GameSpy
Review
of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Like last year's Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is a title that seems borne from the imaginations of gamers dreaming of krazy krossovers. One can't help but to think back nearly a decade to Capcom vs. SNK and wonder if there'll ever be another such marriage of rivals. Lo and behold, Midway has delivered a new MK experience, albeit a risky one. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe isn't in the same league as 2008's finest fighters, including Super Smash Bros. Brawl or Soulcalibur IV. Like bubble gum, it starts off sweet, but loses flavor quickly. Even so, it's hardly the death knell for the series that some long-time fans expected.
That supposed demise comes from Midway's decision to tone down MK's trademark graphic violence to a more sanitary "T"-rated experience. Granted, Kano isn't reaching in to rip out Superman's heart, but there's enough bone-snapping, bloody punches, and just plain death to push the envelope. In the same way that PG-13 films shove the envelope as close to an "R" rating as possible, MK vs. DC has its fair share of nasty moves. Although DC superheroes don't perform fatalities ("Heroic Brutality" is the new terminology), there's no way anyone can survive being punched five feet into solid concrete by Superman. The new finishers serve their humiliating purpose well.
MK vs. DC's core gameplay is split into traditional Arcade mode and a Story mode. Arcade mode feels like traditional Mortal Kombat; you'll see a column of fighters that you'll have to crush (and possibly kill) to make your way to Dark Khan, a hybrid of Shao Khan and Darkseid. You're not locked into a character, and the ending consists of a text epilogue and some concept art. This is fairly classic MK storytelling.
Story mode seems designed to lure in comic book fans and lapsed MK players. It fleshes out the backstory of how in the hell Scorpion shows up in Gotham City and why The Flash is hanging out in Outworld. Unlike in Arcade mode, you're locked into a particular character for each chapter of the game. The story has its pros and cons. It's not exactly the most elegant narrative (the voice acting oozes Velveeta and the plot seldom rises above ham-fisted), but it's a great opportunity to really learn the nuances of different characters and their fighting styles. It's also a great chance to learn just who to skip in multiplayer. You can also practice with characters through the game's Kombo Challenges, but getting some plot is a little more fulfilling than hanging out in a training room, no matter how cheesy the story is.
MK vs. DC marks a new beginning for the series, and not just in its toned-down ultraviolence. For one, it's the first MK title to grace HD platforms. As with other Midway titles on Xbox 360 and PS3, the Unreal 3 graphics engine drives its performance. It's generally a decent-looking title: The rubble-laden streets of Metropolis evoke the same post-apocalyptic feel as MK3, and the Outworld stages reinvent the usual lava pits so that somehow they look fresh again. There are also new fighting elements. In a move ripped from Dead or Alive, you can knock an opponent from one section of a level down to another. Unlike in Tecmo's fighter, the descent from one part of the stage to another becomes a button-mashing mini-game that can take up to 30% off a combatant's lifebar. In another mini-game, called Klose Kombat, you can engage your opponent in a grapple and do heavy damage... as long as he or she doesn't break the counter by tapping the same button that you do. There's also the addition of the Rage meter, which gives losing players a chance to make a comeback during the round.
In spite of the new additions to the fighting system, MK vs. DC's core gameplay doesn't feel dramatically different from any of the last generation's MK fighters. If you're a fan of MK's relatively straightforward and simple approach to fisticuffs, then this should fit like a glove. Even if you haven't picked up an MK game in a while, the likes of Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Liu Kang should feel comfortably familiar. Meanwhile, the DC roster is less of a series of completely new characters and more of a hybrid of past MK characters. Superman's fighting style has elements of Kano's and Sub-Zero's. The Flash's speedy attacks are reminiscent of Kabal's, which Kano jokes about in the DC story mode. Other characters such as the Joker have a more unique style, including some very animated attacks.
Though MK vs. DC purports to shake up the franchise, the reality is that among the many new touches that the game adds it still lacks the depth of other fighters available today. Again, it doesn't feel dramatically different from its predecessors, save for new mini-game modes and a big facelift. The movesets are rather generic (most are a variation of "down, forward, button") and feel a tad antiquated. Its big hook (the crossover license) can't justify the relatively shallow fighting on hand. If you take your brawlers seriously, it's a tough sell. Also, if you're playing the Xbox 360 version, the d-pad can be a real stumbling block, since it's far from ideal for fighting games.
Gameplay grievances aside, MK vs. DC's online play works well. Matches run lag-free and have few problems. Both versions feature a chat room in which players can call each other out and jump into online sessions. It's designed to foster a sense of community, since an announcement pops up every time someone in the room wins or loses a match. If you're looking to jump into some matches and earn some achievements and trophies, there's little stopping you.
Ultimately, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe has its share of quirks and charms, even without finishers that turn opponents into ground chuck. It's a great-looking HD debut for the series, and although the Story mode is cheesy, it's a good vehicle for players to test out their favorite combatants. The online's solid; all of our matches ran lag-free. The game's biggest stumbling block is its actual combat. Midway has implemented some new mid-brawl mini-games, such as Klose Kombat, but they're really not deep enough to complement a fighting system that seems to be stuck in yesteryear. It starts off fun, but once you've played enough rounds of Sub-Zero versus The Joker, there's not enough substance in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe to give it the longevity of better fighting games.
©2008-11-17, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved
