Review: Mortal Kombat (PS3/360)

It's been a while since a solid Mortal Kombat game has been released, but with the fighting game revival in recent years it seems they decided to breathe new life into the series. Stepping away from the full 3D stages, NetherRealm studios decided to go with the more popular "2.5D", where the stage and characters are rendered in three dimensions, but the characters move on a 2D plane. This was really the right choice for this game, as it is a nice throwback to the original games; it gives you that old-school feeling without having to put up with Super Nintendo graphics.

To start off with, Mortal Kombat's story mode is, surprisingly, really in-depth and interesting. Considering fighting games aren't exactly known for their story, this is an impressive feat. That alone almost makes the game worth buying, just for that. It picks up right where Armageddon left off, with Shao Khan defeating the last of Earth Realm's heroes. Raiden manages to send a message to his past self, warning of a horrible future and hoping for a chosen one to come forward who can defeat Shao Khan. It then proceeds to re-tell the story of the first three games, combined into one complete narrative. The story is backed up by fantastic voice acting and sound effects, and that, as well as its overall quality, really makes it stand out among the current batch of fighting games.

The gameplay in Mortal Kombat is also fantastic, and delivers in the gore department, as its predecessors did. With built in combos and the addition of Kustom Kombos, the fighting is varied and fun, not to mention very balanced (except for a few bosses, which is to be expected). With over 27 characters, and more to come through DLK, there is enough stuff jam-packed into the game to keep you satisfied for weeks. Of course, characters aren't the only extras to enjoy. There are mini-games such as 'Test Your Might, Sight, and Luck', plus the Challenge Tower, as well as the Krypt with TONS of unlockables, including costumes and new fatalities! No expense was spared on this game, with its fully rendered cutscenes during story mode, full 1080p display, and tons of downloadable kontent. It really is the shining star of the series.

Overall this game is a must have for fans and newcomers alike! It's a nice medium between Street Fighter and Marvel vs Capcom 3, as it's faster and more combo-oriented than Street Fighter, but not as fast and crazy as MvC3. Also, as if the inherent value of the game isn't enough, there is going to be a Mortal Kombat Tournament at Level Up on June 18^th! Pick up your copy today, get some practice in, then come show us what you've got and TEST YOUR MIGHT!

Submitted By: Tom Ferko (Employee)