Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (PS2) Review
Posted by Andrew Mellick on 10.18.2006
Mortal Kombat is claiming Armagedddon is eminent for the franchise. Who will live and who will die? Is this game fun enough to make you want to find out? Andrew Mellick has all these answers and more in the final MK for this generation of consoles.
Title: Mortal Kombat Armageddon System review: Playstation 2 Company: Midway Release: October 10th, 2006 Rated: Mature (M)
I’ve been a fan of Mortal Kombat for quite some time. When I heard they were making another game I was excited. When I heard that it would include every fighter in the MK universe I was ecstatic. When I heard it was called Armageddon because it would tie up many loose ends and finish off many characters I was elated.
Now could this game live up to the hype it had created for me and countless other fans? Could this game appeal to this new generation of gamers and reinvent MKA? Read on to find out what emotion starting with E I was feeling after I played MKA.
Synopsis
When you first pop in the game you are treated to a nice little video which sums up the meaning behind the Armageddon title.
The setting is a desert, empty and desolate. A buzzard is picking at a dead warrior’s carcass, when the ground begins to rumble. Dust kicks up in the distance on either side. As the earth shakes two walls of warriors collide in battle. We see game favorites Goro, Scorpion, Sub Zero, Raiden, and more battle on as a voice over tells us of these warriors endless blood lust.
Long story short, the elder gods erect a pyramid and at the top is a warrior named Blaze. All the warriors have to battle each other to get a shot at him. Thus, the Mortal Kombat begins again.
Graphics
Graphically the game is on par with the previous Deception. It feels like it is running off of the same engine. While not the biggest upgrade, the graphics are tweaked in a few areas. Levels look nicer than the last go around. The colors are more vibrant than some of the drab brownish looking levels in Deception.
Don’t expect any change in the violence. MKA is still a very bloody and messy game. What is funny with this game though is that since there are so many characters that are not human they spew different color blood, which almost makes the game feel less violent.
For example, ripping off arms isn’t nearly as grotesque looking when that particular fighter spills green blood. It’s more like some kind of creepy Nickelodeon game.
Gameplay:
Arcade and Verses mode:
The basic gameplay is much the same as last time. Most fighters have two fighting styles, one with a weapon and one without. Some of the larger characters have no weapon but do they really need them?
What is amazing about the gameplay is the balance. My friend and I played a good many times against each other and found that the fighters all matched up evenly. This is quite a feat considering the number of fighters and the crazy attributes some of them have.
For example, we had a battle between Goro and Liu Kang. Despite Goro’s size advantage and Kang’s speed advantage, the fight was balanced nicely. Kang was able to use his speed to get in on Goro for some damage and conversely Goro was able to use his strength to power out of some combos.
This balance is something rarely seen in other fighters and makes all 62 fighters actually worth trying.
Fatalities are done in a whole new way this time around. Rather than assigning one or two finishers per combatant, you can create you own. When you have dispatched your opponent a meter appears at the top of the screen that slowly drains. You have this much time to string together as many moves as you can. Once the time runs out the fatality will be executed (get it?).
At first I wasn’t a fan of this but once I got the hang of it I really enjoyed it. I mean the possibilities are endless. I can kick a guy in the balls rip off his arms and beat him with them or slap him before I rip out his spine. Whatever I want to do, I’m only limited by my own sick mind.
Single Player Mode
The action/adventure side of the game offers a different form of gameplay. It’s a good idea, seeing as you have to go against as many as 4 or 5 nameless ninjas at a time. The controls are fine here. I would have liked to have seen a lock on system. Sometimes you can get started on a combo and go the wrong direction for a while, swinging violently at the air, while the ninjas stare on in disbelief. This can get quite frustrating.
But the overall single player adventure mode is fun. You are tutored a little bit but it’s not nearly as agonizing as Deception’s learn-every-fighter’s-moves, tutorial.
There is a lot to find in your travels. Alternate costumes, new arenas, new items to use in the create a fighter mode (more on that later) and the like. These items range from, incredibly easy to insanely difficult to find. So going through the single player mode a few times is worth it.
Kreate a Fighter
This is where MKA really outdoes itself. It’s so much more than picking between a few faces and outfits and renaming the character.
You can virtually build a character from the ground up. Create what type of character (human, undead, Tarkata, Geisha assassin, etc.) you want to be, his or her size, outfit, look, fighting styles, particular moves, weapons, name, and history. There are literally millions of different combinations to choose from.
Many of the items are not available to you right way, they can be found in the single player mode. Or if you don’t feel like scouring the world of single player, you can buy these items at a reasonable price.
Motor Kombat
You can call it cheesy if you want to, but my friends and I had a blast playing this. There are special moves a la Mario kart, speed bursts, and level fatalities to add to the fun. The tracks are big and diverse. It may not be something you play by yourself all the time, but get some friends together and give it a shot. It can be quite addictive.
Sound:
The sound is good. Basic Mortal Kombat with lots of Ninja “hiya”’s and various other grunts. The music is intense and adds to the feel of the game. The single player mode voice acting is somewhat humorous. The main character in particular is amusing. He fights brutally and finishes off his opponent by ripping off his head and then he spouts some fruity line about “I do not understand this task but I will complete it for father.” But it’s not so much lame as it is over the top funny.
Lasting Appeal:
Between create a fighter, Motor Kombat, creating a fatality, a single player world full of goodies to explore and over 60 characters to beat the game with there is a ton of lasting appeal to this game.
Fun Factor:
This is a great way to exit this generation of consoles. There is tons of new stuff to try out. It’s fun and addictive.
Mellick’s gaming tip
Learn defense. This game really does a great job capitalizing on fighting defense. A well timed block can lead into an opening for a crazy combo. Breakers can help throw off your opponent’s timing giving you a chance to regain your composure. Finally parries can leave you’re opponent open for that devastating final blow. We aren’t talking about the lame, stand and block for 90% of the fight, we are talking about quick blocks into combos, a quick side step, or a breaker to halt an attack. With all these new weapons at your disposal, playing defense can actually be fun!
Graphics
8.0
Solid graphics. Colors are more vibrant than previous releases.
Gameplay
8.5
The controls are solid. The edition of new defenses and create a fatality make this one of the most unique MK's to date.
Sound
8.0
The sound is good, voice acting is a bit over the top but the music is frenetic and will get your blood going.
Lasting Appeal
8.5
With 62 fighters to choose from, kreate a fighter, motor kombat, single player adventure, and all kinds of unlockables, there is plenty to keep you busy.
Fun Factor
8.5
This game is good fun. You can make virtually anyone you want in the kreate a fighter mode, access to all the characters in the MK universe, and motor kombat make this one of the most fun MK's I have ever played.
