Zero Punctuation: Mortal Kombat

[G-Force]

[

He's said in the past that he doesn't like fighting games. Neither do I for that matter. I don't know why they're still making Mortal Kombat anyway, they said Mortal Kombat Armageddon or whatever was going to be the last game. Now since then there have been two more! What a joke. They tried a cross-over with DC to revitalize it, and they tried to reboot the original to revitalize it, they're obviously trying to breath new life into a dying series and everything they're doing is copying Capcom's foot steps.

So yes, saying they're struggling to be relevant in today's market is very much an accurate statement.

While I do agree that the previous Mortal Kombats have been pretty bad Ed Boon did the right thing and went back to basics when he made MK9. He got rid of the mocap, multi-stance gameplay and focused on delivering solid game play and a great fighting system. In the past Mortal Kombat only had the appeal of blood and gore but now MK9 the engine has been retolled to actually deliver a great system with a really good metagame and varied characters. The huge amount of sales, universal praise, multiple game streams and the fact that MK9 will be represented in Evo 2011 (aka the super bowl of fighting games) shows that no longer is MK a dying series.

Also with that comment of MK copying Capcom. Earlier Ono (the designer of SF4) said that he wouldn't mind seeing an MK vs SF crossover so looks like MK has earned Capcom's respect.

 

[kinapuffar]

Good review, fighting games are pretty meh.

 

[jovack22]

This reminds me of the Yahtzee of old.

This episode was funniest in a long time.

 

[TheECP]

I think it should be stated that the original Mortal Kombat was one of the reasons the ESRB was founded in the first place, so it's no surprise the game is still over the top when it comes to violence. And who says that's a bad thing?

 

[TheECP]

EDIT-sorry strange double post.

 

[Cid Silverwing]

If there ever was a game that crossed over every single character from every fiction ever, the world would end. Literally.

 

[tobi the good boy]

All in all a good review, I find myself curious as to how these types of games still exist, They seem so repetitive and not nearly worth the money you have to cough up .
however I must add ... fuck you, I like the new Doctor Who

 

[guko84]

the star wars shirt wearing pokemon hat wearer woud be me.

 

[Aprilgold]

devilishly good again Yahtzee my main reviewer.

 

[xdiesp]

I would choose the Marty McFly character in every game I play.

 

[TheComfyChair]

I like the new doctor who But only for the last 2 series, i found the earlier series (with rose and whatsherface that also 'loved' the doctor) meh. It improved a lot over time though

 

[Hoagster51]

Before or after parkinsons?

 

[JackandTom]

Marty McFly or Dr Sam Beckett, well heres your answer...
http://www.therealmusician.com/images/scott-bakula.jpg

 

[Vidi Kitty]

Not sure if this has been brought up yet, and I do hope Yahtzee sees or knows about this. There is a game like the one he brought up 4:50 in. It's called Jump Ultimate Stars, and it has basically every Shonen Jump character ever. Also due to copyright laws, it will never ever have an official release in America.

 

[Grond Strong]

People still love those 2D fighters. The button layout and controls of this game have a striking resemblance to the old arcade system where one has a couple buttons to kick, punch, and a multi-directional thumb-stick to move one's character. But instead of making the buttons the size one's palm to repeatedly beat on, they are "finger-sized" and on a controller. As far as controls go, I believe it stays very close to its roots.

I've never really played Mortal Kombat until now. Mostly because whenever I went to the arcade as a smaller lad I was never allowed to play it and had to stick with racing games and ball tosses. And I always thought it somewhat pointless to purchase a Mortal Kombat game on a console as that is not its native ground, but I finally caved in twenty years after its original release. And let me tell you, I have never gotten so frustrated at a game in all of my life. For some reason, I can lose on any other type of shooters, puzzle game, RPG, and you name it. But on Mortal Kombat, it's personal. I don't know what it is about these 2D fighting games that make them so outrageously rage evoking when one is getting repeatedly combo'ed by an opponent who's taken the past twenty years to master it for THIS fight but it works.

When one buys Mortal Kombat, in my opinion, they know know they will be receiving these few things. Blood (lots of it), an outrageously foolish plot, hardcore fan smackdowns on live (you WILL lose and you WILL lose badly), and multiple controller shaped holes in one's wall.

 

[WolfmanNougat]

Would that be the new Doctor Who where Russel T. Davies was the head writer and the Doctor was Jesus and they siezed every single fucking opportunity as possible to remind the audience of Russel's homosexuality,
OR
The new Doctor Who where Stephen Moffat is the head writer and... well, Stephen Moffat is actually a brilliant writer, what more do I say?

If it's the former then yeah, your colleague's opinion is totally void because people's credibility is completely dependent on whether or not they like the same shows as you, harr harr.

Oh look, I'm talking about Doctor Who instead of Mortal Kombat. Though really, what do you need to say about it other than two to four dudes or dudettes beat eachother to bloody pulps just like they have been for the last nigh-twenty years; wash, rinse, raise from death, repeat. NEXT!

 

[warprincenataku]

Marty Mcfly would win. Just sayin

Dude, the other guy... erm, the Quantum Leap guy is uh, way better? Yeah, what's McFly going to do, shake him to death?

 

[tahrey]

Marty would only win if his opponent's taunt happened to be one that called him "chicken".

As for that fight, I'm now morbidly curious as to whether anyone actually HAS come up with sprites & moves for MCFLYYYYYY and for ... uh ... whatsis name... Sam? from Quantum Leap for Mugen...

 

[AusGamer44]

He had me until he dissed Dr Who.Geez,first he slags Portal 2,now the Timelord gets a serve?As I live in Brisbane as well,I've a good mind to go around to his house & gurn furiously through a window at him.Or make insults about his mum.
Mortal Kombat does sound like tripe though.Geez, game developers,how many games can you write that involves men built like sh** brickhouses turning each other into mincemeat? And they wonder why we chicks are the minority in gaming.Our money buys the same amount of booze that the fellas' cash does..Maybe they think if they tone down the more cartoony machissmo to reach a wider audience we dainty little dames will insist on kittens & ballerinas in every game.Which is silly.Although I WOULD pay good money to see the Goodies' Kitten Kong stomp on Natalie Portman's loonie hoofer character.Now THAT would be a game.

 

[Syntax Error]

Yahtzee you Ninja, right as I was gonna go comment on that's basically Mugen, the credits screen rolled in.