Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 77 | 13 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 87% | 80 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 68 | 51 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 93% | 87 | 12 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 32 reviews sampled · 35 total reviews in window · weighted 18.3 up / 1.4 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (62)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 60
“As much as Killer Instinct is a sound and inviting fighter mid-battle, it's an experience that ultimately feels hollow everywhere else. Online play, as spare as it is, may present a limitless well of competition to draw from, but with only six fighters to master and very few modes of play, Killer Instinct lacks the value and staying power offered by most other modern fighting games.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Killer Instinct is an incredible fast paced, technical fighter with plenty of Evo tournament potential and ideal for those looking for a combo-centric challenge to master. For the more casual fighting game player it's hard to master and the basics aren't going to cut it once you come face to face with the ridiculous combos that can be unleashed against you.”
read full review ↗ - 82
“Killer Instinct is a good fighting title for the Xbox One. The addition of the seasons has given Microsoft reason to return to the series on one platform and not leave it as a traditional product that people could quickly abandon. Hopefully the product grows, for the sake of fighting games and its competitive scene.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“With a stellar training mode and open-ended combo system, "Killer Instinct" is a knockout next-gen fighter for fans old and new.”
read full review ↗ - 86
“Killer Instinct Season 3 is a great content addition to the fighting title, the new characters and graphical improvements are a delight for fans. The bad, as always, the wait for the downloadable ones to be seasonal and the feeling of unfinished game that that leaves.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“If you're a fighting game fan, it's hard to pass up Killer Instinct's opening price tag of $0. It's a reasonable $19.99 to unlock all the characters from the first season. Either way you look at it, there shouldn't be an Xbox One out there that doesn't have the game installed. By no means is it going to topple some of the more prominent fighting titles, but it is definitely an interesting and pretty game that can be enjoyed by casual and hardcore players alike.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Killer Instinct returns as an Xbox One exclusive after a long hiatus. It's one of the most thrilling and enjoyable games at the start of this new console generation, despite feeling skimpy in some areas.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“The new Killer Instinct succeeds at stoking nostalgic fires while updating the action. However, a piecemeal season-based approach means that the initial incarnation is extremely light on content, revealing a fighter that’s as packed with vibrant combos as it is unfulfilled promise.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Killer Instinct is definitely fun, if a bit lacking in depth. The lack of campaign mode and limited character options mean it won't take long for you to breeze through the entirety of the content offering, but the online versus should ensure that you get plenty of enjoyment for your investment.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Killer Instinct won't win awards. At the end of this new generation, it won't turn up in the lists of greatest console launch titles ever. And it won't cause the established fighting game creators - the Capcoms and Namco Bandais of this world - to fear for their jobs. But its heart - and its business model - are in the right place. Success!”
read full review ↗ - 70
“An excellent reboot of an unfairly forgotten fighter, but the way it's being sold does it no favours and severally restricts the fun to be had online.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Double Helix Games had to do something big for this brand new Killer Instinct, something that sticks with the codes of today's fighting games. They took a lot to Street Fighter, it's not genius, but you can feel the balance between old stuffs and new ones. It's fast and explosive but Killer Instinct hits far too hard in the wallet.”
read full review ↗
Pure Xbox
LevelUp
Tom's Guide
SomosXbox
Worth Playing
PCMag
The Escapist
Eurogamer
Metro GameCentral…and 50 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Quality-of-Life May UpdateMay 17, 2023