NAME: MORTAL KOMBAT : DEADLY ALLIANCE
ESRB: M = MATURE
PLATFORM: PLAYSTATION 2 (PS2)
FORMAT: 1 DVD-ROM
GENRE: EXAGGERATED ARCADE FIGHTING
PUB/DEV: MIDWAY/MIDWAY
MAX PLAYERS: TWO

Mortal Kombat : Deadly Alliance (DA) is the latest game in the MK series, this latest incarnation being a console only title. With the MK license reaching its golden years can Midway make DA fresh enough to capture fighting fans again? The loss of John Tobias was a major blow to the production of the game, but the show had to go on. And this one is worthy of an Oscar.

CONTROL

WHAT WAS GOOD:

DA has a control scheme that is both responsive and sensible. Regardless of what platform you own, this game handles smoothly. The fighting is broken up into “canned” (Buttons are pressed in a certain order to produce a combo.) combos and special moves, and doing them is a breeze. Button response is very fast, so getting the moves out and doing your damage is more fluid and can offer a deeper strategy to the fighters. But the system also allows you to input the buttons slowly or at least slower than the norm. This offers much to the average gamer that doesn’t learn the combos by heart or those of us who aren't very quick with our hands. (I would thank you to make your own comment on that one)

WHAT REALLY SUCKED:

Now despite the fact that DA has a smooth and responsive control set-up it still has its flaws, the biggest being the “canned” combos. With DA opting for simulation in the fighting itself the games controls leave little room for any kind of error. Now the slower button inputs make this problem less noticeable, but some combos make no sense or contain button combinations that have no function on what character your using. On top of that, DA has a tendency to make your character slower than the opponent. So while you sidestep at a normal speed they go three or four times faster! Also being a game that uses a "block" button doesn’t help the fighting when you have to press R2 or suffer a massive attack, but in turn give up your chance to pull of a massive combo because your holding the button down.

{OVERALL CONTROL : B }

GAME PLAY

WHAT WAS GOOD:

As far as fighting games go, DA is quite possibly the most streamlined of its particular genre. The fusion of real fighting techniques and over-the-top gore effects has reached a whole new plane. While still not the masterpiece of fighting that Tekken or Virtua Fighter franchises have become, DA can easy stand on its own (or at least until Tao Fang: Fist of the Lotus comes out). The solid fighting is also accompanied by a varied and simple to perform list of fatalities. Some fatalities are down right gruesome, while others will probably make you laugh until you crap yourself.

WHAT REALLY SUCKED:

Ed Boon must have thought he was really funny, but I tell you it just isn’t even a joke in my eyes. The AI in DA (confusing, no?) is quite possibly the most sinister and cheap one I have ever come across. Not only does the computer have the almost god-like powers to you crush in exactly one second (The poorly set up combos of the game are partially to blame), but they also seem to have extra things that you don’t; even when using the same character! One such flaw is the side stepping, you can side step at a respectable rate, however the computer can go to warp 9 and beyond. On top of that, the computer uses nothing but its biggest combos. Getting into the later stages on any other difficulty than easy may be enough to cause a migraine (mostly from you yelling at the TV and calling your CPU driven opponent a “ cheap bastard “). These flaws can be taken into account, one of two ways; One an attempt to challenge you further so that even the most hardcore fighting gamer will be sent away in tears. Or Two, just an obviously poor decision by the developers who probably never play tested the difficulty levels themselves.

{OVERALL GAMEPLAY = B}

GRAPHICS

WHAT WAS GOOD:

The days of digitized actors are long gone, say hello to pretty polygons that don’t look like crap on a console. DA is a stunning game visually, the slick character models and well-designed costumes compliment the robust engine running the game. Neither a polygon nor bit of texture is out of place on any of the 20 characters. The new costumes range from entirely new perspectives all the way to simple re-hashes of old uniforms. The levels are equally impressive, it is unfortunate that very little interaction goes in these arenas of death, but considering the sheer amount of polygons on screen at one time it is a sacrifice that had to be made. But where DA really shines is in its presentation, and more specifically its gore. Blood trickles or pours down your body when wounded and forms in a pool beneath your feet, faces get bruised and scarred (just like in Ready to Rumble, only much, much better).

WHAT REALLY SUCKED:

Though the gore is quite awesome, many promises never made their way into the game, not the PS2 version at any rate. The tearing clothes and body scars are not present in this version. Mostly due to the limited power of Sony's aging behemoth of a system. But if that wasn’t enough, the characters (Though Beautiful) move like stilted fighters at a karate meet. The moves don’t have any affect on your movement, they are very rigid and at times don’t suit the character that uses them. Many of the moves look quite harmless and Midway, it seems, just made the response to being hit by these moves over the top. Most likely so you wouldn’t notice just how robotic and stiff the animation is. At times a character will hang in the air for a second or two, just because no landing animation was really made for the move. Something of a disappointment, and a rather substantial one at that.

{OVERALL GRAPHICS : A }

RE-PLAY

WHAT WAS GOOD:

As a fighting game DA doesn’t have much re-play value to it, it is much like all other fighting games in requirement of a second player to make the game have any re-play. However with the addition of the gambling system and the training mode and the Krypt (An area of the game where you buy things with the “ Koins “ you earn in training and Verses and Arcade modes) the game is made much more fun to the gamer seeking an extended fighter. Also the Training mode, which has been titled “ Konquest “ expands the story of each character as the CPU trains you in the important moves for each fighter.

WHAT REALLY SUCKED:

Well, if you don’t have anyone to play, and you have completed the Konquest, and Arcade modes the you are pretty much up shit-creek without a paddle. There really isn’t anything else to be done (Unless you need a Frisbee, then you shall atleast get another two or three hours out of the game at minimum)

{OVERALL RE-PLAY : C }

STORY

WHAT WAS GOOD:

Quan Chi has found a way to escape the Nether realm, and in doing so has brought with him two Oni (Japanese demons). On top of that he has also discovered an un-defeatable army known to have served under the mysterious Dragon King. Seeking out Shang Tsung , Quan Chi has formed an alliance with the sorcerer, and the two have killed both Shao Khan and Kung Lao. It is up to a group of mortal fighters and some not so human people to stop them, by any means necessary. Now attending a tournament for only the strongest fighters in the known realms, Quan Chi and Shang Tsung are harvesting the falling warriors souls to fuel the Un-Defeatable army of the long forgotten Dragon King. It going to be one hell of a ride.

WHAT REALLY SUCKED:

I can’t say this story has any problems, a little cheesy but no more than any of the other Mortal Kombat games in the franchise.

{OVERALL STORY : A }

THE SKINNY

Not exactly a perfect game, but hardly a bad one. Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance offers a lot to anyone who is fan of the series. And it is a great place to start for anyone new to the franchise. Fun, fast and furious, it would be quite the challenge to find a better fighting game in the same vein. Now shake hands and come out decapitating.

CONTROLS = B GAME PLAY = B GRAPHICS = A RE-PLAY = C STORY = A

I GIVE MORTAL KOMBAT : DEADLY ALLIANCE : 4 out of 5

The verbal description...

4 out of 5 = A PURCHASE THAT WOULD MAKE YOU SEEM SMARTER THAN YOU REALLY ARE!

Editor's Bloody Note: Being an old fan of the franchise myself, I couldn't agree with Kevin more. This game brings back a horde of favorites and has enough to keep even the most hardcore gamer busy for a LONG period of time! Just something weird I thought I should mention, anyone ELSE notice the bizarre amount of breast bouncing?? Wow! Even gelatin doesn't jiggle quite like THAT. On an entirely different note sadly, despite Limb's obvious excitement for the game's release... Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus looks great, but I have to go with the majority of reviewers on this... it looks great, but is really just another overpriced coaster which doubles as an awful game. You're better off with a solid game like MKDA.

-Tekyu ^_^