Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance

"Deadly Alliance...The Final Nail In the MK Koffin?.."

(This is a review of the PlayStation 2 version of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, but seeing as all three versions [GCN, Ps2 and Xbox] are so similar with only minor graphical upgrades, this review can be generalized for all three versions.)

Just about everyone can remember the craze in the early 90s when Midway released its mythological fighter, Mortal Kombat which took gore-filled games to an all new level. MK was not adored for its deep combat system but it was embodied as a classic because of its easy pick up and plays nature. Anyone could walk over to an MK machine in the arcade and bash the crap out of the joysticks and buttons, which was cool because you didn’t have to be a vet to be a master.

After its huge success in the arcades Probe Entertainment took up developing rights and brought MK over to consoles (SNES and Genesis), where it enjoyed a rivalry between the highly followed Street Fighter series. After MK came the heavily anticipated MK2 an even gorier, larger game in general, which really took the series to the next level and is still arguably the best in the series. After MK2 it seems as though Midway lost the urge to innovate, and the MKs were being fired out as fast as flapjacks from Mrs. Butterworth’s kitchen.

The series was being defaced by ***** spin-offs, and it led to it eventually being submerged into the forgotten graveyard of gaming.

E3 2001, Midway’s booth seemed to be growing larger and larger in audience, something BIG was going to be shown. Suddenly the lights dimmed and the bass shook the floor, and the showroom went in an uproar as a resurrected MK was displayed.

Hype surrounding this game was mixed, all because of the stagnant taste MK3 and 4 left in the mouths of even the biggest followers of the franchise. I myself was skeptical to say the least, but I’m glad to tell you all, that Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance is a step in the right direction for the series, all thanks to the MK Master Ed Boon.

Graphics- 8.0

When it was unveiled at E3 2001, MK looked unbelievable. The thing is that after E3 in late 2001 gamers were being treated to technical masterpieces in Devil May Cry, Halo, Metal Gear Solid 2, Star Wars: Rogue Leader and Final Fantasy 10. So the look of MK is definitely dated, but that’s not going against it too much. The particle effects incurred by projectile attacks and vicious impacts are bone marrow jolting, and the real time lighting show is simply superb.

Character and level designs are well detailed but not as high poly, and detailed as those seen in games like Tekken 4 and Virtua Fighter 4. The levels feel alive, and are a treat to just stare at (don’t do it to long or you’ll be impaled) . In one level, souls of warriors captured by Shang Tsung are flying towards the screen wailing as if they were going to jump out of the screen and into your bewildered body. This game has a nice graphical style, and is what you’d expect the original MK to look like on today’s generation of consoles.

Gameplay- 8.0

This incarnation of the MK series sports an all-new game engine, you can actually create combos *gasp*!!! The combo system in MK A is one you’ll either love or hate. I personally found it frustrating in a respect, because it’s somewhat linear and you can’t create your own combos as freely as games like the DoA2 and 3, or Virtua Fighter. But then there’s a part of me that loves the gameplay mechanic in MK A that allows you to switch techniques on the fly, it’s the only part of the gameplay that really challenges your skills.

Each character has 3 techniques, 2 hand-to-hand techniques and one weapon technique, these techniques are switched by pressing the L1 button during a combo, and the results can be gore-tastic. Some characters can actually be used very strategically; Sub Zero and Kitana are among some of the characters that can actually impale their opponents with their weapon(s), and can follow it up by blocking every move their impaled opponent throws, until the impaled dies from extensive blood loss.

The MK series always got a bad rap from parents because of its over the top gore and violence, especially for its extremely exaggerated fatalities. MK A may not be as revolutionary in the gore department as its predecessors were because of games released prior to Deadly Alliance, that have somewhat desensitized us to gore in games. The return of fatalities is very welcome because they’re the only kind of –ality you fill find in the game.

No more ridiculous Babalities, Friendships, etc. Those features were related to the downfall in fanbase for the series. Fatalities have also been accentuated dramatically in a humorous sense. Personally I enjoy Sub Zero’s finisher most. He reaches into the back of his opponent, and as the opponent shrieks in pain Sub rips out their entire skeleton leaving them as a deflated folded mattress of flesh. It would have been nice to see more variety, and multiple fatalities per character in Deadly Alliance, because you can only laugh at someone getting their head yanked off so many times..

There are quite a few modes in Deadly Alliance, Konquest Mode (Campaign), Versus, Arcade (ladder style gameplay like in original MKs) and the Krypt. Konquest mode sees your character go through rigorous training with different masters, following varying perspectives of all characters at the time of the “Deadly Alliance”.

During Konquest, you train and learn moves for your character, which earns you Kurrency. You can go to the Krypt with this Kurrency and purchase cool comic strips, new characters, new outfits, etc for your enjoyment. The Krypt is extremely large and consists of 676 caskets; each one is to be opened by a certain kind of Kurrency. Versus mode is the basic player 1 vs player 2 deathmatch, and Arcade mode is the very nostalgic MK ladder gameplay which was either loved or hated by many arcade-goers and console owners.

This incarnation of the series is definitely more refined for fighting game fans, with only some minor hitches and a level of balance that can sometimes be questionable. All in all it is definitely the most challenging MK to master, and easily the funniest due to its deep character and sense of humor.

Story- 8.5

The fighting game genre is one that is not renowned for its deep and compelling stories, MK tries its hardest to change that with its mythological approach, and in most departments it does this magnificently well. The story of this MK is the two evil sorcerers Shang Tsung and Quan Chi have agreed to work together against the powers of good, and form a “Deadly Alliance”.

Quan Chi recruits Shang Tsung, because of his ability to capture souls of the fallen. Quan Chi wants Tsung to capture souls of the greatest warriors of Earth and implant them into the decrepit carcasses of soldiers of the dead army. The opening cinema to show their unity is one of great surprise, because a fan favorite is executed dramatically, you’ll have to play the game to find out whom I speak of :-P.

Sound-7.5

The music in this game is pretty average for a fighting game, rather its forgettable. I’m very disappointed at the fact that the original Mortal Kombat techno mix didn’t make the game. It would have stepped up the ante in Kombat and compelled you to crush your opponents heart into the ground until he or she screams for you to stop…uhh…back to the review..

The general sound effects aren’t much special or revolutionary, but they are acceptable for the generic fighting game. There are the usual grunts, shrieks and screams and impact noises. In fact the only thing the sound in MK is good at is giving you a sense of impact and pain. When you slash someone with a sword, it sounds as it should very bloodcurdling, or if you bludgeon someone with a stick it is perfect in the head-splitting sense.

Controls- 8.5

MK A has solid control and it goes only with a few faults. At a few instances the response times in between button taps can be off which can lead you to being punished by your opponent, this is evident when learning how to string large combos together during Konquest mode. Apart from that hitch the buttons are configured in a convenient manner and are easy to learn, once you learn how to switch in between techniques using the L1 button you’ll be well on your way to “Grand Master”.

Fun Factor and Replay Value- 8.0

Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance is a fighting game with quite a lot of extras features; in fact I believe it has the most unlockables of any fighting game to date. It has multiple modes, many characters all with their different styles and weapons, a behind the scenes look of the making of Deadly Alliance and a music video for the game called “Immortal” by the Nu Metal band Adema.

The gameplay mechanics are new to everyone, so everyone will have to adapt to the new MK way, and it fits masterfully. Chaining gruesome combos together is fantastic and breaking a rib from laughter during a fatality is funnier than seeing George W. Bush addressing the citizens of the USA, by making his own words up. Deadly Alliance is a game with enough fun and replay value to last you a significant amount of time, which is always appreciated in a genre as stale as the latest Simpson’s episodes.

Overall- 48.5/60= 8/10 (rounded out)

MK fans rejoice, Deadly Alliance breathes life back into the decaying soul of this beloved franchise. Deadly Alliance provides gamers with a solid presentation, great replay value, good sound, and intuitive gameplay that anyone can get used to. It may not be the best fighter out there, but it is definitely a step in the right direction for a series with such a background behind it.

Mortal Kombat fans should make this a definite purchase, and gamers new to the series should definitely check it out by rental. Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance combines the strengths of the series into one nice package of blood, guts and personality which is what the genre is all about.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 03/10/03, Updated 03/10/03