surfaced during the beta, COTW could thrive in a highly competitive market. If not, it might unfortunately struggle to stay relevant.

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2025-03-22 00:42