Hell freezing over, pigs flying, and Mortal Kombat vs. DC. Now we can cross one of these off for things you thought were never possible. Mortal Kombat vs. DC follows the success of another fighting game crossover, Marvel vs. Capcom. The Marvel vs. Capcom series were addicting fighting games back in the day. You have your favorite Capcom characters like Ryu and Strider battling against Marvel characters like Wolverine and Spider-Man. It was only a matter of time that Capcom and Marvel would have to settle their differences and face a bigger threat.

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was a crossover that nobody saw coming. How can you have a gruesome game like Mortal Kombat, where characters can decapitate each other, mixed in with characters like Superman and Batman, who wouldn’t kill a fly? Well, the answer to that is to tone down the game from an M rating to a Teen rating.

Controversial Rating
There are many who will scoff at the idea of a Teen rated Mortal Kombat game. Others would say that you can’t have Superman doing fatalities, so of course a Teen will have to do to for them to appeal to a wider audience (little kiddies). The naysayers would then respond with, “Well they shouldn’t make it to begin with.” Well I’m in the camp that’s fine with the teen rating. You still have your fatalities for the MK characters, but the heroes of DC have their own heroic brutalities. It pretty much means their opponent gets their asses handed to them, but without the death.

Story
The biggest draw for this game for me is the story mode. This isn’t your typical story mode where you defeat an opponent and a short scene pops up every now and then. The story is fully fleshed out with chapters putting you in control of different characters, so you’re not stuck with one characters’ story. This is a pretty interesting take because you get to see how each character plays a role in the grand scheme of things.

Gameplay
This still is your basic 2d fighting game mechanics with the ability to sidestep around in 3d. The game mechanics are the same as previous MK games. You can jump, block, do combos, use special movies, perform fatalities, and etc. The newest thing that this game brings to the franchise is the Rage ability. When rage is activated, you can’t be knocked down, and you’re stronger. Combos can be hard to pull off, but with a little practice, you’ll be chaining punches and kicks in no time.

One thing I’d like to mention is the balance between fighters. I’d have to say that the Flash is the cheapest character I have encountered. His combos are deadly and he can juggle you in the air like there’s no tomorrow.

Online
Online mode is pretty fun. The matchmaking is something of a mixed bag. I’m used to games like Call of Duty and Halo, where online matchmaking pits you against opponents of similar skill. Not so in this game. When faced with a beginner, you’re kicking ass. But when you’re up against a guy with 1000 wins and 10 losses, forget about it. Sometimes they tease you in the first round, making you think you have a chance, and that’s when they unleash hell on you. Looks like I need practice a bit more.

Presentation
The graphics are also a mix bag. I love the battle damage effect and the cut scenes. Most of the character models have a weird look to them, especially Wonder Woman and Sonya. Wonder Woman looks like a dude and Sonya’s eyes are crossed eyed. The characters would share the same movements; for example, everyone would have some of the same pre-fight stance. Apparently all the fighters like to pound their elbows to the ground twice and cracking their necks left and right before fighting. I do love the little details on the models though; for example, Sonya Blade’s thong tan lines.

Final Thoughts
If you can get pass the Teen rating for a Mortal Kombat game and shiny tight spandex wearing superheroes, you’ll find an enjoyable fighting game. Come on, when do you get a chance to have someone like Scorpion beat the crap out of Superman? The story mode is really well thought out for a fighting game and the ability to roast Superman is something that is definitely worth checking out.

Grade: B-
 

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