Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

"Special"

It is no secret to Mortal Kombat fans that past games in their beloved series which have ventured outside of the fighting stable have been less than stellar, to put it mildly. Most of us who enjoy the legacy of Mortal Kombat tend to shun those abominations from our thoughts. Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks however, gives us a strong reason to hold our heads up in pride. Do not however, take the impression that this game is only for those who are familiar with the franchise itself, this is a game that has potential to be entertaining to the masses. It brings in a fresh concept and is executed fairly well. While it does have its flaws Shaolin Monks has finally shown the gaming community that Mortal Kombat is not limited in any field.

One of the first aspects the player will notice is how Shaolin Monks differs from previous Mortal Kombat games. However, if this is your first foray into the series you won't take much notice to anything really. As an Action/Adventure game it features somewhat of a linear path but expansive nonetheless. You have an option to play through the main story mode by yourself or Ko-Op with another player. Ko-Op is actually stressed more than solo, as throughout the game the player will encounter areas that require a second Kombatant to participate in order to unlock the secrets they wield. This is one of the few nuisances the game presents, as playing with a friend and whatnot may not always be an option, and you cannot unlock everything playing by yourself. The game is still very enjoyable and provides solid hours of entertainment.Just wandering aimlessly throughout the various realms slaying all that oppose you is unforgettable in itself. Boss battles can be very difficult if your unprepared and take numerous hits without dishing some out in return. At times however, you may find yourself swamped with foes surrounding you and the only way to survive is by clever tactics and a decent sense of understanding with the control scheme. Shaolin Monks does retain the element of control from its Mortal Kombat ancestors. Your actions are mapped on the four main buttons and you also have a special meter which you use by holding down the Right Trigger and combine with various buttons to create a desired effect (Id Est, Fireball, Flying Kick, Hat Toss). With some effort, one can learn to master the controls and once this is achieved you will be dishing out punishment in countless ways like its second nature.

Mortal Kombat has been known for many things, typically storyline is not always featured first and foremost though. Compared to other games in the same genre it is deep and enthralling. As an Action/Adventure game, Shaolin Monks presumably gives more focus to the story being told rather than the punches being thrown. For those that are not familiar with the original Mortal Kombat or its sequel will not find any trouble in understanding the basic plot. Those that are very knowledgeable of these games will notice a difference in how events play out. The basic story takes place just after the conclusion of the Mortal Kombat tournament, where Liu Kang and Kung Lao were successful in defending Earth Realm from the greedy clutches of the sorcerer Shang Tsung. Upon the climax of this tournament our heroes find themselves being pulled into another conflict with Shang Tsung and his minions. This is a second tournament and much more hangs in the balance than before, along with an even deeper plot. In many ways this was a new experiment for the series, and I can certainly see a continuation of the tale told in Shaolin Monks.

This is an area that Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks tends to come up shorter in. While I do not argue the character models look impressive and the music is of usual above-average Mortal Kombat quality, both areas could use some polish. The graphics are decent enough but during this time in the Xbox's life cycle they could be sharpened and with better detail. Nonetheless, Fatality gore is depicted well and foreground and background details are very lucid. Audio is more or less the same as the graphical quality, in the sense that it could improve. Character voices are done up to par but at times the lines spoken by actors are just plain cheesy. Some are also very questionable but I'll let you discover them on your own. It doesn't drag the entire game down but it does provide awkward moments. This can be easily remedied in future installments though, just with more attention given to these areas.

Shaolin Monks is relatively lengthly. It is not a game you can speed through in a few hours on your first or maybe even second playthrough. If the perfectionist inside of you takes over it will be even longer to complete all of the numerous side quests that are inside of the game. Throughout your campaign a completion percentage will be displayed and don't expect this to be an easy accomplishment to fully best. The Kontent inside this game is so massive that you may very well not discover everything for a long time (Unless your very determined). This adds a nice layer of depth to the game and of course, longevity to an already expansive adventure. Replay Value is also high enough to a satisfactory extent. Once you unlock all of the additional content you are treated to decent multiplayer, not the best around but so-so at the least. Character selection for multiplayer isn't as broad as it is in past Mortal Kombat games but the pool in which you can draw finishing moves from has increased. If anything, the multiplayer feels like an add-on rather than a full-fledged feature.

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is a game you would purchase if your interested in completing everything for the long run. If your too impatient and would just rather beat the game to say you beat it then rent it. This game was a stepping stone for Midway and its flagship franchise, and its moderate success has proved that there is still an interest for the expansion of Mortal Kombat. With some fine tuning here and there with the graphics and sound this game could've been a titan. If Midway decides to continue in the direction Shaolin Monks is going it will be mysterious, entertaining, intriguing and what we should get out of our video games today - enjoyment

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/21/06, Updated 05/16/08

Game Release: Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (US, 09/16/05)