Mortal Kombat
Review
Jam-packed with content and fun
by Jeff Gates
reviewed on PS3
Mortal Magic
Even with all the characters and stages it seems like no corners were cut visually. The 3D sprites are unique, both in design and special abilities. The insanely over-the-top special moves that each character possesses have always been the trademark of Mortal Kombat (as well as the Fatalities of course). In the arcade days these moves were the only difference between the fighters. This flaw has since been fixed for the most part with combos and slightly varying styles, but the grandeur of the special attacks remains the appeal of the series. Mastering each character’s unique set of functions is fundamental to winning. They are rewarding too. Whether it is Scorpion’s teleport attack or Johnny Cage’s punch to the groin executing the specials for significant harm is quite satisfying.
The developers set out to make the game accessible to casual players but also deep and rich for the hardcore fighting fan. Unlike previous titles, there are four buttons that each represents a limb, something gamers are familiar with from the Tekken series. This was a welcome change in our opinion and does the game great justice. It makes the initial combat much easier to master but still allows for broadening skills by delving into the extensive move list.
There is a downside to this added exactness, however, and it rears its head fairly often. Punches and kicks require your character to nearly be on top of your opponent to land a hit. In contrast, combos and special moves do not seem to call for your fighter to be as close to an opponent from the start to deal damage. This is basically a result of light attacks not moving your character as greatly as the stronger ones do. Novice players may often find themselves swinging at air and being repaid with a boot in the face and a spear in the chest. This all comes back to the old issue with these games: imbalance. Some fighters are seemingly much more difficult/better than others. It seems like rather than focusing on fighting styles the speed of characters was the chief concern in setting each apart.
Consequently, the new Mortal Kombat is less of an over-the-top arcade style beat ‘em up. It implores the use of blocking to get in tight with opponents in difficult matches as the game goes on. With that said, this doesn’t mean that it is inaccessible to someone not familiar with fighting games. It just means that practice is important to ease through tougher challenges.
Modes of Kombat
The story in this Mortal Kombat is surprisingly good and worth your attention. Unlike most fighting games out there whose campaign modes seem like an afterthought to developers this one has been meticulously fashioned.
The plot immediately follows the events of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, where nearly all the fighters are dead. Raiden (thunder god and protector of Earthrealm) casts a spell informing his former self of the oncoming danger just before Shao Kahn (the recurring antagonist) kills him. The game then flashes back to Raiden at the first Mortal Kombat tournament from the original game holding his broken amulet. The talisman along with his visions warns of the tumultuous future for Earthrealm and it is Raiden’s destiny to modify events in order to avoid this terrible outcome. The game follows the proceedings of the first three titles but in an altered reality due to Raiden’s steering of actions surrounding the tournament. The narrative truly keeps players guessing because there’s no telling what will happen next. For example, Raiden believes that Liu Kang must win the first tournament in order for Earthrealm to remain intact. Even though Liu Kang does emerge victorious, things definitely don’t go the way he had predicted and his amulet remains cracked, signalling little change in the future’s events. As the game continues, twists and turns in the tale accompanied with difficult, sometimes maddening, battles creates a top-notch campaign. However, this is not the best mode the game has to offer.
8.5
fun score
Pros
The Challenge Tower and Campaign present nearly 20 hours of diverse gameplay and strong storytelling.
Cons
Not as precise as its competitors, too similar fighting styles, a few tacked on mini-games.
