MORTAL KOMBAT

Before I post this blog I'd like to make an apology, this blog has been in the making for months, I've had it mostly complete for this entire time but have neglected posting due to a mixture of writers block and the constantly evolving nature of the game. As such I've gone through and re wrote parts of this blog repeatedly, losing quality in the post. So I'd like to apologize for that beforehand as well. Up next I'll have a League of Legends blog that's also been in the works for some time.

MORTAL KOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!

It's been a long time since I've posted, but I feel the need to post about this game. I'm sure many of you have read reviews of this glorious game. I pre-ordered it and have purchased all DLC that has been released to this point.

Mortal Kombat is the ninth full-fledged installation in the fighting game series, The story is equally as outrageous and convoluted as it's predecessors, but for those who are interested it is presented better than any other fighting game. The story mode plays through like a movie with fighting sequences seamlessly embedded into the cinematics. The story mode plays through in chapters where you control each character with the video sequences between each fight. Each chapter lasts between four and eight fights, ramping up in difficulty as the story goes on.

The classic courtyard stage returns with style

The story starts with the conclusion of the previous game: Armageddon. Shao Kahn having defeated Blaze on top of the pyramid has absorbed enough power to rival the elder gods. Raiden attempts to defeat Shao Kahn, but is defeated. Before Shao Kahn can deliver a killing blow, Raiden sends his memories and a message back to his past self: "Let him win." At that point the story shifts to the first Mortal Kombat tournament, where Raiden attempts to change the path of the future, and thus avoiding Shao Kahn's ascension.

The story moves through the first three Mortal Kombat tournaments, Raiden making different decisions that change the fates of multiple characters, as well as that of Earthrealm. For instance, smoke never becomes a cyborg, yet Sub-Zero does. While being convoluted and cheesy, the story mode is pulled off with a flair that is rarely seen, and is unheard of in fighting games. Now that we've got the story mode out of the way, on to the fighting.

Pictured: Fighting

The fighting in this game is among the best you will find in any current generation fighting game. I would put it on par with Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition and Marvel Vs Capcom 3. Mortal Kombat has returned to it's roots. Instead of messing around with 3d environments, wonky mechanics like stance switching and environmental deaths, and new and uninteresting characters Mortal Kombat has returned to the basics. Only one character outside of the first four shows up, Kenshi from Deadly Alliance.

DLC For this game has also come out at a steady pace, 4 new characters will have been released as of August 7th, with news of more on the way. It took Super Street Fighter IV a year to release bonus characters, and Marvel Vs Capcom 3 is going to get a second retail launch to add in their own expanded character list that will be incomparable with MvC3.

The only speedbump Mortal Kombat has hit was online play during the launch, it was straight up atrocious. The worst netcode of the generation, it was called. Upwards of a second of input lag was a commonplace, since launch this has steadily been repaired making the game far more playable. 

This game has tons of content. Up to four person multiplayer, tag team, co op arcade, basic arcade, challenge tower, story mode, crypt, online play for tag team and basic versus, it's own form of lobbies and a king of the hill arcade style match. Mortal Kombat has everything, and it does it all better than most of it's competition. Mortal Kombat has raised the bar on fighting games, I look forward to seeing how Capcom will answer.

If you're looking for a fighting game and already have Street Fighter, look no further than Mortal Kombat.