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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Deadly Alliance: The Rebirth of MK...with a few defects...., November 27, 2002
Long have I waited for a great Mortal Kombat game to hit once again. And finally the wait paid off. Not since Mortal Kombat 2 has Mortal Kombat been as much fun. But i'm sorry to say that all is not as good as it seems...I give the game 3 1/2 stars really.First off, the fighting system is completely revamped. Finally stepping into the realm of true 3d (Mortal Kombat 4 was nothing more than a 2d fighting game with 3d models), the game play is as fast and furious as ever. With the ability to switch between 3 different fighting styles, one of which is weapon based, the combo possibilities are increased more than ever. Full 3d movement and detail make this probably the best MK since MK2... But then there are the problems. The fighting styles, while a great new addition, aren't all they're cracked up to be. The amount of combos you can do are limited, and the stance change button does not always work when you want it to(namely in the middle of a combo when it is most useful). As with most MK games, the AI is extraordinarily cheap at times...it always seems to know exactly what you're going to do, and beats the crud out of you before you can even pull a move off. The juggling system is awful. The AI abuses it so much that you'll find yourself walking away from the game in frustration. You can easily lose in about 10 seconds if the computer keeps you backed up against the (invisible)walls surrounding the arena, because you'll be juggled so much you'll probably never even hit the ground. Some characters are just completely worthless, namely the new character Drahmin, who has absolutely no combo moves whatsoever. The only way to defeat an opponent is by furious button mashing and pure luck. He relies far too heavily and special moves. The same goes for returning character Cyrax. While he has a few good combos, his moves are far too limited and he must rely mostly on his special moves. And many weapon styles are far too similar...some of them are totally identical to each other, except that the actual weapons look different. Fatality fans will be very disappointed...each character has only one fatality. While a few of these fatalities are quite good, the greater majority of them are just awful. Quan Chi's fatality in particular is by far the worst Fatality that the Mortal Kombat series has ever seen. And there are no arena-based fatalities...how the creators can even dare to have an arena called the 'Acid Bath' or the 'Lava Shrine' and not have an arena based fatality is beyond comprehension. It seems that once again, the design team opted for total laziness in the Finishing Moves department, as they have ever since MK3. Story, which has always been one of the best parts of MK, is no let down in this game. The addition of Konquest mode, which takes you through 10 missions to help explain character story and train you in the use of that particular character is a great addition. It helps you to earn 'Kurrency' which can be used to be secrets in the 'Krypt', a room full of 676 'Koffins' that are bought using your earned 'Kurrency'. The problem there is that out of 676 Koffins, about 620 of them are total 'Krap'. Character endings also leave alot to be desired...some just make no sense whatsoever, or are too short to explain anything. Others, however, are shocking and surprising. Overall, the game just suffers from two major things: the feeling of being incomplete, and something that all MK fans should be used to by now: Empty Promises. Some characters are just too limited and feel like they were rushed. Some character's Konquest modes also seem to be completely rushed, being devoid of story and lacking rhyme or reason. As far as empty promises, many things that the development team promised when they were creating the game just did NOT make it in: Torn clothing on characters is nowhere to be found, weapon combat is far too basic(it was said to 'Rival Soul Calibur'), and a few other things that just seem annoying when you realize they aren't there. If it seems that i'm coming down way too hard on this game...I apologize. I have been a fan of MK since it first debuted in Arcades in 1992. I just feel that Deadly Alliance could've been so much more than it actually is. To close this review off, I will list some of the high points of the game: The story is outstanding. I challenge anyone to find a fighting game with a story as deep as this. Even Soul Calibur's story pales in comparison. The combat is fast paced and action packed...unlike Tekken or Virtua Fighter, which is slow paced and dreadfully boring. Characters look better and more detailed than ever. Arenas, although simplistic and basic in terms of interaction and maneuverability, are highly detailed and gorgeous. The addition of Kurrency, Konquest Mode and The Krypt fuel the replay value and will keep you coming back for weeks. Tons of characters both old and new offer lots of variety. Overall, a great game that could've been perfect, had it not been for that feeling of being incomplete, or being victim of laziness.
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