Dunham stated it has "incredibly attractive backgrounds, super slick animations, and the best character design on PlayStation 2." An "Electronic Gaming Monthly" ("EGM") reviewer stated it has "cooler character designs on a PS2 fighter" whilst another said, "some of the coolest 2D game artwork ever." "Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine" deemed it as "the best-looking 2D graphics ever seen in a fighter." 1UP.com said, "the ultrasharp, hi-res character art and fluid animation keep "XX" at the cutting 2D edge." Dunham, Knutson, Keil, and "GamePro" commended its similarity with Japanese animated series. The reviewer for "GamePro" stated it "becomes an art form in its own right." Greg Kasavin of GameSpot, however, said "many of the moves in the game are animated so strangely that it can be difficult to see exactly what's going on."