Chaos Code: New Sign of Catastrophe

Chaos Code – New Sign of Catastrophe doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but what it does provide is a lot of high-quality 2D fighting action.

Chaos Code: New Sign of Catastrophe is an average fighting game. Although the gameplay isn't bad, there are too many other underlying issues that keep me from recommending this title. Try another fighter instead.

Chaos Code -New Sign of Catastrophe- is a solid, well-priced fighting game that's only held back by its lack of online multiplayer.

Chaos Code: New Sign of Catastrophe is a good fighting game, but when you put it next to the vast majority of fighting game outings released by Arc System Works over the past few years, or even the vast majority of fighting games available for the Switch, it pales in comparison to its peers.

Despite its age, obvious budget limitations, and, yeah, lack of popularity, CHAOS CODE -NEW SIGN OF CATASTROPHE- is a surprisingly fun fighter, with a pretty varied (albeit typical) roster of characters that will to everyone needs.

The most affordable fighting game on the Nintendo Switch, yet it only provides typical modes to play against the AI and no online multiplayer mode in sight, Chaos Code: New Sign of Catastrophe fails to deliver the value for the fighting game fans to even think about purchasing this game. Surprisingly, the battle mechanics are very polished and learning the combo mechanics can be a fun challenge for those who seek complex and accurate executions required in flashy combos. But in the end, will that be satisfying enough?

There's not much else I can say about Chaos Code. It works, but it's in an overloaded genre where, not only do you have big "blockbuster" options, from Dead or Alive through the soon-to-be released Tekken 7, but there's also a real wealth of options in the niche spaces, from BlazBlue through to a game featuring all your favourite characters from Nitroplus' game franchises.

Chaos Code: New Sign of Catastrophe thankfully does not live up to its subtitle at all. This re-release of a re-release builds up on everything that came before it, fleshing out the experience into something worthy of your attention, whether you're a hardcore fighter or a casual button-masher. Some wonky writing and poor visuals dampen the experience somewhat, but if you can look past that and fancy some classic KOF style fighting game action, this is the game for you.

While Chaos Code: New Sign of Catastrophe features a promising fighting engine, as well as a few engaging characters to help it stand out, there are too many other factors that conspire to hold the title back from being something truly special.

Chaos Code: New Sign of Catastrophe is something of a throwback fighting game. While Ark System Works is well-known for their fast, slick, polished fighting games like Guilty Gear and BlazBlue, this is a simpler title made by FK Digital. It is a solid enough outing, with gameplay that is easy to pick up, but if you were hoping for the level of polish found in the aforementioned Ark System Works series, you will likely be disappointed.