You have no idea what kind of awesome fight you’re in for. So we have many highlights from our trip at the Game Developers Conference – saw a bunch of old friends, attended some crazy parties (Google was particularly insane), and played a lot of terrific games. Among our highlights was the opportunity to stop by the Mortal Kombat suite hosted by WB Games, where the company was showcasing two different versions of the game – the Xbox 360 edition with a Tournament Stick installed and the PlayStation 3 version in frickin’ 3-D. So, no matter which way you go, you’ll have a beautiful, bloody fight on your hands. Let’s start with the PS3 version. This one had all the characters unlocked from the get-go, though the final game may require you to unlock certain ones as you progress forward (including Kratos, who, sadly, was not shown.) We did notice a couple of new fighters in the pack, but the only one we can mention at this point is Jade, armed with a deadly bo staff. Other fighters made a return as well, including long-time favorites Liu Kang, Johnny Cage and Scorpion – who’s still cheap as shit.
Anyway, the 3-D effect is spectacular with Mortal Kombat. You actually feel like you’re being sucked into this dark world, feeling its foreboding tone as you pummel opponents into oblivion. The effect is great without being distracting, and a primary reason to get the PS3 version, as it’s exclusive to it. Even if you go with the 360 version, however, you’ll find that the graphics have been updated very well at Netherrealm Studios, and the animations, particularly the close-up X-Ray attacks, are nothing short of mesmerizing. Watching skulls and bones break is something you simply have to do here. And there’s tons of the red stuff around. Blood splashes onto the ground and your characters in real time, and looks fantastic. Mature-rated, indeed. We also managed to try out some of the new modes in the game. The Challenge Tower is a wicked 300-plus-challenge line-up, where you must complete certain goals before you can proceed to the next one. It’s kind of like what Soul Calibur did a few years ago, only more varied – and way more bloody.
Some challenges are better than others, and most of them consist of particular characters you can’t get around (Sonya isn’t quite our favorite), but it’ll give you TONS to do – and unlock in the Crypt, which one again makes a return with a huge batch of unlockables. The tutorial modes were great too, particularly the Fatality Tutorial mode, where you get to practice finishing moves until you get them right. And you won’t want to miss these fatalities. They are gory beyond belief. As for the gameplay, it’s vintage 2-D Mortal Kombat, so you don’t have to worry about moving into the background or planning a cheap running attack. Moves come off very easily, with a guide available to tell you what’s in your arsenal in case you forget. Like we said, Scorpion is still a cheap bastard, but very effective in combat. The rest of the characters handle well, too, and being able to activate X-rays (once you fill up your meter) is as simple as clicking two trigger buttons. It all comes together in an extraordinarily playing game. It gets even better if you buy the Tournament Stick bundle.
While it’s a pain to find these days (most pre-orders have sold out), it’s worth hunting down. The quality of the stick feels like Netherrealm actually ripped it out of an arcade cabinet, plunked it down on its own design and let you go to work. It feels terrific, and the parts aren’t cheap by any means. We also like the foam base, which lets you stick it in your lap to play conveniently, without discomfort. Mortal Kombat’s demo arrives this week for PlayStation Plus subscribers, and will hit the regular PSN and Xbox 360 service shortly afterwards. We simply suggest you try it for yourself and get excited, because it’s a remarkable return to form for this franchise, and bound to be one of the best games of the year. We can’t wait to play the whole thing – and Kratos, of course. He’ll rip some sumbitches apart, that’s for sure. Mortal Kombat arrives April 19, 2011 for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3; stay tuned for a full review right here at PlanetXbox360.com closer to the release date.
