Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

Published : 15/12 - 2008
Platform : Product Reviews, Xbox 360 Games
Author: Tomas Ratas
Product page on Testfreaks: Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Manufacturer: Midway
Product name: Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Manufacturer ID / UPC: 00031719300747
Price : PS3 - 2899 INR, XBox 360 - 2499 INR

You got your Mortal Kombat in my DC Universe; you got your DC Universe in my Mortal Kombat! OK, anyone born after the eighties, probably will not get the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup reference, but it is certainly appropriate for this game. Taking a storied franchise as the DC Universe and pitting it against the Mortal Kombat world could make a great game or just a miserable experience. A game like this one could be easily made with no back story and be just a pure punch fest with new skins on Mortal Kombat style characters and sell plenty of copies to the comic/Mortal Kombat fanboys.

Thankfully, Midway Games enlisted comic writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray to flesh out a back-story and turn this game into something special. Although Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe does not fit into the “proper” Mortal Kombat universe or current DC Comics continuity; it does remain true to the characters. Even the Fatalities that are the highlight of any Mortal Kombat game have been toned down for the DC superheroes into the more tame “Heroic Brutalities”.

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is built on the Unreal Engine 3 and gameplay looks and feels similar to the original Mortal Kombat series with improved graphics. It is a 2D fighter with three dimensional components. There are four attack buttons represented by the A, B, X and Y controller buttons, the shoulder buttons allow blocks, sidesteps, regular throws and the initiation of Klose Kombat”.

Unlike previous Mortal Kombat games, each character has a unique set of normal movements instead of the standard attacks assigned to all fighters. Pressing the proper button and joypad motion sequences on the controller performs special attacks and movements.

Game Play features one or two player modes. The single player can choose from Arcade, Story Mode, Kombo Challenge and Practice Modes, while two player mode allows head to head fighting. Since this is the Xbox 360 version, you can also go on Xbox Live for Ranked Matches, Player Matches, Private Matches, Join or Create Rooms and check out stats and Leaderboards.
Under the Extras menu, Biographies and Character Viewers, Arcade Ending Viewers and Credits can be found. With the Options menu, the player can control settings for the Controller, Game Play, Audio, Video and Storage Device.

If you have played any of the previous Mortal Kombat versions, game play is similar to previous versions. The fighting screen features Health Bars, Round Timers, Victory Skulls, Combo % Meter, Rage Meter and Kombo Breaker.

To keep things interesting Midway has thrown in a few mini games such as Klose Kombat, Free Fall Kombat and Test Your Might. All three can occur within the standard Mortal Kombat battle.
Klose Kombat provides allows a tight camera view of the fight. It can be triggered by pressing the RB button or pressing the B and Y button simultaneously. Once activated, the aggressor is able to attack using the four face buttons. The attacks continue until the timer expires or the maximum numbers of hits have landed or if the victim successfully initiates a “Kounter” move to stop the Klose Kombat. Kounters occur when the victim performs an “evade” when matching the opponents button presses displayed on screen.

Free Fall Kombat occurs when fighting near one of the Free Fall Kombat Zones. Once initiated, the combatants start a freefall with the initiating player who is the aggressor on top and attacks the victim with the four face buttons similar to Klose Kombat. A successful Kounter causes the players to switch positions in the Free Fall making the victim assume the aggressor position. When the fall ends the player on the bottom receives the most damage.

During Freefall, positions can change multiple times. There is also a Super Move Meter during the fall, landing several successful blows fills this meter up, once enable, the aggressor can unleash a devastating attack. However, the Super Move does leave the attacker open for a Kounter for a much longer period.

Finally, the Test Your Might game is initiated along horizontal transition zones, such as building walls. Once this attack commences, there is a damage meter on top of the screen. As the combatants crash through multiple walls, the attacker hopes to land as many blows as possible, while the defender attempts to neutralize the damage before the timer expires. A skull symbol at the end of the meter indicates the victim’s Health Bar has been fully depleted and defeat awaits at the end of the mini game.

In addition, there is the Rage Mode which allows your player to be possessed by the fury of the Kombat Rage and can absorb several consecutive attacks before being interrupted. Players in the Rage Mode, can break through an opponent’s blocks, cause double damage to their opponent and not be knocked out of an attack; although, the player in Rage Mode can receive normal damage from their opponent.

As with all previous Mortal Kombat games, there is the Arcade mode where the player picks a character and fights through a ladder of opponents who become increasingly more difficult to defeat.

Kombo Challenge involves performing ten sets of move strings for each individual character. These challenges become increasingly more difficult as you move up the sequence. The Kombo Challenge adds additional playability, but can be frustrating at times in figuring out the correct sequence of movements, pauses and button presses.
Specifications:

Mortal Kombat Vs DC Universe
For the first time ever Scorpion, Sub-Zero and the Mortal Kombat warriors battle with Batman, Superman and other popular DC Universe Super Heroes. Choose your side and challenge your opponents with a new fighting system including Freefall Kombat and Klose Kombat along with dynamic multi-tiered environments. Plus, pick your favorite character from MK or DCU and pursue a fighting adventure in the new single player mode with an intertwined storyline and two unique perspectives. Game Website : http://www.worldscollide.com/Category : EntertainmentESRB : T - TeenRelease Date : Available NowNumber of Players : 1 - 2
The main selling point of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is the Story mode. Battles are interspersed by cut scenes revealing the back story of why the two universes are intertwined and why heroes are fighting villains, as well as heroes. The basic plot of the game is the DC and Mortal Kombat universes are merging due to a teleportation accident which amalgamated the villains: Shao Kahn and Darkseid.

This fusion causes the release of dark energies which imbues the various characters with Kombat Rage causing them to attack whoever is in the vicinity, be it friend or foe. This sets up battles such as Flash vs. Batman, CatWoman vs. Lex Luthor, Wonder Woman vs, Shazam, etc. In addition, these dark energies cause the characters to shift universes, and realities to merge. The main protagonist in the story is Dark Khan who is the conglomerate of the merged Shao Kahn and Darkseid.

Story mode features the ability to choose to play the Mortal Kombat or DC Universe point of view and the story’s perspective changes with the selection. You will need to play both sides to get the story totally fleshed out.

Of course the first thought running through any comic book geeks head is that Superman in a fist fight, 99% of the time is a no brainer. However, this dark energy and magics have weakened Kal-El to make him an equal to other characters in combat. Superman and Raiden are considered the most powerful playable characters in the game.

Fighting occurs in several well known locales from both universes. Fight arenas range from the Shaolin Temple, Themiscrya, Gotham City, the NetherRealm, and the Fortress of Solitude. These environments include several breakable objects which can be destroyed or cracked open during battle.

Playing Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe felt like a throw back to the earlier versions of Mortal Kombat, which is actually a good thing. Fighting felt familiar, yet there are enough new additions to make it feel new. Each character has their own set of moves and attacks which provides plenty of replayability for the gamer, as it will take more than one or two sittings to master a characters fighting style.

Sometimes, fighting does feel like button mashing, but if you take the time to invest in getting to know a certain characters attacks, then play will become much more enjoyable.
Graphically, the game looks very good, although some character models seem too plastic like such as Wonder Woman. Otherwise, the DC characters are in their recognizable uniforms other than the Hal Jordan Green Lantern character who seems to be wearing a non classic version of his costume.

The voice acting is passable with the Mortal Kombat characters sounding better. Whoever provides the voice of Superman, does not seem to fit the character. The soundtrack of the game has some classic Mortal Kombat sounds including the ever popular “Fight” opening before each battle.

Now the biggest disappointment for the hard core Mortal Kombat fans is the lack of the usual Fatalities. Since this is a DC branded title, the Fatalities have been toned down significantly. As mentioned previously, DC Heroes do not kill, but instead perform “Heroic Brutalities” For instance Superman will pound opponents into the ground, Green Lantern’s crushing ring sphere, or the Flash’s cyclone punch are just some examples. Each character has two finishing moves, so there is plenty of variety.

In addition, with the large character pool available for both universes, it is surprising that the only unlockable characters are Darkseid and Shao Khan.

Conclusion:
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is a throwback to earlier versions of the Mortal Kombatt series and that is meant as a complement. The seemingly ill-fitting DC Heroes and Villains mesh nicely with the Mortal Kombat characters, creating an interesting back story and lets the gamer get their fight on. Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe provides enough variety and action to let the casual gamer enjoy the Mortal Kombat franchise, while providing classic Mortal Kombat gameplay for the fighting genre fan.
Pros:Harkens back to classic Mortal Kombat gameplayInteresting backstoryExcellent fighting game
Cons:Voice acting needs workSome character models look a little too plasticyViolence has been racketed down
Grades:
Overall : 4/5
Design : 4.5/5
Performance : 4.5/5

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TNA iMPACT

Vitals: Game: TNA iMPACT
Company: Midway , Midway Studios LA
Genre: Wrestling
Released: 9/9/08
ESRB: Teen MSRP: $59.99

It seems silly to list the pros and cons of a sport where large men in diapers gouge each other in the eyes and sit on each other’s faces during scripted matches. Either it’s your thing or it ain’t. Similarly, your personal preference regarding “professional wrestling” will be the largest determining factor in whether you get much enjoyment out of TNA iMPACT! The game is average enough on all counts that people will either love it or loathe it based on very little else.

TNA iMPACT! has, on initial glance, a decent number of options. You have exhibition and story modes, and match types range from the standard one on one and tag team options to the more “extreme” modes such as “Ultimate X”.

Story mode will be the main mode people will use to unlock the large but initially unavailable roster of wrestlers. After creating a custom wrestler (using a very large number of customizable sliders for style and attire), you learn that you were once the TNA superstar “Suicide.” As “Suicide,” you refused to take a dive in the championship match and were subsequently beaten to a pulp by corrupt wrestlers, only to wake up in a Mexican hospital with a convenient case of amnesia. The only thing you know is that you love mixing it up with bulky men who have a proclivity for face-painting, so you venture back into the ring on a quest for redemption and revenge. Simplistic? Occasionally offensive? Check and check. In other words, just your average TNA storyline.

As you climb the ranks from Mexico back to the US, you will unlock new moves that you can add to your repertoire. A nice feature is that the more complicated moves you land on your opponent, the more style points you rack up, which you use to unlock the new moves/wrestlers/bedazzled chaps, and so forth. It really encourages you to mix up your moves to maximize your point total.

Lots of customization options and a story worthy of Anton Chekhov are all well and good, but if the game doesn’t play well, it won’t amount to much. In the ring TNA iMPACT! is the proverbial mixed bag, doing some things competently and botching some others badly.

Graphically, the game is underwhelming. Wrestlers animate fine and have a decent amount of detail to them, but the arenas are small and fairly static. The sounds of the arena aren’t terribly dynamic, only achieving a crescendo when someone executes a finishing move or gets hit over the head with a chair (the latter being my favorite thing about the game. Maybe a chair-to-face mini-game in the next iteration?).

The controls are easy to pick up, but this is both a blessing and a curse. You have your basic punch and kick which can in turn be pumped up using the strong modifier or the run button. You can also grab and throw your opponent, as well as reverse any move he attempts. The problem is that most moves are context sensitive, so while it’s pretty easy to bust out a cool-looking move, such as a drop kick or piledrive, it’s harder to actually bust out the move you intended. Also, many maneuvers are mapped to the same button. You’ll find yourself performing the wrong action more than once, especially in the corners.

The main problem with the game is clipping and hit detection. For example, if you are performing a flying move to punish an opponent on the mat, the standing animation will cause you to pass right through his body and crash to the ground, where you are vulnerable to his counterattack. This is irritating in multiplayer, but in story mode it can be the difference between victory and defeat. Reverses are also a bit too frequent and don’t require much in the way of careful timing, making the longer and more elaborate moves risky to pull off.

All these issues aside, the game can be fairly entertaining for a short while in multiplayer as you are pounding on a friend with a folding chair, or splitting his legs in the air to get just the right angle for a boot-to-groin special. The action is pretty shallow though, and most folks will likely tire after seeing the same few special moves performed ad nauseum. TNA aficionados may have the fortitude to unlock their favorite characters and arenas, but for everyone else the effort isn’t really worth the hassle.

Gameplay: C+

Look: B-

Presentation: B-

Value: C+

Overall: C+

Tomb Raider Underworld

Rating: 4/5
Price: PC – 999 INR Xbox 360 – 2199 INR PS3 – 2499 INR
Requirements: 3.0GHz processor, 1GB Ram, 8GB HDD Space, 256MB Video card

Category: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PC, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Xbox 360

Description for my rating:

Lara returns once again in Tomb Raider Underworld, arguably the most anticipated game bearing the name of the femme fatale for quite some time - but anticipation is not always delivered upon, is it.

Tomb Raider is considered a classic game series by modern day gamers, as the early instalments of the series were something completely different to anything else before it - not least because of the title character, Miss Lara Croft. It is possibly the only series around now which has survived simply because of the popularity of it’s lead character, but with the technology available to developers nowadays, Tomb Raider is in danger of losing it’s appeal if things do not improve vastly, and Tomb Raider Underworld was tipped to be the starting point for the series’ resurrection.

Whether or not Tomb Raider Underworld meets that challenge is debatable to be honest, but in my own personal opinion the game is a bit of a let down once again - something which is now becoming a trend with Tomb Raider titles. Yes Lara is still a great lead character, but the gameplay itself remains much the same as it has for years now and it is in desperate need of a complete overhaul if it is to compete with other action adventure titles around now such as Uncharted Drakes Fortune, Metal Gear Solid 4 and even the likes of less acclaimed titles such as Prince of Persia.

Tomb Raider Underworld is set amongst darker surrounding and circumstances than previous titles as the title would suggest. Lara has some troubles in the beginning and she is rushing to escape her own vast mansion as it is burning down around her - a flashback kicks in to show her two weeks previously taking care of some of her fathers unfinished dirty work which leads her to learning about her mother and other characters featured in previous Tomb Raider titles and most importantly, the mythical Hammer of Thor. To mention the quest you must head out on would be an instant spoiler so we’ll leave that for now, but the storyline is originally intriguing but soon treads into familiar territory and before long you will begin to feel you have played the entire game somewhere before.

Needless to say you, as Lara, must venture across dark and seedy environments to progress on your quest, unravelling various mysteries along the way but as usual it will never be as easy as it sounds. The usual bizarre creatures are there to make it awkward for you, but the games difficulty level is a touch easier than you would expect so disposing of these is rarely much of a challenge. Though Lara does have an impressive array of moves at her disposal, many of which are new, so that is one improvement on previous versions. The frame rates are more than capable of making these moves look smooth and effortless, too.

To be honest it is hard to say a lot more about the game which you will not consider pointless, as everything you will come across has been touched on in previous Tomb Raider titles - in some form at least. The environments are the same as usual, the enemies are the same as usual, the ultimate aim is pretty much the same as usual too - it does get predictable very early on, but as you are Lara Croft, you will keep playing on anyway.

Graphically, Tomb Raider Underworld is not what it perhaps should have been. Similar to the recent Quantum of Solace title, such a huge game franchise deserves far better than what it has received from the developers - it should have been groundbreaking, but instead it looks rushed despite being equally impressive as the majority of games hitting shelves right now. Fans of the series will probably be satisfied though, except from the weirdo’s out there who actually find Lara (a video game character) attractive and want to see her as close to life like as possible.

Tomb Raider Underworld has some good moments, but they are far too rare for this title to be considered a success in my view. A video gaming legend such as Lara Croft deserves far better than this, and this puts more pressure on her next title as it could be the end of her beautifully formed career if it all goes wrong again next time. No a must have by any means.