Mortal Kombat: Deception

Love it or hate it, no one can deny the far-reaching effects of the original Mortal Kombat. In an industry once ruled by the kid-friendly likes of Mario, Duck Hunt, and Zelda, Mortal Kombat burst onto the scene as a revelation of things to come. Suddenly older gamers had a game for them, a game that they didn’t have to be embarrassed to admit they played and with it adult-centric gaming had been born.

With its slick, challenging gameplay, combined with stellar-for-the-time visuals, and of course, the gruesome fatalities the unsuspecting world had a game upon them the likes of which they had never seen. Championed by legions of videogamers and loathed by parents and politicians, MK’s legacy was set in stone pretty early on. However, what people often failed to appreciate with all of the hype of the blood and violence was that underneath its gory exterior was an excellent fighter, which is the sole reason we still play MK today. Aside from a few minor bumps (GameBoy MK) and ill-advised romps into the world of action/adventure games, the series has been forever solid and enjoyable, a tradition carried on ably by Mortal Kombat Deception.

MKD builds upon last year’s solid Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance in almost every conceivable way, leaving fans with a 3-D fighter that can now take its rightful place among the elite of the genre, which is no small feat considering MK’s long, storied history as a 2-D fighter. Since this is a fighting game, it goes without saying that the fighting is the heart and soul of this game, and the first thing fans of the series will want to know is whether or not this game feels like the Mortal Kombat they love. The answer is a resounding yes. From the characters to the intricate strings of combos to the considerable amount of strategy to the arenas and to the fatalities, this game just oozes Mortal Kombat goodness, while adding enough new tweaks and additions to separate itself from the rest of the genre.

Unlike other fighters, where each character has a lone, specific-fighting style, each character in MKD features three styles (of which one is weapons based) that can be switched on the fly in the heat of battle. What is great about this, is that each style is markedly different from the next, featuring their own strengths and weaknesses. This feature adds loads of strategy and a replay factor sadly lacking in most fighters. One aspect that Mortal Kombat has always been known for is its ridiculously long combos, which is well utilized and implanted with the multiple fighting styles. Many of the games most devastating combos feature your character switching styles mid-attack, creating a very rewarding and impressive looking attack. Speaking of combos, a new addition to MKD is the combo breakers, which allows a fighter to interrupt an opponent’s combo string with a counterattack from a simple button combination. This is a great addition, especially for those of us with a knack for finding ourselves in inescapable combos, but there is a catch. You can only use a combo breaker three times within a match, adding yet another layer of strategy to an already strategy-intensive game.

When speaking of the fighting action of a MK game, I would be remiss if I did not make mention of the fatalities, MK’s most despised feature. For gamers not in the know, fatalities are brutal attacks that your fighter can pull off after you have subdued your opponent. Bloody, violent, and gruesome, fatalities are an integral part of the MK mythos and they return in all of their depraved glory in MKD. While they maybe a bit much for some gamers, the over-the-top and inventive ways that the developers have came up with for finishing an opponent, is almost worth the price of admission alone. However, a new wrinkle has been added to the fatalities, the hara-kiri. The hara-kiri is a self-induced fatality, which in effect sees your character committing a gruesome suicide rather than allowing the opponent the pleasure of unleashing a fatality on you. Aside from the moral objections some may have over a feature such as this, it is rather fun especially when battling another human as you each race to input your own fatality.

Also new to MKD is the inclusion of “death traps” in the arenas. These are areas in the arena where a character will be killed instantly, in gruesome manner of course, if they find themselves venturing too close. The death traps range from the spinning, spiked poles we’ve seen in the commercials to acid pits to being crushed by industrial equipment. This is a great new feature incorporating the backgrounds and the arenas into the actual gameplay.

Given the changes and additions made to the fighting aspect of this game, most fans would have likely been more than satisfied with just that; however, Midway wasn’t. Intent on further separating MK from the rest of the pack, a handful of other game modes have been included as well, some of which work much better than others. The biggest, and unfortunately most disappointing, of these modes is the Konquest mode, which is a not-so-subtle nod to Midway’s obsession with creating an action/adventure game within the MK universe. In the Konquest mode, you lead a character known as Shujinko as he traverses the many levels and worlds of MK gathering Koins and keys to be used in the Krypt for unlocking hidden characters and items. The Konquest mode also serves as the game’s training mode, which is far and away its most valuable feature. The Konquest mode plays a pretty substantial role within the game since it is the only way to unlock the hidden fighters, but unfortunately it is devoid of any fun and enjoyment. While the graphics attached to the fighting is outstanding, the graphics of Konquest are absolutely ugly and sparse. But the biggest drawback to it is that it is so long and derivative that most gamers will not have the patience to see it through, especially because it will require numerous trips through it to find many of the extremely well hidden keys.

Luckily the other modes fare much better creating an awesome sense of value and appreciation from the developers for our support. The first of these modes is Chess Kombat which plays out like chess, except that rather than defeating pieces as you would in regular chess, your pieces settle the matter in fisticuffs. Also different than chess is the fact that the board features traps, spells, and spots that provide health power-ups. Brilliant! This game is a lot of fun whether played against the AI or a living opponent and could have been a fully realized budget title all its own. The same can be said for the game’s other mode, the Tetris like Puzzle Kombat. Played out against an opponent, the goal is to bury your foe under an insurmountable pile of blocks with the help of bombs and even special attacks.

Another huge feature that all fans will love is the fact that gamers can battle it out online, whether in the standard versus mode, Chess Kombat, or Puzzle Kombat. The online component of the game performs flawlessly with no discernable lag anywhere within the numerous hours I’ve logged. Which is definitely a good thing considering the almost supernatural sense of timing one needs to pull off even the most basic of combos.

Graphically, this is one of the best looking games in the genre (minus Konquest). The fighters feature an impressive degree of detail and a generous polygon count, which wouldn’t mean a lot if they weren’t so well animated. The movement of the fighters is silky smooth, looking both natural and fluid whether throwing a single punch or pulling off a long string of combo attacks - which is impressive considering the over-the-top nature of most attacks in this games. Also extremely impressive is the arenas in which the fighters duel. Most arenas feature several levels with which to toss or slam opponents, and of course the aforementioned death traps. Like the fighters, the arenas are incredibly detailed and vibrant, showing off impressive amounts of lighting effects. The arenas are far and away some of the best looking and functioning in all of the videogame kingdom.

In the audio department, MK retains its crown as one of the very best sounding fighting games ever. The grunts, groans, cries, thuds, and snaps all carry a surprising amount of depth which really adds to the sensation of finely tuned fighters pummeling the living daylights out of each other. Most developers often overlook the fact that good audio not only adds to ambient experience of the game, but also to the gameplay itself, which was not lost on Midway. You know a developer has nailed it when audible thud of a punch convinces you that you could almost feel it. And the music, heavy on guitar and thundering bass does a great job of setting and maintaining the mood of the game. Overall, the game’s audio is a great triumph.

In closing, MKD is an outstanding game, worthy of its name and history. The fighting is fast and furious, with an almost staggering amount of strategy demanded to be truly good at the game. The additional modes are a nice touch, which really makes MKD feel like a love letter of sorts from the developer to its fans. There is so much material on this disc that it is a game that will still be played long after gamers would have exhausted most other fighters. While it may be too violent and gory for some, and it is certainly not for the younger crowd, it is a game that most gamers will greatly appreciate.

Gameplay: 9.0
This is one slick, smooth playing game with extremely responsive control. The only drawback to the gameplay is the timing required for pulling off the combos. It can grow a little frustrating, but with practice you’ll be pulling off the longest strings without effort. In all, the gameplay stands up favorably to the best in the genre.

Graphics: 9.0 
MKD is not only one of the best-looking fighters to date, but also one of the best-looking games period. Everything from the fighters to the arenas feature painstaking detail and excellent animation. This is definitely an “eye candy” game with substance.

Sound: 9.3
MK has always been known for its sound and MKD does not disappoint. The sound effects are spot on which helps add to the sense of punishing attacks, slams, and throws. The music is also stellar adding great ambiance to the feel and mood of a game. This is a perfect example of audio being a viable tool for taking a game to the next level.

Difficulty: Hard
As far as fighters go, this is a pretty difficult game, if only because you must become proficient in unleashing combos. Most fighters can be easily beaten using the same attacks over and over, and more yet can be dominated with pure, mindless button mashing, but not MKD. Button mashers and those unwilling to take the time to learn the finer points of the engine need not apply.

Concept: 9.0
MKD is one of the most innovative fighters ever. From the three fighting styles for each character to the fatalities to hara-kiri to the danger from the arenas themselves, this isn’t your usual fighting game. Adding to the score is the fact that Midway didn’t stop with just the fighting game, but instead filled the disc with various other, compelling ways to enjoy the game. This is what gamers and consumers love, feeling as if they not only got their money’s worth, but that they just might have gotten a little more than they should have.

Multiplayer: 9.0
Fighting games were made for pummeling friends and foes alike, which is where MKD really shines. There is so much strategy and the unexpected involved when competing against another human that it is one of the truly exhilarating experiences in gaming. The inclusion of combo breaks and death traps insures that no fight is truly over until someone has had their spine ripped from their back.

Overall: 9.1
Overall, MKD is an outstanding game that carries on MK’s celebrated tradition. Improving on last year's excellent Deadly Alliance, MK’s move to three dimensions is finally complete, taking its rightful place among the elite 3-D fighters. For any fan of fighting games, you will absolutely love everything (except Konquest) this game has to offer. The gameplay is riveting and exciting, the visuals and audio some of the best ever, with enough ways to play that will keep you busy for months. The squeamish will definitely want to steer clear and parents will want to steer young gamers away, but for everyone else, this game is an instant classic.