The Grid

"Boon Strikes Back"

While the rumors about future MK5 and discussions of reasons of John Tobias's leaving from Midway were in full swing, all of a sudden for all fans there appeared news: the creator of MK Ed Boon together with the rest of the team worked under a game which had nothing to do with the universe of Mortal Kombat.
So, what new product is being cooked in the kitchen of great Midway? Grid is a three-dimensional shooting game including some explosive elements from Smash TV(veterans knows), Duke Nukem and Quake, mixed with traditionally arcade madness.

The purpose of the game is simple and quite clear, as usual- to smash all the rivals and if possible to do it nicely. To differ it from a classical action, mincing takes place not on the war-bases or in hell space, but on some sporting grounds filled with traps,bonuses and thousands of crazy fans. The matter is that Grid is the most popular tv show transmitted all over the world.(do you remember ''A Running Man''? :) ) At present moment it doesn't seem possible to tell more about the plot, as the game still exists only on arcades(home versions are expected this year: first on Dreamcast, a bit later on ps2, and maybe PC-version) No doubt, however, that Midway's geniuses wont fail.
You shouldn't worry about the graphic-it will take your breath away rather than Quake3 and Heavy Metal. Its a firework of colors, already traditional ''Motion Capture'', a great amount of polygons per each personage, heaps of special effects and the most modern levels from all arcade action! The rumble is held on behalf of the third person. Still the main problem of 3d games is solved- camera operates quite properly and shows the battle field, not the pieces of textures on the walls.(I still suffer of nightmares evoked by Fighting Force2).

Naturally, there is a great deal of secrets and bonuses for the most cunning gamers.I inform my Kombat fellows that there already appeared as secret characters such ''legends'' as Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Noob-Saibot. During the latest chat with Mk/Grid team (by the way, i was present there) the authors hinted at a possibility of support by Dreamcast version in online multi player regime (!!!) and about their plans to develop Grid-universe nearly up to MK volume. (Yes, Midway is Really Great) To all appearances, these are not just words, as on the official grid site(www.thegridgame.com) there already appeared the first part of greatest online-comics(by John Vogel) about adventures of one of the main characters-Chiller.
Besides, it is rumored about making a cartoon series based on the Grid Game

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 05/16/02, Updated 05/16/02