Mortal Kombat 4

"It's not all that bad..."

I honestly can't believe the Mortal Kombat series has lasted this long. Not that I dislike the games, in fact I like them quite a bit, it just seemed to me the series peaked with Mortal Kombat Trilogy (a combination of the first three titles). Plus, Mortal Kombat is probably one of the single most simples fighting games ever created. It was then that they tried to take Mortal Kombat into a new direction with Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub Zero. After that game's dismal failure, I was sure Mortal Kombat was no more. And then I heard about Mortal Kombat 4. The series is again being moved into a new direction: 3D. This scared me more than anything because Midway's last attempt at 3D was War Gods *shudder*.

As with all fighting games, Mortal Kombat 4 doesn't really have a central story line, but rather individual stories that center on each fighter. However, each story seems to have a common thread, that of a being named Shinnok. It seems that Shinnok is a banished Elder God who has escaped his prison and seeks to exact revenge against all living things. Raiden gathers the best warriors from various realms to combat this latest threat.

The graphics for Mortal Kombat 4 on the Nintendo 64 are impressive. While not as polygon heavy as its arcade dwelling big brother (which sports over 3,000 polygons for each character), the console versions do well to impress you. Each character animates smoothly and quickly, while still showing a fair amount of detail. The backgrounds are also pretty good, but not nearly as cool as the stages of Mortal Kombat 3. The stage fatalities are interesting enough though.

Mortal Kombat's sound has remained unchanged since Mortal Kombat 2, and the fourth installment of the series offers nothing new. Same voice-acting style, same yells, same hit effects; really nothing original to be found here. The music is also largely unimpressive, rarely even noticeable while your playing the game and forgettable after you're done. Still, it's really no more than I expected, so I can't say I'm too disappointed.

Controls are also the same, which is thankfully a blessing, as you have nothing new to learn except the actual commands for special moves. Mortal Kombat 4 has actually improved the responsiveness of its predecessors, making the game easier to handle. Even on the N64's poor excuse for a fighting game's controller, Mortal Kombat is a breeze to play. Just don't be surprised if you have troubles pulling off a quick Fatality, that takes some time to adjust too...

You have to give them credit for really trying their best to design Mortal Kombat for 3D fighting. For the series' first time in the third dimension, it plays surprisingly well and implements a few interesting features (like the weapons system). Thank the maker that Babalities and Friendships have been removed in order to take the series back to its blood-soaked roots.

There are a few hidden extras in Mortal Kombat 4 for the more diligent players to find. Aside from the Stage Fatalities, there are also alternate costumes for each of the Komatants, some of which are quite interesting and original. There are also a few hidden characters to find, one of which is the obligatory 'ninja-of-all-trades' whom is named Meat. Mortal Kombat 4 will offer you a few surprised, but nothing that will bowl you over.

Mortal Kombat 4 is a great game, especially on a system that lacks any real fighting games. If you're a fan of Mortal Kombat, you'll love it. If all you own is an N64, you should get it just to have a good fighting game in your collection.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 08/12/09

Game Release: Mortal Kombat 4 (US, 06/23/98)