Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance

The game seems eager to severe its ties with previous installments by immediately killing of Liu Kang in the opening movie. "Yes!" I exclaimed, having once been fond of Kang until his transition to mediocrity in MK3, and his further transition to just plain annoying in MK4. "Thank God a development team finally had it in them to kill off their main character!" Now please let him stay dead! Luckily, he did … at least, as far as Deadly Alliance was concerned.

Shang Tsung makes a return to the series as part of the titular "Deadly Alliance." He and Quan Chi have combined forces to once again threaten Earthrealm, and you know the rest. After a notable absence in MK4, Tsung's return is a welcomed one until 1, I caught a glimpse of his new design (what is with the shoulders?), and 2, realized he lost the power to shape shift in game (although, he still morphs in the intro.) Needless to say the two sorcerers make up the final two battles of the game.

Deadly Alliance makes the jump to 3D. Well, real 3D. As in revamping the fighting engine to take advantage of the Z-axis. Players can now sidestep freely (a la water downed 8-Way Run from SC), and to survive against the AI one must learn to sidestep. Jumping remains possible; however, like other 3D fighting games, its significance has dropped drastically from the 2D games. In Deadly Alliance, I jump mainly to avoid "earthquake" moves.

The sidestep ability adds a layer of depth (and flavor) to the returning dial-a-combo system introduced in MK3. Giving the AI a new venue for frustrating the player—where UMK3's AI ran up and launched the appropriate counter attack, Deadly Alliance's AI simply side-steps and combos (or, some lucky characters get to perform perfectly timed "Reversals".) An additional enhancement comes in the form of three styles available to each combatant (2 unarmed, 1 weapon). The 3 styles, plus the 3rd dimension makes Deadly Alliance play worlds apart from its 2D counterpart – kind of a strange marriage between DOA and SC minus the depth and fluidity. Don't get the wrong idea, however, we're still playing Mortal Kombat.

There's a notable oddity with Deadly Alliance's AI: the more consecutive victories the player racks up, the more difficult the AI becomes. So after 7 wins, Kano will miraculously be able to spin through 2 fighting styles to perform his Reversal move (in precisely 0.2 seconds) and then unleash his most potent branching combo. In that same fight, he'll demonstrate the physics engine does not apply to CPU characters since he can block low attacks with a high block (?!), and then he demonstrates his uncanny ability to side-step every attack, to unleash yet more branching combos for an impossible fight. However, the moment you lose and continue, Kano makes the amazing transformation into "sitting duck man" where you can waltz up to him and punish to your heart's content.

Returning characters include Shang Tsung, Quan Chi, Jax, Johnny Cage, Kano, Kitana, Kung Lao, Quan Chi, Raiden, Reptile, Scorpion, Sonya, and Sub-Zero. None of whom feel even remotely like their 2D counterparts, and several have lost their signature moves. Shang Tsung no longer shapeshifts. Raiden no longer flies across the screen. No more handstands for Sonya. Don't expect Reptile to turn invisible. And forget about Jax's mid-air backbreaker or "Gotcha!" Maybe that's just as well. The signature moves that make a return (Scorpion's Spear, Kitana's fanwave, Sub-Zero's Freeze, etc) feel very very different. In the 2D games, truthfully, the characters differed only in Fatalities and special moves. Now that the characters have gone their separate ways and earned a level of distinctness, the game shifts its focus more on the dial-a-combos than individual special moves.

A new game typically means new characters, and this game gets an ensemble of mostly "bleh" characters including Bo Rai Cho, the overweight trainer with the ability to puke on command; Li Mei, the scantily clad warrior out to save her village; Mavado, a nobody in a trench coat with a few industrial sized rubber bands; Hsu Hao, the Village People reject; Frost, a female Sub-Zero; Nitara, the vampire in the wrong game; Kenshi, the only interesting new character who, incidentally, is blind; and Drahmin, the rotting demon with absolutely no combos.

The new sub-boss, Moloch, continues the trend of over-sized sub-bosses made difficult because the programmers decided to just program in a few immunities and high priorities. For example, one of Raiden's branching combos makes his opponent stumble backwards. Moloch never stumbles, so Raiden's combo deals a fair amount of damage leaves him a sitting duck to Moloch's abuse. However, that's not what makes Moloch nearly ruin the entire gaming experience that is Deadly Alliance. The fact that Moloch has a whopping half-dozen moves in his entire arsenal makes the fight rather boring. Compounded with the fact that when in range, Moloch is content to poke with his uber-high priority, tracking "quick punch." This is the worst sub-boss in the entire Mortal Kombat franchise; furthermore, it is the single most monotonous fight in fighting game history.

Lastly, most of the games secrets come in the form of "the Krypt" which Midway has loaded to the brim with extras. A great concept, except Midway over-indulged themselves and crammed too much into a 26 X 26 grid of things to unlock (requiring somewhere in the neighborhood of 250,000 Koins to unlock everything.) While characters and alternate lurk in a few of the 676 coffins, most house artwork, silly pictures, photos, etc. Plus the occasional "Hint" and empty coffin just in case you're not frustrated enough.

All in all, a flawed but welcomed addition to the Mortal Kombat family. Perhaps the best Mortal Kombat since UMK3 (arcade.) Most importantly, it delivered a new experience, and the next generation of Mortal Kompetition.

Let me start out by saying that I am completely sure that everyone thinks that because of the previous Mortal Kombat games (that have been TOTAL failures) that Deadly Alliance will be absolute crap. Well, it is not. Deadly Alliance is by far the BEST Mortal Kombat game ever since part 2. Ed Boon actually took time to make it, and surely, people will be happy to know that it is not completely half-assed like Mortal Kombat Gold (which I liked), or Special Forces (which I've never played). Several changes have been made to the gameplay factor, such as new fighting styles, more weapons, and new uses for weapons. So please, for anyone who reads this review, I suggest that you rent this first, then buy it. I sincerely hope this review benefits your needs.

Graphics: 8 out of 10 The graphics for Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance are clean, and crisp. The animations are very impressive, and the reason why I say that, is because Sonya, and the other girls have some great jiggle action. These graphics lack in smoothness, and are somewhat bland. Character models look pretty impressive, and fatality animations simply just look amazing. Blood effects look better than ever, and now, some people may be happy to know, is that the blood actually stays on the floor. Each character have a great amount of detail, as does your environments. Like I just said, the environments/levels have a great amount of detail, BUT, only certain levels have a great amount of detail. Take the Lin Kue headquarters for example. Each time you, or your opponent hits the ground (which is made of ice) the ice cracks, and that's what I meant when I said a great amount of detail, because the ice looks so realistic. The blood that flies on the floor also has a great amount of detail too, because over a certain period of time, the blood dries up, and it is clearly noticeable. This game has a few CG scenes, but not too many. The CG doesn't really impress all that much. Overall, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance has very good graphics, very good textures, and smooth animations.

Sound: 10 out of 10 Put it this way, the sound kicks ass. The background music is still very good, and when you here bones crunching, and cracking, it sounds unbelievably realistic. Character voice acting isn't really what you would call `good', but it has improved from the last Mortal Kombat games (I.E. MK 4, and MK Gold). Scorpion still throws his spear, and it still sounds the same as it did five years ago. There is not much to say, but the sound delivers a HIGH amount of realism. Period.

Gameply: 10 out of 10. The gameplay is just great. If you combine the new features, and the addicting fun factor, you have a ****ing good game. New features include, new fighting styles for each character, three fighting styles to be precise, the new `Fatality' feature, where you can set it to where you can execute a fatality without moving (so you don't mess up), and a whole new weapon system, which is a BIG improvement from Mortal Kombat Gold's weapon system. Now, you can stab your opponents with weapons, but this only applies to certain characters. For instance, Sub-Zero, Reptile, Frost etc. have the ability to stab there enemies, which slowly drains their health little by little. The fighting styles I don't really care for, but it is still a great feature. Now this is the part where I give you the bad parts of the gameplay. First, the combos are a little too hard to pull off. Second, there is only ONE fatality for each character, which really sucks. Three, certain characters have been DRASTICALLY changed, to the point to where in the previous games, they would be the best, but now, they're the worst. For example, Cyrax. He was once the best character in the game, but now, he is one of the worst. They took out his new move! That was the only way I could win against someone! That's like taking out Scorpion's spear, and replcing it with missiles! Ah well, I cant complain. Heres another good feature about the gameplay. Now, your opponents bleed as your beating them up, and as you beat them up, they get bruises, and black eyes. Overall, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance has some great, solid, and deep gameplay.

Story: 7 out of 10 Once again, earthrealm is in danger, but this time, it's not Shinock, or Shau Kaun (forgot how to spell his name) it's the classic Shang Stung (forgot how to spell his name too) and Mortal Kombat 4's Quan Chi. They have formed a `Deadly Alliance' and plan to rule outworld, and earthrealm by resurrecting this army (forgot which one). Liu Kang is dead (hooray!!) and now, everyone has to stop Quan Chi, and Shang Stung to save earthrelm. The story is quite good, but seems to be the same old thing. The story deserves a seven, because it lacks in originality.

Replay Value: +10 out of 10 This game has SO MUCH replay value. As you go through the game, you collect coins. You can use these coins to buy coffins (over 600 of them!) that have lots of extras inside of them, such as alternate suits, secret characters, funny stuff, videos, animation tests, artwork, character designs, etc. There is also a new `konquest mode'. In konquest mode, you go through ten missions with each character. Konquest mode is very similar to practice mode, but in konquest mode, you earn coins, and if beaten with everybody, unlock a special hidden character. Add all of that to the fun, addictive gameplay, and you have an ass load of replay value.

Controls: 9 out of 10 The controls are very comfortable, and the control scheme is also very comfortable. The one thing I really did not like about the controls, is the fact that sometimes, most of the combos are hard to pull off. Take characters like Rayden and Frost for example. Fros and Rayden have some of the most longest combos in the game, and with Frost, it got to the point where I screamed. The controls are very comfortable. That's about all I have to say.

Fun factor: +10 out of 10 (you cant give those scores, but I feel that it deserves it!) This is by far, the best, and most funnest Mortal Kombat game to date. The gameplay is so addicting, that you cannot put the controller down. You can literally spend hours a night playing this. Lots of Mortal Kombat fans will find the simple, and fun gameplay to be quite impressive, and I really don't know what those EGM reviewers were thing when they gave this a 5 and a 6.5. Seriously, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance is so unbelievably fun.

Rent or Buy: If you're an MK fan, buy it, if your having doubts about it, rent it. Its your choice.

Recap: Graphics: 8 out of 10. Sound: 10 out of 10. Gameplay: 10 out of 10. Story: 7 out of 10. Reply value: +10 out of 10. Controls: 9 out of 10. Fun factor: + 10 out of 10.

Best Feature: Addicting, and fun gameplay. Worst feature: Only one fatality per character.

Overall score: 10 out of 10.

When I first heard about this game, I was admittedly uninterested.Mortal Kombat's last attempt at 3-D fell short so why should MK:DA be any different? Overall MK just seemed dated and I doubted MK:DA would be any good. Was I ever wrong.Since I own an XBox, fighting games are hard to come by and as such I decided to rent MK:DA. For starters, this attempt at 3-d works quite well as it is a true 3-d fighter.Graphics are lush and beautiful.The game also has alot of replayability as a new feature, the Kyrpt has been incorperated.Much in the vain of Marvel Vs. Capcom 2's shop mode, you can buy hidden charecters, new outfits, artwork and even videos among other things with Kredits earned in the game.

As for the storyline, its probably the best and most gutiest yet.In the three minute intro to the game we find out that Quan Chi has escaped from the Netherealm and has discovered the infamous army of the dead Dragon King.Of course this does Quan Chi little good as all the soliders are dead, but what is dead can be revived.For this, Quan Chi forms an alliance with Shang Tsung("Deadly Alliance"), who's powers with soul transplantation can be used to resurrect the army. This new alliance first must elimate those who could pose a threat to their plans.The first is Shao Khan.They approach him, declaring a false alliegnece to him and then charge at him while he's sitting on his throne.The next scene a loud scream is heard and Khan's helmet falls, covbered with blood.Next the Alliance travels to Earth to eliminate Lou Kang.Kang takes on Tsung and gains the upper hand but is then hit from behind by Quan Chi.Tsung takes the oppertunity and snaps Lou Kang's next, killing him.He then absorbs his soul.The intro concludes with images of Tsung resurrecting the army and Raiden telling the remaining Earth fighters"We must stop this Deadly Alliance"

The cast is nice and varied with returning favorites(No Lou Kang obviously) and some new charecters.The old charecters have recieved some very nice resigns.As for the fighting, each fighter can switch to one of two different fighting styles or one weapon style.This adds great variety to the game.

I went and bought this game immediatly after returning the rental.I highly recommend this game, especially to long time MK fans. 5/5

Very few flaws can be detected in this latest rendition of the classic series. Fatalities lack the disturbing power of the first MK, Lui Kang(whom I didn't like anyway) is killed off, and your selection of characters, at first start up, is extremely limited(9). Even though these "flaws" may seem like game-killers, they are not. After choosing my character for the first time, Scorpion, I was greeted by what seemed to be the shortest load screen in the history of MK on a CD form. That was just the beginning of me being surprised. The stage opened up with a very cool rotation effect as the camera zoomed in on me and my advisary, Sub-Zero. I was enraptured by the background, and I almost missed the unforgettable sound of "Fight!!!". I was a pure button masher for nearly the entire round. As Scorpion, I had to try back, back, X. Only to realize later on that, that had been changed to back, forward, X. Scorpion's spear spewed relentlessly from his palm and caught Sub-Zero in mid air. The last few hit to kill my advisary became a flurry of button mashing, until Sub-Zero fell to the ground(in a bloody mess). As if you didn't already know, the blood that falls to the ground remains there until the very end of the fight. What happened next in the fight was a pure stroke of genius for Ed Boon and the other creators. There is no load between fight rounds, Sub-Zero merely stood up and dusted himself off and he was ready to fight. The very first thing Sub-Zero did was pull out his sword, I tried to block his attacks, but was unsuccessful. Sub-Zero ran me through with his sword, and the sword styed there, spewind my blood to the ground and I continually lost life. Long story short, I managed to kick the crap out of him and was screamed at by that familiar voice to "Finish Him!!!". I walked backward from Sub-Zero and tried to remember the Fatality combination I had seen on the Internet. (Back, back, down, back+attack 4). The screen went black and I caught my first glimpse of good violence in a video game for the PS2. Scorpion threw out his spear and it went through Sub-Zero's head. Scorpion then proceeded to try and tear the head off of the body, he succeeds and sends Sub-Zero's body sprawling to the ground. "Fatality!!!", I hear, and the match is over. In record time for an MK game too(less than a minute).

Superb graphics, and great controls help this to be the greatest MK of all. MK Trilogy is just as good.

9 out of 10

"Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance" is perhaps the most thorough and complex fighting game that this long-running series has seen yet. The Playstation 2 video game console has some of the most impressive titles of any actively popular system today, and I am glad that "Deadly Alliance" has been allowed to grace it.

Fighting games, "Mortal Kombat" in particular, have come a long way since the days of 2D platform combat, where the two combatants are confined to a narrow stretch of area on the screen and fight to the death. Now, most games today have expanded to all-out arena fighting and with "Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance," the fifth installment in this incredibly bloody and successful series of games, "Kombat" has been taken to an all new level of gameplay.

As an avid player of "Mortal Kombat" since 1993, I am pleased to see that this title takes full advantage of a revamped fighting engine, but still manages to remain faithful to the old school way of kombat. But like any of the previous titles, this "Kombat" doesn't skimp on the blood and brutal, yet spectacular displays of outlandish martial arts chain-combos.

But in this level of joy, I've neglected to inform about how +deadly+ this title is. Along with the massively improved fighting system, there is also the introduction of the "Konquest" mode, which is a sort of story mode within "Deadly Alliance." Like any low-budget kung-fu flick that we have ever seen, it has a worthless plot and you assume the identity of any of the fighters available and you complete a quest.

And like the plot of the general game (which is equally thoughtless), where the sorcerers Shang Tsung and Quan Chi have entered into a +deadly alliance+, you, the player, has to stop them before they can reanimate the Dragon King's undead army. So you can choose any one of the available characters, including some familiars like Scorpion (my favorite), Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade or Jax, or play as any of the newcomers like Bo' Rai Cho, Mavado, Li Mei, or Hsu Hao.

As with any previous "Kombat" game, the difficulty reaches ridiculous heights as you embark on your "Game of Death"-style quest to the top in regular arcade mode. Much of the difficulty is brought on with the introduction of style-branching combos or "chain" combos, where a single deft move against you can cross three different fighting styles - two fighting styles and one weapon style - and if timed correctly, could deplete you of about half your health. (Just as a random example, I could be my #1 fighter Scorpion and be kombating against Johnny Cage, who would hit me up with a style-branching combo, which would cover Cage's three styles of Karate, Jeet Kune Do, and Nunchaku, and I'd be half-dead in one single movement.) This intense level of uneven difficulty is just ridiculous to me, as it might make it impossible to complete the arcade mode.

This deadly new enhancement in "Kombat" is also indicative of the game's greatest flaw, which could require the manual dexterity of someone with the quickest hand-eye coordination, which many of us in the game-playing community have yet to be graced with through our human evolution. (This would also prove to be an even bigger b**ch on the "Deadly Alliance" sequel, "Mortal Kombat: Deception," which was released in 2004.) In addition to that, mini-games are also scattered throughout the arcade portion of the game, which serve as a way to achieve rarer "kurrency" and provide a welcome break to the kombat-related carnage.

Alongside that main criticism, not many of the new characters are that interesting, particularly my personal displeasure with the fighter known as "Drahmin," an Oni that is a walking, rotting corpse in this game, or Nitara, who's a female vampire. And let's not forget the end boss, Moloch - let's just say that neither Goro, Motaro, or Kintaro had anything on him - Moloch would later be outmatched by the ridiculously hard Dragon King in "Deception."

Aside from these grievances, "Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance" is a worthy addition to the series and is an excellent display of progress over the years.

7/10