Yet another MK game, though slightly easier
Written: Dec 13 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Easier special attacks, lots of characters, Kreate-A-Fighter
Cons: Unlockables feel weak, Wiimote sensitivity can be frustrating, no significant game play changes
The Bottom Line: If you like fighting games and own a Wii, get it. The easier special attacks make it better than other consoles.
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| crystalattice's Full Review: Mortal Kombatâ„¢: Armageddon for Nintendo Wii |
I haven't been interested in the Mortal Kombat franchise for several years. There hasn't been a whole lot new to the games besides the occasional new character or mini-game.
Now that MK has come to the Wii, I thought I would give it another try. With the potential to make special attacks easier via the Wiimote, I thought it might actually make the game more interesting and more fun.
The graphics are pretty good. Obviously they aren't photo-realistic since the Wii uses much of the same hardware as the Nintendo Gamecube, but they are at least as good as any MK game for the PS2, Xbox, or Gamecube. Many of the characters have been updated (yet again), such as Smoke now looking like a being composed of smoke rather than a ninja in a smoking costume.
Sound is much like the other games in the series. The voice acting in Konquest mode can be somewhat lame and silly at times but it gets the job done. Actual sound effects don't appear to have changed very much over the years; I'd guess some of them are even from the original MK arcade games.
The new control scheme is both good and bad. Using the Wiimote theoretically makes it easier to make special attacks but, due to the nature of the technology, it's actually difficult to perform the intended move. For example, to throw a fireball you are supposed to hold the B button while moving the Wiimote from left to right in a semi-circle. However, another move is to simply move the 'mote from left to right in a straight line. Quite often the Wii will misinterpret what you're trying to do and perform a move you didn't want to do.
Though normally not a problem, sometimes you want to throw a projectile to stay away from an opponent but you end up doing a charge. If your distance is wrong or your opponent blocks, you're now vulnerable to counterattack. Not a good thing when you're low on health.
However, the new system does mean that it's much easier to perform special attacks. You don't have to remember a half dozen button presses to do something; even if you don't do the intended attack, chances are you'll do something. But you have to do the movements at the right speed otherwise the Wii won't register them. This means you end up swinging the 'mote around trying to do something while your opponent wails on you. Not fun.
The change to the controller means that, now, all of your normal attacks are performed with the D-pad of the 'mote, with throws being performed with the A button. Because the D-pad is further up the 'mote than where your thumb normally rests, you have to position the Wiimote differently than normal. For extended sessions, this can fatigue your wrist and arm.
Additionally, the D-pad isn't made of the softest plastic. Prolonged use (more than 20-30 minutes) means your thumb starts to ache, almost like it's bruised. Because all of your normal combos are created using the D-pad, your thumb is continuously pounding on the plastic, usually in the same location on the thumb pad. I usually have to stop after 45-60 minutes simply because my hand hurts too much. I'm not aware of any pads or anything that can cushion the D-pad, though if you find any, I recommend buying them.
The nunchuck is used for movement, blocking (Z button), and changing from empty hand to weapon and back (C button). This time around you only have one empty handed form instead of two, so there aren't nearly as many combo attacks you have to memorize. I haven't noticed if using your weapon also means you take more damage like in games past but the AI opponents also seem to like using weapons more often than before, so it may help in your strategy.
I've noticed that it's difficult to block attacks. If your opponent is attacking, you can't block in the middle. You have to wait until a particular attack is completed before you can block. This applies whether the attack is a combo or just a series of single attacks. You still have three combo breakers but, personally, I use them up quick because the computer loves to use combos.
Game play-wise, you have the usual arcade mode, vs. mode, and Konquest. There's an endurance mode (I don't know if this is new or not) where you fight an unending string of opponents while you have the same life bar for each round (it doesn't regenerate like normal).
There is a new Kreate-A-Fighter area where you can make a custom character using both default items, items you purchase, and items you find during Konquest. Naturally you can decide how your character looks but besides just picking colors and items, you can also decide things like nose placement, mouth width, etc. so you can make a truly custom character. You also get to decide fighting stances, weapons, and other combat areas so you can make a character you're more comfortable with.
Two new characters are included in the roster, both called Chameleon (one is male and one is female). They have an "invisibility" skin color (kind of like the Predator movie) and their clothes change color as they attack. There are also several unlockable characters, though mostly you can pick nearly any character at the start.
The mini-game that's included this time is go-kart racing. IMHO, it's pretty weak. Your opponents seem to be able to go faster than you, regardless of which vehicle you choose. The tracks are fairly simple, with an assortment of traps and power ups to spice things up. Personally, I think the Tetris-style mini-game is much better but maybe I haven't unlocked the full potential of the kart racing yet.
Finally, Konquest mode hasn't changed very much. You travel around various worlds looking for certain quest objectives, fighting the characters in the game. Some levels are timed, which means you'll probably have to replay them several times to complete them; there are a lot of incidental bad guys to fight and they can often be a pain in the butt.
One thing that always bugged me about Konquest mode is that your character seems to go out of his way to p*ss people off. It feels like a poor way to set up fight scenes, especially when you yourself wouldn't act like such an idiot to strangers. I would have appreciated a system where you can choose a response, or at least avoid certain confrontations, especially if you just got done fighting some of the no-name thugs and your thumb hurts.
It's a good game with a few minor issues. The special attacks are generally easier to perform now but it's harder to have the Wii recognize which one you actually want to do. Normal attacks are easy to accomplish, though combos are still somewhat difficult to perform, especially the more your thumb hurts. You have access to nearly all the characters from past games with very few that need to be unlocked, plus you can also create a fighter to your own personal standards. The go-kart game may be fun for some, boring for others.
Overall, if you like the franchise, it's not terribly different from any other recent game. However, there aren't a lot of fighting games for the Wii, so if you need your fightin' fix, this is probably your best bet.
One last thing. The Krypt, where you can purchase unlockables, is really more like the extras on a DVD rather than "cool stuff". Lots of pictures of the game staff, sketch art, and the like. I haven't really found a whole lot for the game itself yet besides some audio tracks and maybe some alternate maps or costumes. Most of the game unlockables are found during Knoquest mode in chests. So don't worry about saving up a lot of money to enhance the game; much of the game enhancements are found while playing.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
crystalattice
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Member: Cody
Location: San Diego, CA
Reviews written: 59
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Navy 11 years, Computer tech 14 years, Degrees: AS, BS, MS
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