24.2.2003

Many years have passed since I've been moved to even give a second glance to a Mortal Kombat game. During the nineties the franchise demonstrated the economic effect of diminishing marginal returns to spectacular effect by releasing a series of increasingly bilge titles. When the first game arrived in the arcades few impressionable under 30's could fail to be impressed by the digitised 2D graphics and crude but nasty fatalities. However the concept of gruesome finishing moves was truly rubbed in the public's face over the next three installments. All gore, no substance, no good.So I was understandably uneasy with my decision to buy MK Deadly Alliance.Having bought Virtua Fighter 4 recently and tired of it quickly I started to wonder if I'd just set fire to forty quid.Diving straight into the 2 player mode I was relieved to see that certain magazine preview fears about indistinct contact and the use of 3D being a 'token gesture' had either been rectified in late development or were unfounded. Amid the beautifully over-the-top but somehow slightly realistic looking graphics the blows connect... hard. Screen shuddering, bloody running down your forearms hard. The game also displays from the outset the use of depth which has become the staple of 128 bit 3D fighting games. Side-step, roll away, and 3D offensive moves are all in place and respond beautifully.The makers of the game seem to have struck a good balance here. There is enough science and tactics to please hardcore beat em up gamers but yet novices can get stuck in quickly and make it look and feel dramatic onscreen. MK nostalgists too are catered for. Scorpion still goes 'get over here!', Shang Tsung still sucks... souls that is. And series favourites such as Sub Zero and Kano are present alongside charismatic newcomers such as the comely Lei Mei and the cool-as-mince Blind Kenshi.I am happy to report that the emphasis on fatalities has been removed in favour of a fighting system, which is far more spectacular. My particular favourite aspect is the use of combos, which straddle the different fighting styles. For example, Sonja lays of blows in two different forms of Kung-fu before ending by raining blows onto her opponent using her flat wooden fighting sticks, and all the time copious amounts of claret are splashed around!The arenas, although excellently rendered are not particularly exciting, but believe me this a small negative. The fighting action looks so dramatic and engaging that you would hardly notice if it were a blank background.I would state that as a one player game MKDA has as little longevity value as all other beat em ups I've played but this of course is just personal opinion. The AI here is pretty impressive and the slightly more tactical, drawn-out bouts make this far more interesting than the normal ten seconds of impregnable combos and camp Japanese special moves.A return to form for the franchise. But please guys, don't make any more movies!

25.4.2003

I remember the fear when I first saw MK1 in the arcades when I was younger - the gore and the 'realistic graphics'. Since then, Mortal Kombat has always been notorious in the public eye, and certainly eagerly-followed in the gaming world. As MK progressed to 2 and 3, more and more characters and backgrounds were added. MK4 was the first venture into the world of 3D - which in my opinion took it too far away from the format that we all knew and loved.Mortal Kombat 5: Deadly Alliance, although still in 3D (and beautiful 3D at that), seems a little closer to home with MK fans, and is definately a step in the right direction.The game plays the same as all other fighting games - you can choose arcade mode,1 on 1, multiplayer, practice, or a 'career' mode.Graphically, the game is very nice indeed - the backgrounds are beautifully rendered (and of course, 3D and animated as well), while the players are detailed and move smoothly and realistically.The sounds are nothing special, but are realistic enough not to get in the way. The booming voice of (what I think was supposed to be Shao Khan in the second and third games) remains, egging the violence along with "OutSTANDing!" and "FINISH HIM!" - MK wouldn't be MK without the fatalities, and of course these are still here, although the manual is no help in telling you how to perform them - it's an internet or magazine job here.There are about 20 characters here, all with their own backgrounds and their own moves. Interestingly enough, each character has three styles of fighting, one of which employs a weapon. You can switch between styles at any time - leading to a new range of moves and combos (some combos cross over two or even all three fighting styles!)The fighting is realistic and fluid - sometimes even matrix-style - as you block a punch, then he jumps your leg sweep, then he reverses your elbow jab, and so on...The 'story mode' is a kind of tutorial, starting with the basics, then taking you through whole fights with the various characters. Completing each stage (of which there are about 250!) gives you koins (yes, spelt that way) which you can spend in the krypt - this is where you can unlock new backgrounds, charcaters, pictures, movies, concept art, and so on. The krypt is a massive room filled with coffins - each being worth a certain amount of money - (the co-ordinates of these coffins range from AA to ZZ, so a quick stab at the calculator tells you there are no fewer than 676 things to unlock!)You are also presented with a 'making of MK' movie, and a 'history of MK' - where you are taken on a guided tour of all things from MK1 to MK5.All in all a must-buy for MK fans, and indeed anyone who enjoys the genre in general.

6.12.2006

I've never really been into beat 'em ups but though I would give 'Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance' a try more for the comic gore effects than the gameplay. I also thought it would be a fun little multiplayer title for when mates come round.Graphics are clear and crisp. Character models are varied and include new characters alongside more established fighters like Sub-Zero and Scorpion. Arenas have varied backgrounds but are all essentially the same circular fighting area. Only one has any hazards and these can easily be avoided.Sound is adequate. The choice of music is sometime misjudged, the developers opting for something soft and melodic when some death metal is more in order.

18.2.2003

Just as it seemed the mortal kombat empire was crumbling and we would never again hear the screams of "FATALITY" a new and totally revamped game comes out and turns things round.....Right from the opening video you can tell that they have drastically changed things as they have controvertially killed off liu kang... probably the main character and champion of mortal kombat... thenn Instead of the 4 fatalities, babalities anamalities and friendships that made the most recent efforts ridiculous they have limited all of the characters to just one fatality and so have spent most of their efforts on improving the actual in game combat wich is now exceelent thanks to 3 differents fighting styles for each charcter (including one weapon),

20.2.2003

The Mortal Kombat series started out in 1992 with the original MK game. That game was ground breaking, controversial, and gruesome. Then on the back of the success the first carnation of MK, came MK2. Again controversial for its violence, but this time bigger. Mortal Kombat 3 followed with refined graphics and improved game play. Its popularity was starting to wain a bit and this was highlighted by the release of MK4 on the next generation systems (such as the Sega Saturn). Die-hard fans of the game were dissapointed so stayed away. Now with the release of the fifth game in the series they have something to be proud of.Mortal Kombat: Deadly alliance, has kept everything that made the original games so popular.

1.2.2004

This brings a whole new look to the fighting games of today. The plot is basically very simple were as the main character in all the other mortal kombat games gets killed of by 2 evil people who want power and to be immortal. That’s basically the story line but don’t let this put the game down. Oh no the game is far more than just a simple plot. It’s about all the characters having 3 combat styles consisting of 2 fighting and 1 weapon. A tap of the L1 button can change around the styles. Each character has a vast number of moves for each of these styles making the game play tactical and button bashingly demanding. But the thing every one has been looking forward to is the fatalities. Oh yes.

22.8.2002

One could be forgiven for seeing the name "Mortal Kombat" On the cover of a videogame and quickly browsing past, after all the series has been plauged by re-hashed games and ideas, as well as having to live up to the originality of the first game. But "MK Deadly Alliance" shatters all doubt I had in my mind when hearing of its release.The Gameplay has been totally re-vamped for one thing. Gone is the tedium of punch,kick,punch,fireball,finishing move. Now each of the twenty+ characters has mulitple fighting stances and styles which can be switched between mid-play. Each fighter also has his/her own weapon which can be drawn during battle and used. The weapon combat also also been completely overhauled since Mortal Kombat 4,

17.1.2003

Fatal Attraction: One of the most widely anticipated aspects of any Mortal Kombat game is the range of Fatalities! And even though there is only one per character, they are far from dissapointing!There are brains flying about, blood being scattered everywhere, electrocutions and decapitations, severe neck trauma and even the off belly flop! Such a variety of ways to "finish" Off your victim and none of them very sportsmanlike. It's another incentive, if one were needed, to thoroughly trounce your opponent!Why I'd buy it:-Superb 3D fighting action-The fatalities are still good and suitably grisly.-I've always wanted to imprison someone's soul....

21.2.2003

Ok, this is a great game. But before you think it's the best thing ever calm down. The graphics are fantastic and so are the fighting environments and some characters special moves. But some characters have the worst special moves ever. A flying kick and then in another character the exact same or similar flying kick and trying to complete the game with the vampire woman (a character you need to unlock) was quite silly when she was faced with all the moves of Johnny Cage and she a blood suck and a flying kick to counter his speical moves and that was it.The endings are really naff. Just some guy reading you a story in the guise of Raiden with some pretty pictures.

20.2.2003

Mortal Kombat will always been known for its blood and gore. This is not a bad thing infact its the best fighting game ive ever played in many years the last fighter i thought was excellent was tekken 3 for the playstation 1 but this just overcomes that by a hell of alot. If i can say everything about this game in 3 words it would be "Graphics are Fantastic" but i could say alot more. BUY IT its well worth the price and it will give you a good couple of weeks just trying to finish the KONQUEST MODE then a couple of months finishing all the ARCADE MODE then you move on to spending your hard earnt money in the KRYPT where you buy SECRET LEVELS and SPECIAL CHARACTERS.

25.2.2004

This is the best among best games better than tekken.This mortal kombat game adds each character 3 fightings styles which are cool.This game returns the very very old fighters like sub zero and scorpian which gives the game that still orignal feeling.The best part of this is the krypt which you spend you koins from the konquest or arcade mode to get secret characters arenas pics and little movies which can be fun to get.The graphics are great with the special move and the gruesome fatalities which make the game even better.This game has a storyline to make it feel that your fighting for something.I recommend this game to people that play tekken and soul caliberThey should buy this GREAT

23.5.2003

Oh my word, this game is the best beat-em-up I have ever played. The ability to have different fighting styles; the weapons; the koffins; the fatalities... In this game you truely have to earn your ability to obtain locked characters and learn combos. Whether you could ever pull off a style branch combo that you learn in Konquest mode is probably down the to the gamer (of course I can't yet!!!) Gameplay is smooth, and the character graphics are excellent.A game that cannot be put down...

13.11.2011

I first played MK (Mortal Kombat) when I was about eight years old and I absolutely loved it. Somewhow I managed to loose the PS1 game and just forgot about it. 9 years later I was browsing online for games and BAM! I found this absolute beauty! Amazing game :)

8.9.2015

Am a mortal combat fan think loads of people are this game series is one the best fighting series from the date of my birth and still is. Wasn't expecting anything different from this game thanks bro for the advice skipping one in the series :)

23.6.2013

Box and disk looks great, there are no crashes so it doesn't disappoint. If there were more copies from the same company I would recommend buying it.

Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (PS2) - Reviews

Info

Analysis

Detail