This new season for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves has been great, and while we still have a couple of other mystery fighters out there, the long-awaited Wolfgang Krauser is right around the corner. Recently, I got the chance to preview the Emperor of Darkness before his debut in City of the Wolves, and while he isn’t my favorite of the ones I’ve previewed, his kit embraces everything that makes this fighter a boss-level contender, and he will quickly become a fan-favorite due to how versatile, intuitive, and strong he is against every opponent.
The Emperor of Darkness Has Arrived
Many already knew that Wolfgang Krauser would land on Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, and while all other fighters have been great, many were excited to take the Emperor of Darkness out for a few bouts, and with good reason.
Krauser is yet another versatile addition to the roster who, despite his tanky feeling, is easily one of the strongest post-launch fighters, and one with an extremely easy-to-learn kit, yet hard to master, and at times punishing if you fail to learn his combos and skills.
Oddly enough, Krauser is great at both close and long range, with the former being a bit better for him. Those who’ve played as Krauser in other games can expect some of his iconic kit to return, such as the devastating Hurricane Fist and projectiles. While the former is a super, he has several long-range options, like his fireballs, to keep enemies at range and punish a few who try to enter his range carelessly.
In terms of his gears, the fan-favorite Kaiser Wave returns, allowing you to charge it up two times for a more devastating blow. All Gears, however, require almost perfect timing and being extremely close to other opponents, so it might be a bit challenging for newcomers to execute them correctly.
And while I loved embracing the mantle of the Emperor of Darkness by using his Gears, my favorite part was his other kit that lands between stronger counters and powerful combos. For counters, there are several moves that adapt to different fighters, like one anti-air grapple capable of stopping characters who approach you via jumps and air attacks. Furthermore, Krauser has a few kicks and gap-closers that let you reach any enemy quickly, which I really appreciated, as some of the previous Season 2 characters have lacked proper gap-closers.
My only minor complaint, and that might change as I fight some real players later, is that his kit is as rewarding as it is punishing. I often found myself combo-locked if I missed even one input, making Krauser feel as if he had no margin for error. Still, I liked this approach in a way, as it will encourage players to practice every combo and nail that window that Krauser needs to execute most of his moves and combos.
A Stellar Season Continues
Even if I’m still planning to stick with Blue Mary and Kim Jae Hoon, Wolfgang Krauser was extremely fun to play, especially due to all the counters he has and how devastating every single one of his moves feel. Fortunately, those who’ve been wanting to make this fighter their main ever since he got revealed, Wolfgang Krauser, is joining the roster on April 24, and like other characters, he’ll get his Episode of South Town and Arcade Mode.
So far, Season 2 has been excellent and shows how SNK continues to use the stellar formula for designing new characters. Speaking of which, we still have two more to go. While those are a bit far away, we’ll also have the first anniversary celebration soon, and details will come later during a livestream on April 23. So, whether you want to try Krauser or get back on South Town, now’s the perfect time to do so because Season 2 is really revving up the heat, and it doesn’t seem like it will slow down anytime soon.
