Mortal Kombat – Review
Genre: Fighting Game
Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
System: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release Year: 2011
The wait is finally over. The latest installment of the Mortal Kombat franchise is here, with promises of nostalgia, reinvigorating gameplay, and a fresh start to the series, all wrapped up into one.. but does it deliver?
It absolutely does, because this game is amazing! I should start by saying, if you’re an old-school MK fan, and you hated the series since the 4th one, then you’re in luck; this game combines all the greatness of the first 3 games, while holding true to a fighting game for the new generation. First of all, every playable character is from MK 1-3, with the exception of Quan Chi, so this should please longtime fans. Also, the characters may be 3D models, but there is no more 3D gameplay. Yes, in this game you move left and right only, and you can’t sidestep around your opponent; this is probably one of the most welcome throwbacks in the game, along with the return of ‘Test Your Might’, Babalities, and old stages, like the Dead Pool and the Living Forest.
Baraka: Ooh, look at the pretty light!
Raiden: Dumb ass..
One thing that always separated Mortal Kombat from other fighting games, like Street Fighter and Tekken, was the story; because MK actually had one that made sense as it continued to each installment. No offense to the other fighting games, but when you have a character who crash-lands in Brazil as a boy, and grows up to somehow become a green-skinned, hairy monster; or when you have a character who is only fighting in a tournament so he can get money to open up a dojo.. you have to wonder if the writers are even trying. In this game, the story begins at the end of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, where Shao Kahn is about to kill Raiden; but not before Raiden can use the last of his power to send a message to his younger self, warning him of the events leading to that moment. So, essentially the game is a reboot, giving you the opportunity to rewrite events from the first 3 games, but it also keeps the continuity going.
Although the story mode is done well, this game really shines in its other areas. The Challenge Tower is an inventive way to keep busy if you’re going solo, as there are 300 challenges to conquer; each one different from the last. But, as with other fighting games, the greatest appeal is in the good-old-fashioned 2 player versus mode. Whether you’re involved in the match, or if you’re simply watching 2 of your friends fight it out and waiting to see a Fatality you haven’t seen yet, hours will fly by as if they were just a few minutes, and you will realize all the fun that this game has to offer. The Corporate Ninja, another friend of ours, and I were playing just the other night, and every time someone pulled off Kano’s x-ray move, there would be a general cringe/exclamation/”holy s***!” moment.. every..single..time! I, for one, thought those x-ray moves would get old, but I’m glad to be proven wrong.
One of the amazing x-ray moves
As not to be biased, I have to mention the one and only gripe I have with the game. I haven’t tried it on the PS3 yet, but playing it on the Xbox, you may run into difficulties performing moves using the D-pad. But, that’s always an issue with fighting games on the Xbox, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to most people. And that’s my only gripe. Seriously. This game is near perfect. The only thing that would make it perfect is if they brought back Rain as a DLC character (Kenshi?? Really?!).
Ed Boon and his team did an amazing job with this game and I can’t wait to see what they do with the next one, but for now I will enjoy the Hell (Get it? Hell! Because there’s a stage called Hell in the game! Ah, nevermind…) out of this masterpiece.
Game Play: 5/5
Visuals: 5/5
Story: 3/5
Sound: 4/5
Replay Value: 5/5
Overall: 22/25: The Golden Stool (Outstanding)
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