Mortal Kombat
NetherRealm Studios
Warner Brothers Intereactive Entertainment
For the last 9 years, I feel like the Mortal Kombat series has been hindered in the 3D realm. Last generation's hardware held back the series from being something truly great. The 3D-style movement wasn't a bad addition to the series, but it never really felt like "Mortal Kombat" to me. To top it all off, the series' first next gen release was so censored and toned down that I can't even consider it a true Mortal Kombat game.
HIGHS:
+ BLOOD: HIDE YOUR KIDS! BLOOD IS BACK, AND IT'S GLOOOOORIOOOUUUS! Something sorely missed from MK vs DC, and this proves it all the more. Fatalities are more gruesome than ever and the red stuff is given the spotlight once more.
+ Tag matches: Though tag matches are nothing new to the fighting game genre, this is a first for the Mortal Kombat series. Personally, I've always been a fan of Tag Team fighting. Being able to rely on a second character to trade out with at any time adds so much depth to any fighting game. So while Mortal Kombat may have not added anything to the Tag dynamic itself, it's definitely a welcome addition to the game.
+ Characters: Every single character from the first 3 Mortal Kombat games makes an appearance here. Given the storyline, this would seem to be an obvious design choice, but I can't say I was expecting it. Granted, Mortal Kombat games have been known to include a rediculous amount of playable characters (Armaggedon had a whopping 63!) I wasn't expecting it here.
+ DLC: NetherRealms has already made good on their word to release fresh content regularly. We've already had our time with Skarlet, as well as the original costumes, with Kenshi and Rain, plus one more not yet reveled, coming soon.
+ Fan-Fare: Hands down, Mortal Kombat is a great fighting game, but so are Super Street Fighter IV and Marvel VS Capcom 3. The thing I think sets that sets MK apart from the others is how much NetherRealms kept the original fans in mind when developing it. Playing this game constantly reminds me of everything I loved about the series. All the sercrets, the little details in the stage backgrounds, the characters, all of it. It truly feels like this was a game made FOR the fans. They even went as far as to include all of the secret battles with Jade, Reptile, and Smoke, with their original unlock conditions and original move sets. The fact that they even thought to include something like that further proves this. AND THE STORY MODE!
+ Gameplay: Reverting back to the 2D fighting style was the best thing to happen to the series. I can't tell you how much I loathed the 3D style of the last 4 MK releases. Mortal Kombat is finally back where it belongs. Improvements to the game's fighting mechanics have been made as well. The control layout is largely the same as more recent MK games, just missing the side step. Combos have also been given a makeover when emphasis on juggling and air combat. X-Ray moves are also a welcome addition. Much like Super Street Fighter IV's ultra combos, X-Ray moves are unleashed after filling a super meter located at the bottom of the screen. A successful hit will unleash a brutally devastating attack upon your opponent that can easily turn the tide of any match.
+ Graphics: Though this isn't the first next gen Mortal Kombat release (MK vs DC was released in November 2008 on 360 & PS3) it is amazing to see the amount of detail put into everything here. NetherRealms took a majority (not all) of the levels from MK1 - UMK3 and faithfully recreated in glorious HD. NetherRealm Studios went out of there way to make sure and include all the little details that made the original experience so memorable.
* Steroscopic 3D: Mortal Kombat is the first fighting game to have S3D included, so there's really nothing to compare it to at the moment (more are on the way). However, compared to other S3D games that have already come out, MK is one of the more impressive titles to use it. Most of Mortal Kombat's 3D effects are applied to the stage backgrounds. The fighters are rendered in the foreground, ensuring that the matches stand out the most and remain the main focus of this mode. As effective as this may be, it's still easy to find yourself staring off into the background everynow and then. Stages were designed with S3D obviously in mind. The background elements are rendered so convincingly that they can easily become the center of attention. Fatalities are given the S3D treatment as well as the camera breaks away from the sidelines to watch as characters are decapitated and mutilated up close. The body parts and projectiles pop out in a gruesome spectacle, something truly worth seeing. As great as all of these features are, S3D is not something that benefits the gameplay of Mortal Kombat, nor does is take anything away from it. It is purely a cosmetic improvement, but a very well developed one at that.
LOWS:
- Costume Designs: For an game that is SO amazingly well designed, I really have to question how some of the costumes were given the OK to be included. I can understand something being added for humor, but some I just don't see it. What did they do to Smoke?
- Matchmaking: The online portion of Mortal Kombat plays fine. Sure you have your expected latency issues, I can deal with that. But getting to that point? A majority of my time spent online with MK was spent waiting to play MK online... In the game's defense, I will note that I was playing on a PS3. But this is an issue, nonetheless.
Wishlist:
- More Stages: With the recent announcement of new characters and costumes coming soon, I would LOVE to see the inclusion of new stages. PLEASE give me the Pit 2 & 3 revisited!
- More Fatalities: Just like the stages, I'd love to see added fatalities among the DLC list.
Closing:
Mortal Kombat is by far one of the greatest franchise reboots to come along in a while. Truly a game that has both quality AND quantity, something not seen too often in the gaming industry. With the exception of my frustration in joining multiplayer matches, this is otherwise a perfect title. I really don't have anything I can complain about, and with the steady stream of reasonable DLC content in the works (original costumes and Skarlet have already been released) there's plenty of reason to keep coming back. If you've lost faith in the MK series in recent years, consider this a redemption. If the developers stay on this track, Mortal Kombat will be THE fighting game to set the bar for future fighting games.
