I have never really been into fighting games, but I did play some Mortal Kombat for Sega Genesis back in the day. It has been quite some time since I played it, so I did not really know what to expect. Almost surprisingly, besides the graphics and smoother mechanics, the game play itself is virtually the same as I remember it (in a good way).
I was unfortunately unable to take any video footage of the gameplay, but I did play (more or less) against one of the developers. Really, since Mortal Kombat really did not change much in gameplay itself, my talk with the developer was more about the updated graphics and cut scenes, including some especially gruesome special moves. One special effect in general, called “x-ray,” literally shows an “x-ray” of bones being cracked by hardcore punches.
A lot of the special moves were also especially gory. I played Mileena, who would throw a sai that stuck into my opponent’s back; once it was stuck there, I could then use another move to jump on my opponent, pull out the knife, and really butcher him. Mileena’s personality also shone in her moves. There’s really no better way to describe her except as that one crazy ex girlfriend that you had. She never really punched; instead I just slapped my opponent. The developer who played with me was being incredibly nice and let me beat him down, and I watched Mileena rip off his head at the end. I was already covered in blood from the previous round, but if I had not been, I would have been able to watch her sexually smear blood across her stomach. She then faced the screen with her rather awful teeth, covered in blood.
The graphics were phenomenal, and I found that developers really stuck to their roots with this one. I know that many fans have been unhappy with some of the previous games, but I do think that the developers really made an effort and listened to them. I won’t say that it is a complete comeback because I can’t really compare it to the previous games.
I unfortunately did not get to play the challenge tower, but the regular two-player fighting mode was fantastic. The release date is April 19, and there is currently a demo on PS3, so make sure to check it out!