Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

"This is not for weak, pathatic, fools!"

When I heard that Midway was doing another action/adventure game featuring the MK cast, I kinda figured... well.... welcome to the twenty dollars or less bin. boy was I wrong. I went out, bought it ( mainly 'cause of the unlockable MK II port ) and started playing. Fun times were here! Granted it's short, but that's fine. So on with the review!

Story - 8.5 / 10
It's Mortal Kombat I through the end of II, but it ties up most of the loose ends. In fact, I can't think of anything they did wrong. But it's pretty good anyway. you don't even need to know the back story to the series.... but who doesn't?

Graphics - 8 / 10
The graphics have small bugs. As an example, when your fighting Shang Tsung and he transforms back to his actual form, he may have a white head. Funny, but kind of distracting.

Gameplay - 15 / 10
Yeah, that's right, fifteen out of ten. I enjoyed it that much, as did everyone who has played it with me. The actual story mode ( either Single or Ko-op ) is great. Ko-op is actualy harder. Play it and find out the pains of sharing a life gauge. The versus mode plays well too. Limited characters ( and that's if you find 'em all ), but great times. Kinda plays like.... a Tekken game, or a way, way, WAY better version of Marvel Nemesis ( if you enjoyed that game, go hurt yourselves with a toaster. Yeah, put your fingers down there and keep 'em there, you don't need 'em ). The bonus of playing the perfect arcade port of MK II, is that it plays that way, perfect port.

Sounds/ Music - 7 / 10
Hearing Lui Kang make Bruce Lee noises for roughly four hours makes you wanna drop kick your ear drums. Kung Lao isn't so bad, and Sub-Zero and Scorpion just rock. ( you unlock the last two buy finishing the game with the first two. Story mode only. Got to find 'em for versus. )

Tilt - About an hour
Your skills can be upgraded as wll as your basic combos, thus changing your overall combos. Trust me, it changes it. My highest combo was 87 at the beginning of the game after upgrading Lui Kangs uppercut. Nice, huh?

Overall - 9 / 10
Like any other game, it has it's faults. Shao Khan is a nut when you first fight 'em. Then way to easy when your used to him. That's about it, the bosses were great, some levels were a pain in the @$$, and the combos were freakin' AWSOME. if you enjoy any form of action/adventure games or you enjoy any MK games, it's for you, and even if you don't go rent it. You'll enjoy this.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/10/05