Extremely polished gem of a game, focused on it's core mechanics. I see why they didn't make another fighter/brawler, there's nothing to add or remove.
Getting through the campaign will probably take 5-10 hours for someone new to fighting games like this. Getting good at the campaign will probably take more. It's a fun, stylish game that grabs a lot from popular action flicks, great vibes and exciting action. Each boss is very different in style and counter play, and help you learn particular methods of dealing with enemies to get through them easily.
It's fine for casuals who are willing to learn and do again. Dark Souls difficulty fans will love it (working on a challenge to beat it) or hate it (no cheese builds, can't try wildly different tactics and builds, no coming back later stronger, it's all linear and player skill based, not stats or levels).
And then there's arenas and master mode. Master mode is just harder with more enemy moves, but the arenas are great at showing off just how good the combat system is, the early arena challenges will beat your ass bloody even if you're decent at the campaign, and the later arena challenges make the first ones look like a joke.
If you want to go deep and master the system, just unlocking all the arenas will probably take you 30+ hours, most of them are skill challenges, but many of them are training challenges, in that they want you to prove that you understand and master one particular aspect of the combat system, like throws, dodges vs. parries, knockdowns, weapons, ect. ect. There's a finely honed slowly raising skill requirement, along with expertly crafted scenarios that change between fun, hard, and instructive.
The game was always good, but the arena challenges are not to be overlooked for showing off just how polished and exacting the combat system is, when you can muddle through the campaign and story only mastering one or two parts of it, the arenas will ensure you master all of it. Easily 30+ hours of game if you're into the mechanical and skill based progression and getting better.
If you want a game that's a cool short experience, or one you can dump an hour or two every day after work to slowly see yourself get better, this game is a steal when it's on sale.
