After hearing about the pairing of Mortal Kombat characters (Sub Zero, Scorpion, Kano, etc.) with the heroes and villains of DC Universe (Superman, Batman, Joker, Green Lantern, Lex Luthor, etc.), I was a bit skeptical. Capcom tried a similar pairing with its Street Fighter vs. Xmen and Marvel vs. Capcom games, which actually proved to be highly successful.
Capcom’s bright animation style seemed to fuse perfectly with the comic art of the Marvel Universe and everything seemed to integrate seamlessly into the 2D world. When considering the MK vs. DC pair up, it is a bit harder to imagine. For starters, MK is known for brutal over the top violence, while DC probably boasts some of the most clean cut, boy scout super heroes this side of the Punisher.
Unlike Marvel, DC has been relatively unsuccessful in its ventures into the foray of video games and the MK series isn’t exactly at the peak of its popularity. While still a good series, it is no where near the fighting powerhouse it was nearly a decade ago. So, on to the game….
GRAPHICS 9/10
The graphics are excellent in this game. The art direction manages to utilize all of the ultra bright primary colors that DC characters are known for while also incorporating the dark grey overcast vibe so prevalent in the Mortal Kombat universe. The two styles mesh surprisingly well. The environments are also top notch, with locales ranging from Superman’s Fortress of Solitude to Scorpion’s Hell Pit, the textures and details found in each definitely help give the environments a character of their own.
As with any fighting game, the biggest and most important aspect of the graphics are the character models. Luckily, the character models are some of the best in ANY fighting game this generation. The attention to detail on each character is impressive. Everything from the pinstripes in Joker’s pants to the lines in the sections of Batman’s armor are easily visible. Even more impressive is the in game damage taken by the characters. For instance if you have been pummeling Superman all round, you’ll notice that his costume is tattered and he’s most likely sporting a nice shiner. Its not uncommon for parts of masks to be blown off and capes to be shredded in the course of a fight. Its little details like this that really make the graphics shine. Alot of work went into the character models and it definitely shows.
GAMEPLAY 9/10
With most fighting games, the transition to current gen controllers is a bit problematic. Often times, the little joysticks on the controllers aren’t always responsive enough to execute the half circle motions required for the majority of special moves in today’s fighting games. While it is not impossible to pull off, it is often easier and more consistent to keep it old school and rely on the directional pad for such inputs. MK vs. DC is no different. I found myself relying mostly on the D-pad and rarely used the thumb sticks for the rare exception that I needed to move in and out of the foreground. Using the D-pad is highly responsive and I was able to execute all of the moves perfectly.
The list of moves for each character is impressive. The game contains some of the classics like Sub Zero’s freeze and Scorpion’s “Get Over Here!” harpoon. The DC characters have the more impressive moves, however only about half are atually useful while the other half are simply included for the sake of showcasing a special ability of the hero/villain even though it can rarely be used effectively in a fight. The DC characters integrate fiarly seamlessly into the MK fighting universe with the majority of the characters being well balanced. There are a couple of balance issues with some characters being overpowered or having a certain “cheap” move that people can spam to no end in order to get an easy victory. For the most part though, skilled players will be able to detect these patterns and effectively counter them.
The game also features a decent attempt at a plot, but don’t expect any novels to be written about this game anytime soon. The game features a story mode that explains the merging of the two worlds, however rather than allow you to choose the character you want to play as, it assigns you a character to use for each section of the story mode. This isn’t entirely bad as it allows you to play as characters you probably wouldn’t use normally. But it can get a bit frustrating when you’re stuck using the underpowered Wonder Woman and you’re facing a top tier character like Superman and he’s just destroying you effortlessly.
MULTIPLAYER 8/10
The multiplayer is fairly similar to the Arcade mode, with the exception that you are playing against real players and you are subject to lag from time to time. The lag was fairly playable most of the time, however depending on who you are fighting it can mean the difference between winning and losing. One second of lag is all the window a skilled player needs to execute a monster combo that the lagged player can’t stop. It does get a bit frustrating sometimes to lose due to lag, luckily this was more the exception than the norm.
The only other gripe I have with the multiplayer is the quality of players online. As with any game, there are scrubs galore. There are 3 characters (Scorpion, Superman, and Flash) who have certain moves that are extremely difficult to block and can be spammed endlessly. Not surprising, there are tons of scrubs online who will abuse these moves against you constantly. In a lag free game, these moves are already difficult to block. Online with lag, it becomes an exercise in futility. Despite all these negatives, the overall experience is fun and engaging. MK vs DC is a quick and accessible game that is perfect for picking up and playing a few matches while you wait for your girlfriend to finish getting ready and is also perfectly suitable for those times you want to just go gladiator marathon and handle people for hours.
OVERALL 8/10
The game has a good deal of replay value as it has enough interesting and appealing characters to warrant multiple play throughs. While I am not a big fan of DC comics overall, there were enough of the mainstream characters that I was able to get into this game and enjoy it quite a bit. Also, the gameplay is a bit more 2D with 3D backgrounds. It is more like MK4 and less like MK Armageddon, which in my opinion is a good thing. I feel that the recent MK games suffered a bit while trying to make the transition to “true” 3D and this latest game is definitely a step back, but in the right direction.
Also the game is incredibly accessible. Previous MK games were a bit of a turn off as only pros who could execute 14 ht juggle combos could really appreciate them. This is a game that anyone can play. I watched my daughter have a blast button mashing her way through the arcade mode, so the game definitely appeals to a much wider audience. Also, a majority of the brutality from previous MK games has been toned down quite a bit. This game is rated “T” for teen compared to previous MK’s that had the “M” for mature. Overall I would recommend this game to fighting game fans in general. The game doesn’t have the intricate depth of soul caliber or Tekken, but it is insanely fun to just pick up and play.