We Love It's Guide to…
Choose among distinct fighters, chain attacks into long combos, and break opponents’ chains in solo modes or online matches.
Released 27 Sep 2017
Break Opponent Combos
Build a Shadow Team
Fight Player-Trained AI
The legendary fighting franchise is back with over-the-top action, a wild cast of combatants, rocking reactive music, and C-C-C-COMBO BREAKERS!!! Choose your ultimate combatants each with fluid animations, unique combat tactics, and enthralling special attacks.
Developed by Iron Galaxy Studios · Published by Xbox Game Studios
Killer Instinct is a one-on-one fighting game where you choose a fighter from a roster of 29, each with a distinct style, moves, and special attacks. Matches revolve around chaining attacks into combos and reading an opponent’s offense to interrupt it with a Combo Breaker.
Counter Breakers add a mind game to those exchanges: a player can bait an attempted break and punish it. Combo Assist options and a Dojo tutorial teach the fundamentals, while training tools let players practice mechanics and combos.
Alongside Story Mode, the game has Shadow Lords, a replayable roguelike mode where you build a team and use Guardians, artifacts, and consumables to gain advantages in fights. Survival, online casual and ranked matches, and monthly ranked leagues offer other ways to play. The free version features a rotating fighter; playing Shadow Lords can unlock Jago for use across modes.
Players often praise the fast, combo-focused combat and the Combo Breaker system, which makes offense and defense a back-and-forth of reads. Reviews also highlight the tutorial and accessible combo options alongside room to master the mechanics, a varied roster, and energetic music. Some enjoy Shadow Lords as a substantial solo mode. Common criticisms include the limited free roster and difficulty finding online matches, though players’ reports of online activity differ.
| Platforms | Windows |
|---|---|
| Achievements | 463 |
| Age ratings |
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| Players | 1–2 |
| Play modes |
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| Other modes |
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| Multiplayer | Killer Instinct supports online multiplayer and local shared/split-screen PvP. It is a fighting game built around competitive head-to-head matches, with ranked leagues, casual/exhibition play, lobbies, and cross-platform play with Xbox and Microsoft Store versions in most online modes. Ranked cross-play is repeatedly stated as unavailable on Steam, while other online modes generally support cross-play. |
| Multiplayer & mods | No multiplayer mod support is described in the provided information. |
| Controller support | Xbox |
| Controller required | No |
| DLC / extras | 1 listed on Steam |
| Content notices |
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| Website | Official website |
