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I'm going to be bold
enough to state that I'm probably one of the biggest Mortal Kombat
fans that ever set foot on this green earth. It started off way back
in the day at the height of arcade glory… This little
hole-in-the-wall arcade called "Blazing Flippers" was the first in
the area to get the stand-up Mortal Kombat. I remember specifically;
it stood right in between Tron: Deadly Disks and some fancy white
holographic game. Before "l33t" was "elite", I still remember
pulling off my first finishing move.
forward-down-forward-high punch
That was my battlecry, and everyone drooled as Sub-Zero ripped the
head and spine off of Kano.
 As time progressed, I became even more obsessed with the series.
When Mortal Kombat II was released, it quickly changed from a hobby
to an obsession. My friend and I soon went on escapades where we
would raid his Dad’s stash of antique quarters and went on "Mortal
Tours" and racked up wins, easily in the high double-digits. Our
system was flawless. I stuck with Sub-Zero and he was a master with
Jax. We were unstoppable, and we breezed through tournaments and
were driving farther and farther looking for more competition. We
even had a little fan club, and one of the guys (a 30 year old
bachelor) bought an MKII stand-up. We practiced for free, and
learned every known fatality, babalilty and friendship this side of
the screen.
All of this changed with MKIII, which was dismal to say the least.
While my friend warmed up to MKIV, I simply couldn't bear to play a
"combo" type game on the Mortal Kombat system. The same goes for
console gaming. Most of the MK series was ported… but were these
were nearly unplayable, and without an arcade stick you were all but
toast.
Enter the tournament
When I first heard about Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance; I had mixed
feelings. Were they trying to revive a dead legacy? Or was Midway
simply trying to cash in on the holiday rush with a known name? I
was impressed with the list of features as well as the cutting edge
screen shots. When it comes down to it, no matter how beautiful a
fighting game is; unless you have solid gameplay it is all done in
vain.
My first hands-on experience with MK:DA came about six weeks ago at
the local Cube Club. It easily stole
the show, and people were lined up on the two machines like they
were giving away Snapple (hey...they were giving away
Snapple). I'll be the first to admit that I was semi-caught up
in the moment, and thought this was going to be the game that
redefined the next generation of fighters. Now that I've been
playing different versions for a few weeks now; I think I'm ready to
share my feelings about something that is so close to me.
As mentioned, gameplay is the biggest factor that can make or break
any fighting game. I've also noticed over the years, that there are
two types of fighter style gamers out there. I call them the
Tek's and the Cap's. Tek games are more button-mashing
types of fighters (a-la Tekken and Virtua Fighter), while
Cap's are more movement based; such as: Street Fighter, Mortal
Kombat and Soul Calibur. I always side with the Caps; which is why
I've loved games like MK, Soul Calibur, Street Fighter and Killer
Instinct (R.I.P.).
Bringing a good fighting game to a console is one of the toughest
things a developer can do. If you are used to arcade style play and
have to revert to a miniature controller, much can be lost in the
crossover. Luckily, Deadly Alliance is a console-only release and
never made it to the arcades. This is a good thing, for it didn't
taint a mindset where controls were two-handed and independent.
My first impression of the controls was a good one. The physics are
superb and the fluidity is unmatched by any other fighter I've grown
to love. Let’s just get this out of the way now: The Nintendo
Gamecube's D-Pad sucks. I re-wrote that last statement four times,
trying not to use those words; but when it comes down to it.. it
just sucks. The D-Pad feels more like a Gameboy than a meaty means
of maneuvering. Not only was I dissatisfied with the D-Pad, I was
even more shocked to see that there wasn't any analog support.
Buying a Gamecube, you know what you are getting with the
controller; which is why the analog stick comes into play so
heavily. In my opinion, the only thing the Cube's D-Pad is good for
is switching screens. If you have played Metroid Prime you’ve seen
how the D-Pad is supposed to be used...
 Feeling better having gotten that out of the way, let me encourage
you not to let the inadequacies of the controller dampen the
enjoyment of the game. Honestly, this is probably the best fighting
game recently released on any system. While it is far from perfect (see
last rant), it does pull off some spectacular feats. Probably
the most affluent change in DA is the unique combat system. It is an
odd blend of traditional 2D fighter with a hint of 3D involvement.
If I had to classify it, it falls more under the 2D aspects rather
than 3D. You are fairly limited in environmental movements, yet you
can feign and parry as you would in a 3D game like the DOA series.
What makes the combat system evolved compared to previous fighting
games is the ability to switch fighting styles. While
Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO hinted
on the different "Grooves"; MK:DA truly masters it. By squeezing the
left trigger button, you can switch between one to three different
fighting styles. Each style is unique and includes every fighting
style imaginable. Each character has two unique styles plus one
weapon style. Switching styles on the fly not only makes for a whole
new move set; it also keeps your opponent guessing. Switching from a
hand-to-hand style, then quickly changing to more of a takedown
style adds much needed depth to a dry genre. You can also count on
the fact that most weapons are much slower and cumbersome than other
fighting styles, yet pack much more of a punch.
The basics surrounding control are solid and veterans should warm up
to the movements like cold sheets on a hot day. All moves can be
done via the "Cap" method. So, all of your
"back-back-forward-buttons", "half-circles" and "dragon-punches"
will all work somehow with some character. In addition to the normal
moves we've come to expect, Midway also introduced a "special" move,
which is assigned to that tiny "Z" button. The special move can be
used for either offensive or defensive purposes, depending on which
stance you are using at the time. Offensively, you can (on most
characters) use your weapon and impale you opponent. Playing
with a variety of people, most claim that the "impale" move is a bit
over the top. It is blockable but it cannot be countered.
Once impaled, the weapon cannot be removed and your life counter
drops dynamically. Your opponent could simply block the rest of the
game watching the other bleed to death... I found the impale feature
to add urgency to a stagnant, blocking type game. This forces your
opponent to act or die. Defensively, the "Z" button is basically
used to counter; thus upping the ante of the gameplay pile.
While I was never a huge fan of combos in MK games, they finally get
it right here. I've always felt that most fighters focused more on
showing how brilliant your counters were, instead of how great the
gameplay is. MK:DA balances the aspects of tight gameplay with the
additional bonus of having a light combo structure. Most will agree
that it compliments the game more, instead of bombarding you with
enigmatic combo nonsense and huge text flashing. It is very subtle,
soft and complimentary. Kudos, Midway.
The biggest asset to Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance has to be its
extended replay value. I was playing fighting games while most of
you were still playing with your Lite Brites, and never have I seen
the amount of extras that MK:DA has. Not only is the storyline
strong, it also sports some amazing unlockable features. My favorite
feature is the arcade style stat counter that keeps every imaginable
stat available to you at the main menu. It's fun to track not only
your wins and losses, but fatality and combo counts as well. All of
this data is saved on your memory card, and "koins" that you can
collect can be used as wagering items when playing with a friend.
There are over 600 unlockable extras that range from additional
player animations to costumes. By entering the "krypt" area, you can
purchase these extras with your "koins" and just keep unlocking a
seemingly unlimited amount of secrets.
 What would Mortal Kombat be without fatalities? The original hook of
the game is back and badder than ever, although one of the most
secretive portions of the game. I'll admit that I know nothing about
the extent of the fatalities. As of now, the fatalities are limited
to one per character right? Wrong. Expect to see leaks
coming out, with multiple fatalities per player. A welcome addition
to a fatality ending is how it is performed. If you are lucky enough
to pull off one of these awesome moves, the screen starts to darken
and you are treated to an almost cinematic performance. Never before
have finishing moves been so darn rewarding.
In retrospect, looking back at the different modes of play; this
happens to be one of the few fighting games where the single player
is as enjoyable as the multiplayer. Still, there is a lot to be said
about pummeling your friend into mush and laughing as you pull out
his brain...
I feel pretty... oh so pretty
Looking at the game from a visual standpoint, one will notice the
extreme differences in the quality of graphics. First, the game is
darn pretty. The environments are gorgeous and look almost
pre-rendered and the ambient effects are mouth watering. I was a bit
let down in the actual character models themselves, they seemed
almost antiquated when compared to their surroundings. This doesn't
mean that the graphics are bad, but they didn't focus enough
attention to the modeling of the players. What's more "head
scratching" is the amazing details involved with the characters.
Lighting effects are brilliant and weather affects the game just as
much a punch to the head would. Even tiny details like seeing the
players’ breath, really make the game a visual feast, save the
modeling...
Another thing, which showed the black and white differences in
style, has to be the "ongoing damage" to the face. Getting stabbed
in the face produces a nice mauled look that sticks with you the
entire match. I like the effect, but here comes big annoyance #2.
The blood. What gives here folks? I'm all about over gratuitous
violence and bloodshed, but this is ridiculous. It's almost
embarrassing on how much blood is involved in the game. They should
have named the game: Mortal Kombat: Lots of Blood. Putting it into
perspective, an elephant couldn’t bleed this much in a two-minute
period. To me, it did take the game down a slight notch. I'm not
expecting realism here, as a chop to the face is usually
unrecoverable in real life, but I was hoping for a bit more
realistic blood spray and not big oozing blobs of plasma...
The audio and soundtrack were well done and fit snugly into the
ambience of the game. I was hoping for a few more "classic" grunts
and whip sounds from previous games; but for the most part the sound
effects were quite solid and Midway was on top of their game. The
same goes for the soundtrack, which had a nice industrial type feel
to it.
66 Says:
Do you know how badly I wanted this to be game of the year? It was
so close, yet so far away. I could almost taste it. What has been an
anthem for the Gamecube since its inception is still running strong.
The small D-Pad dooms this game (as well as other fighters)
from being a "Game of the Year" title. While it took me some time to
get used to the controls, even now it is still difficult to
consistently pull off signature moves. Pulling off these moves as
well as combos, is the heart of any fighter and not doing so
consistently nearly renders the game useless.
Even with the problematic D-Pad, I was still able to enjoy the game
more than I expected. It is a sure-fire rental, and most would
benefit from a purchase. Add in the unique playing styles, amazing
finishing moves and never ending replay makes MK: DA still
one of the best games of the season.
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