You do know that every KOF in existance has used buttons to sidestep(in fact the same exact two buttons). They simply didn't want to alienate that standard. Whether it is rolling, sliding, or the traditional KOF94/95 sidestep, they all accomplish some sidestepping motion to go around moves.
I actually think it is a nice start. Definitely one of the better attempts to bring 2D into 3D. It also, so far, has the closest representation of the 2d fighter counterparts, in this type of hybrid genre, yet. There are some definite differences, but a lot of familiarity as well. The game is more offensive-based than the typical King of Fighters. This is due to a few extra additions, like the ability to press the offensive on prone fighters. Yeah, there are definite ways to escape a pressed-offense and punish them, but there's a higher degree of strategy and offensive pattern matching needed to make the escapes. Normally, if you get pressured, you just simply picked the wrong way to turn the offensive.
Back rolls being neutered to half distance also forces more offensive play. The big thing about this is how combos are programmed. They actually aren't button mash combos, as they require some practice to actually maintain consistancy. They also require you to be fairly precise, too. That is, you can't always fight angry unless the particular combos, you are pressuring with, are ones in which you internalized the timing for them, like instinct. In a way, one can think of them as Real Bout-style combinations, except the inputs used for them often act like those KOF command-move linker combos. The shorter simple combos are typically easy, but the good meaty ones, take practice. Special moves and supers can all be cancelled from the combos once they are started, further showing their Real Bout style origins. That's almost the entire feel of the game, once you get past the whole entire idea that it is 3D graphics. A KOF Real Bout. It even plays more at a Real Bout pace, so don't expect the quickness you've seen in stuff like KOF 2002/2003.
I'm really glad Maniax has Japanese voices, though. It's nice to hear them. Plus, I've been taking a lot of pictures with the photo feature. Some characters I like the secondary costume even better. In particular is Seth's (I'm the Professional mixed with Mr. Big) costume. Mai's secondary costume also looks pretty nifty. Athena's school outfit where she dawns blonde hair doesn't even look like Athena anymore, but more like some rich foreign student, at her school.