The King of Fighters 15's free batch of post-launch DLC brings with it a returning cast member along with a brand-new mode that has left players wanting more. Originally released on February 17, 2022, The King of Fighters 15 promised to "shatter all expectations" with its release as characters from the franchise's past made long-awaited returns alongside newcomers, opening the door for previously impossible interactions between the game's cast. As part of its post-launch support, developer SNK Corporation brought about the return of KoF's original final boss.
Omega Rugal made his return to The King of Fighters on April 14 as part of a free update for KoF 15. His return was also accompanied by a brand-new Boss Challenge mode, where players can do battle with an appropriately powered-up version of the character that is meant to be reminiscent of his days as one of fighting game's most feared and revered final bosses. The new mode came with the promise of a difficult new challenge for fans of the franchise meant to hearken back to the game's roots. Players quickly discovered, however, that the promise was not meant to be.
While SNK fighting games' difficult bosses have gained plenty of notoriety for their stiff challenges, fighting games in the modern era have gradually shifted to easier boss encounters in comparison to the highly-difficult encounters of days gone by. The return of Omega Rugal to King of Fighters canon along with the Boss Challenge mode created intrigue to the potential return of a truly challenging boss encounter, a factor that has been lacking in the franchise in quite some time. Numerous factors in the handling of the Boss Challenge, however, see Omega Rugal's stature diminish below the foes he once toppled with ease.
The King of Fighters 15: Why Boss Challenge Mode Is Currently Underwhelming
The return of Omega Rugal to King of Fighters was initially announced in a trailer three weeks prior to his release. According to the trailer on SNK's official YouTube channel, players were expected to "Take on the CPU from Hell", a clear reference to Omega Rugal's original status while also displaying a montage of his infamous Genocide Cutter anti-air. The moves used by the CPU opponent are suitably powered-up as Omega Rugal fights with clear advantages in the frame-data and properties of his techniques. It's an issue within the touted "CPU From Hell" descriptor coupled with a puzzling health gauge problem that leaves the challenge underwhelming.
King of Fighters 15 had its best DLC to date at launch, and the Boss Challenge mode misses the mark. Unlike any encounter in the game, Omega Rugal does not recover health if he defeats one of the player's three characters, placing him at a distinct disadvantage unique to his fight. Omega Rugal's health is also not given the same boost afforded to the game's other two bosses, leaving the once mighty boss feeling under-powered. The vaunted AI finds itself especially vulnerable to particular patterns and loops, allowing players to take down Omega Rugal in times clocking in under 20 seconds with a single character.
Bringing back one of King of Fighter's most well-known characters to their original boss status required more of a special touch that what was given. The health situation is baffling as a mode touted as a Boss Challenge finds itself with advantages for the player, and perhaps tweaking Omega Rugal's AI to be somewhat more defensive and smart regarding his techniques would bridge the gap suitably. The launch of The King of Fighters 15 promised to shatter expectations, but while it is not impossible for the Boss Challenge mode to receive tweaks or even harder bosses in the future, its current state only promises to lower expectations going forward.
Source: SNK/YouTube