Mortal Kombat [2011] Demo Impressions

“Get over here!“

It has been nearly 20 years since I first heard those three simple words growled out by the iconic fighting game character known as Scorpion, and it still triggers the same kind of carnal excitement it did when I was kid.  After all these years, the arrival of the ninth installment of the Mortal Kombat series is on its way, and with a demo recently released on  the Playstation Network eager gamers have finally been able to get their hands on a first taste of the brutal carnage to come.

The demo gives players the opportunity to play through a limited ladder of opponents using four well known MK characters: Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Johnny Cage, and Mileena.  Each one handles differently and gives you a feel for the type of diversity to come from the full cast of characters, which is already marked at a healthy 26, with the potential for more on the way.

If this demo has done thing right, it’s assured me that this new Mortal Kombat is a return to the game of my youth.  It looks and feels the way a Mortal Kombat should.  The return to 2-D fighting was exactly what the series needed to bring it back from the brink after so many less than spectacular sequels, and the 3-D models and backgrounds keep the look feeling current despite its old-school throwbacks.

For this game the devil is definitely in the details.  Backgrounds are beautifully rendered and alive with movement, and the characters show off the ferocity of their battle through real-time battle damage.  Through each play-through in this demo my character and opponents never ended with the same visible damage twice.  Different combinations of punches and kicks would bruise and cut my opponent, leaving them covered in blood.  Clothing also takes a beating.  Shirts get ripped, masks get broken–even Johnny Cage’s trademark sunglasses cannot escape the brutality of combat.  These little touches keep each fight feeling fresh, a subtle yet significant detail in a game that may demand hundreds of matches throughout your ownership.

By and large, my favorite addition to the series is the X-Ray attacks.  Charge up your power meter far enough and you gain the ability to execute a cinematic attack that zooms in on the your opponent’s internal structure, showing the brutal damage done to bone and organ while inflicting massive damage.  While not only visually pleasing, these attacks can be the key to a late in the game comeback, or a flashy in your face finisher.  A fantastic and original addition to the game that I am sure will be an inspiration in future games within the fighting genre.

Mortal Kombat also has an extra mode where you take on up to 300 different special challenges, but those were unavailable in the demo.

If it has done one thing, this demo has assured me that this new iteration in the Mortal Kombat franchise is visceral and brutal homage to its own controversial origins.  If you miss the fighting games of yesteryear, or are simply in need of some gratuitous gore-porn, then look no further than the release of the full version of this game, due out April 19, 2011.

Played through the Playstation 3, single-player ladder demo at least once with the four available characters, multiple times with some.  Did not try the two-player demo.

If you don’t mind some spoilers, here’s a youtube video depicting some of the new fatalities you’ll be seeing:  http://bit.ly/gjKDdI

Video Game Review: Mass Effect

Title: Mass Effect

Release Date: November 20, 2007 (NA)

Genre: Action Role-Playing Game/Third Person Shooter

Rating: Mature

Platform: Xbox 360 (also available for Windows PC)

Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios

Developer: Bioware

Website: http://masseffect.bioware.com/

Product Link: http://www.amazon.com/Mass-Effect-Xbox-360/dp/B000OLXX86

 

The year is 2183, thirty five years after humanity has discovered the ancient alien technology that makes interstellar space flight possible.  As newcomers to the galactic community, Humans are fighting an uphill battle for respect among the alien races of the galactic council.  As Commander Shepard, you are tasked with chasing down the rogue Turian agent, Saren in order to put an end to the threat of the Geth, a race of sentient robots bent on the galactic destruction.  Your choices and actions will not only affect your own fate, but also that of all humanity.  …Read More…

The Zombie and Modern Gaming

Luke Plunkett over at Kotaku has put up a great feature article covering zombies in video games.  It’s a good read, and he makes a lot of good points and cleveer observations regarding the role that zombies play in the entertainment media.  Check it out.

Zombie!!!  Games of the Living Dead [Kotaku]

Regardless of Color, They’re All Zombies on the Inside

The New York Times has posted a video game review for Resident Evil 5, the latest entry in Capcom’s genre-founding series.  Less of a review and more of a commentary on the controversy surrounding the game’s African setting, Schiesel does an eloquent job of pointing out the simple fact that those swept up in the allegedly racist content could not seem to see:  there were white and Hispanic zombies long before there were African zombies in the series, and all of them required the same treatment.

There’s No Time to Rest Until the Last Zombie in Africa Is Toast [The New York Times]

Street Fighter IV Poll

Street Fighter IV introduces new playable characters to the world tournament scene.  Each has their own personality, fighting style, and aesthetic presence.  I want to know who strikes your fancy.

 

 

Leave comments discussing you choices.  I want the reason behind your picks.  Personally, I am most glad that Gouken was added into the roster.  Considering how significant of a character he is, his appearance is well past due.

Video Game Review: Street Fighter IV

Title: Street Fighter IV

Genre: Fighting

Rating: Teen

Platform: Xbox 360 (also available for Playstation 3 and Windows PC)

Publisher: Capcom

Developer(s): Dimps/Capcom

Website

Product Link

Prepare yourselves, fight fans! The world warriors return in the latest addition to the franchise that fathered the fighting genre as we know it.  In Street Fighter IV, Capcom trims the fat that has built up over the years and brings the series back to the roots that made Street Fighter II into such an immense hit in the first place, while adding enough new elements to give the game a fresh approach. New recruits will likely find a satisfying and memorable introduction to the series, while returning veterans will be welcomed back by nostalgic gameplay with a modern twist.  …Read More…

Movie Review: Watchmen

Over twenty years have passed since Alan Moore’s legendary comic book Watchmen first flew off the presses.  Since then, the series has come to be regarded as a milestone in the history of graphic novels.  Its effects spread across all demographics, creating as much of a stir in the comic world as it did in the literary world.   Was Director Zack Snyder able to pull off the unthinkable and create a powerful cinematic version of a worshipped series?  Or, would his film fall short and go the way of so many other comic-movie upsets (cough, Daredevil, Ghost Rider, cough)?

Finishing Strong: The Importance of a Satisfying Ending

by Michael Moreno

Storytelling plays a vital role in the world of video gaming.  A story, regardless of how feeble it may be, gives the player a purpose.  It is a driving force that validates their progression from level to level.  The story provides you with your goal–an ultimate achievement which ensures that if you reach a point of frustration, you steel yourself and press onward instead of throwing down the controller and walking away. 

Unfortunately, sometimes developers forget that the falling action of a video game’s story can be just as important to achieving a feeling of success and accomplishment as the rising action and climax.

The Blurring Line Between Gaming and Cinema

by Michael Moreno

Something I have noticed more and more in next-gen titles is the tendency for game developers to create games with a cinematic feel to them.  It used to be that the most cinematic portion of any given game came during whatever cut-scenes it might have had.   Now it seems that it is just as important in modern video games to make the player feel as if they are watching a movie as much as they are playing a game.

Video Game Review: BioShock

 

Title: BioShock

Genre: First-Person Shooter

Rating: Mature

Platform: Xbox 360 (also available for Playstation 3 and Windows PC)

Publisher: 2K Games

Developer: 2K Boston/2K Australia

Website

Product Link

 

Take a deep breath and get ready to dive down to the bottom of the ocean in 2K’s First-Person Shooter, BioShock. Set at the turn of the decade in 1960 you assume the role of Jack, sole survivor of a plane crash in the middle of the ocean. Upon resurfacing, you find yourself near a building surrounded by miles of endless water. With nowhere else to turn, you enter the mysterious structure, finding a bathysphere that transports you to an underwater city known as Rapture. Within you find a world in ruin; a fallen utopia where you will have to fight for survival against its crazed denizens while attempting to discover the truth behind its downfall.  …Read More…