KOF XIV screenshot
Two fighters duke it out in "King of Fighters XIV." SNK Playmore

Big news has been announced for those looking forward to “King of Fighters XIV,” as series’ veteran Andy Bogard has been revealed as a playable character in the game’s roster. Furthermore, fans will be able to play the game for the first time next month, as a playable demo will be available during the PlayStation Experience event.

Andy isn’t the only returning character, as he joins Leorna Heidern, Chang Koehan, Kyo Kusunagi and Iori Yagami, as reported by Gematsu. The familiar characters revealed thus far could be seen as a smart move, since this is the first “King of Fighters” game for current-gen consoles.

The character was confirmed when the video below was released, showcasing him and the other characters beating the living tar out of each other, which is expected since this is a fighting game. The video also revealed the aforementioned information about a playable demo of the game during next month’s PlayStation Experience.

PlayStation Experience will take place next month on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6, so fans will have two days to check out the game’s roster and test the fighting controls. Since the game doesn’t have an official release date as of yet, it seems like developer SNK Playmore will be listening to fan feedback as to how the game plays.

If an article from Destructoid means anything, it will hopefully play better than it currently looks. The game is still in production, so there’s a good chance that it will look better when it’s ready for release.

One reason why the visuals have faced some criticism might be the fact that “King of Fighters” games have normally been in 2D. Since most fans are used to the characters moving as 2D sprites it can be difficult seeing them be 3D now, especially since the fighting style and animations still seem 2D.

“King of Fighters XIV” is a PlayStation 4 exclusive and is slated for a release next year, though no release date has been given. It might face some heavy competition, as “Street Fighter V” from Capcom will be available early next year, with a February release date.

THE KING OF FIGHTERS XIV ~Pre-PSX Promo Trailer~ (Credit: YouTube/snkplaymoreGame)