Zero Punctuation: Mortal Kombat

[Negatempest]

I get that this game isn't high art, and someone could use it to argue that gaming as a medium is still immature, but you could say the same thing about 'Painkiller', a game that he loves. Mortal Kombat is just fun. No-one for a minute is gonna say it's art. Otherwise, great review, big fan of Yahtzee.

There is more to your argument that you missed. There are tons upon tons of examples of constructs, movies, paintings, sculptures, and books that are just plain ****, but are considered "art" by existing longer than the video game media. Games like Mortal Kombat have every reason to exist for the same reason movies like Jackass and most drug related movies exist. Are they great examples of art? Heck no, but a movie like Jackass would be considered "art" sooner than a game like Shadow of the Colossus.

So I say this, every medium under the umbrella of Art has lots and lots of blemishes, but rarely ever diminish said mediums focus as art.

 

[jackpipsam]

Glad someone else other than me hates MK

ps. new DW is boss XD

 

[Switchblade1080]

04:53 - My hopes have been answered for some reason!! Also, that already happened 8 years ago...

 

[superbowlbound]

You should start watching the new doctor Yahtzee, he is brilliant

 

[-[Badger]-]

so when can we expect a review of LA noire?

 

[LazyAza]

Giraffe on midget? pfft everyone knows the real good stuff is whale on amputee.

Seriously though I ordered a copy of MK over 2 weeks ago and am still waiting for it =(

 

[550456]

MARTY MCFLY!!!

 

[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