Violence, in a video game? Never!

Okies, it has been a while since I wrote a review for a computer game, and looking back at my early reviews it was probably for the best! However, I can't stay away from them any more, so here is my review for Mortal Kombat Deception.

Now, the Mortal Kombat series has been, and probably always will be known as the most famous fighting game around. The reason for this is that when it first came out on home consoles back in the days of the Mega Drive and SNES, it was the most controversial game around. Read the views of critics regarding Mortal Kombat I and II and you will see what I mean. Compared to nowadays games such as GTA it had the same controversy factor, which was both its biggest selling point, and biggest let down.

It was controversial in one way: Violence. Even back then, violence was a big issue in regards to movies, TV, and computer games. This is why parents hated Mortal Kombat. It had gallons of blood and guts, and trademark finishing moves "Fatalities" which made the game what it is. But once the second and third games had come out, the game had made a solid name for itself. Those who played it looked past the apparantly mindless beat-'em-up and saw an indepth storyline with well thought out characters.

Then the 3D games came out. Starting with poor, blocky, choppy graphics they did not live up to peoples expectations.... until MK- Deadly Alliance. Blasting back on the new generation consoles with brilliant graphics and a deep storyline once more, it kept all of its blood and guts and added in a handful of playability. With a massive amount to unlock and find, and long, complex combos to master, it was a high quality start to what will no doubt be a massive come back for the series.

Continuing the story from MK-DA, Mortal Kombat Deception begins with an FMV movie featuring Raiden, the Thunder God fighting the two sorcerors, Quan Chi and Shang Tsung. With a voice-over from a character named Shujinko, the main storyline is that when the two sorcerors beat Raiden, the Dragon King known as Onaga comes in. Raiden wakes up and does some powerful suicide attack, killing himself and the two sorcerors, but without harming Onaga. Onaga, understandably pleased with this, begins resurrecting the dead into armies and taking control of the six realms.

This is a fairly simple and straight forward story - bad guy comes and wants to take over, you have to stop him - but there is more to be found out. In order to know the whole storyline in this game you need to complete the adventure mode (Konquest), and the Arcade mode with all 24 characters.

For this is where the stories really lurk. Completing the arcade mode with a character delivers, as with past MK games, an individual ending and story. These include stories which cross paths, and even kill off some of the main characters. On top of this, the Konquest mode features characters of the past, such as Frost and Reptile, which you can help out in exchange for Koins.

Koins are the main currency of the game. By collecting them, you can use them in the "Krypt", which is a large area filled with hundreds of graves with either a price or a key. By collecting koins you can dig up a grave and see what it contains. It may be a biography, a costume, a piece of artwork, a movie, or even a new character. Or course, the best items are more expensive, or need a key to be unlocked, meaning that unlocking everything takes a very long time.

There are four main game modes: Arcade, Chess, Puzzle, and Konquest.

Arcade mode is the traditional fighting mode that everyone knows and loves. This is where you will probably spend the most time, collecting koins and unlocking endings. Basically you pick a character and play through 8 fights while delivering killer blows to your opponants.

Chess mode is very different. You play on a 10x10 grid, and your aim is to take the enemies king. The twist is that when you or your opponant try to take a piece, you have to fight them in an arena. The game also always ends with a fatality, which is a nice touch I think.

Puzzle mode is genius. Comprising of a fine mix of puzzle games such as Tetris, Columns, and Doctor Mario you must link together blocks of red, yellow, green or blue, then drop special "Breakers" on to them. This drops the blocks onto your opponants side. The person whos blocks go over a set line loses. The reason this mode is so fantastic is because you choose a mini-fighter - a fighter with a big head, little body, and large limbs. Whilst playing the game, the two characters fight each other at the bottom of the screen. This is funny to watch, especially since the end of each match has a stage fatality, followed by a little victory dance from the winner.

Konquest mode is an adventure mode. Controlling Shujinko, you control him as he takes on a task for the Elder Gods, collecting all six of the Kamidogu from the various realms. Helping out people and fighters along the way, you also get to learn the techniques needed to stay alive in the Arcade mode. This mode is also essential to understand the story fully. It is also the only way to unlock many of the items in the Krypt, and is a good source for Koins as well.

So they are the game modes, but what about the fighting? Well, this game takes the MK series in a fantastic direction. The arenas are not only interactive, but some have their own weapons and many have thigns called "Death Traps", which are similar to fatalities in that they are gory and mean instant death, but they can be used at any time during a battle and without a complicated button combo. On top of this, there are now two fatalities for each character and a Hara Kiri, or suicide move. There are also the usual special moves and fighting attacks, and long strings of combos, and three fighting styles for each character; two hand-on-hand and one weapon style which again is different for each character.

Graphically the game is incredibaly sophisticated. The characters are well drawn, and the attacks are spectacular. The arenas is where the game really shines though, with little touches like breakable windows and statues to add a really interactive feel. The fatalities look incredible as well, and blood and gore is handed out by the bucketload. And, as if all this wasn't enough, your character can show facial damage if attacked too much.

The sounds aren't quite as good, but never the less the voicing is good and unique for each character, and it keeps the traditonal cries of "Finish him" and "Fatality!". The music is suitable for the battle arena, and thankfully they left out the glass-shattering scratching when a fatality is pulled off. Typically there are grunts and groans and screams from the fighters as they pummel each other, and the arenas have several sounds themselves.

Speaking of the arenas, I feel I should mention them a little bit more. I have already mentioned that they are interactive, highly detailed, and have death traps... but there is more. Many of the old arenas come back, such as the pit and the acid pool. There are also two arenas which deserve a special mention, and they are the falling cliffs arena and the ying-yang island arena. The falling cliffs arena gets smaller and smaller as the fight goes on, until someone either dies or falls to a painful death impaled on a stalagtite, whilst the latter switches from a light Jamacan island to a dark desturbing island of death, with palm trees turning into massive snakes around you, then switching back randomly. Truly spectacular.

Having briefly mentioned the unlockables I feel I should give more information on them as well. You are able to unlock characters and costumes, as in many fighting games, but also videos, photos, and production art taken or made while the game was in production. The photos are a bit pointless I feel, but the production art is great and the movies are just blinding. Ranging from info on the fighting styles to trailers and teasers, they are a great way of spending an hour or so of watching.

And so, to conclude, I think that anyone with one of the new generation consoles should buy this game. It has such a massive replay value, and so many game modes to suit anyone that very few people could find something wrong with it. Arenas packed with little personal touches, simple and addictive gameplay, plus a massive 6 difficulities for each of the game modes means that you can spend an unlimited amount of time playing this game. I have spotted this game for as little as £10 as well, so there is no reason not to buy it. Go on, you know you want it.