Midway does so many things right with this title that other fighting games do not, but in the end it is still just another fighter. Not every fighter has degradation to both the character and the clothing, but MKvsDC does. And, when have you ever seen a fighting game that has a decent story, the only one I can think of is MKvsDC. Furthermore, what other franchises have finishing moves where arcade cabinets drop from the sky, none, besides MK. It may all sound fun, and it is, but it is not all peaches and cream.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is the latest double “D” fighter to hit the scene (yes all the ladies are well endowed) and it makes me wonder about the direction of fighters these days. How much of Midway’s resources went into developing boob physics? Is it really worth it? Why not try and add a more robust move list or even some better combos, instead I get bouncing breasts. I guess the moves list is not that bad if you are an old school fan of the series, because that is exactly how most of this game plays. And, they did add other interesting features to the game, for instance, character degradation.
In this game, when you get the tar beat out of you, you really fit the bill. Watching Liu Kang get pummeled over and over again is not exactly fun when you are the one playing him but seeing his body get bruised is pretty satisfying. Gone are the ways of fighting with a pristine looking character and later dying as a pristine looking character, because Midway is making the competitor that is getting beat on turn into that poor red-headed step-child that we know so much about. Even Superman feels the wrath when he gets devastated, lying there with his costume partially mangled.
Nice little additions like the transition from downed fighter to the next round is an added bonus to the number of new improvements made to this title. The tests of strength that happen when a character gets smashed through multiple walls is interesting, turns into a button mashing mini-game to try and increase the percentage of damage that is taken from the wall smashes. Plus, the close up grab mini-game combat that ensues is a button for button trade off; where the person that is trying to escape is attempting to push the same button that the attacker is pushing (the attacker is trying to rack up more damage). There is also the aerial combat which is the same as the grab mini-game but instead the combatants are falling through the air and if the opponent that is on the defense guesses the correct button, he or she reverses position and becomes the damage dealer instead of damage taker. In addition to the fall damage, each character has a special move that could be used in the aerial combat to inflict even more pain. Lastly, there is the Rage.
Rage is a kind of impure sorcery that is infecting the warriors; it gives them a shiny yellow glow once triggered. In this state the competitors do not feel pain and continue to battle forward shrugging off the hits that they are receiving as if their enemy was not even there. They may not act like they are getting hit, but they are losing health.
Understandably, Midway has a lot riding on this game and incorporating the DC Universe was an excellent idea. All the character models look fantastic and they are all easy to pick up and play. One of my favorite characters to play is the Joker, he is truly insane. Lobbing bombs and explosive cards is just the beginning with this clown; he has an electric hand buzzer and an extending boxing glove that is very useful also. The Joker is a madman and every time he shocks an opponent he jumps around laughing and I find that to be simply hilarious. I did have a problem with one of the other DC characters though, Green Lantern is by far my favorite hero of the DC Universe but he is so gimped in this game. I am not about to geek out on it though because my fandom does not take me to that extreme (lets just say I am thankful he is Hal Jordan). At least Midway did not give us a gimped game by making it a “T” rated title, oh wait…they did.
The “T” rating is heartbreaking, what happened to the gore of the glory days? I can see trying to increase your sales by targeting those under 16 but give us diehards an “M” rated download pack, think about it. I would love to see true fatalities like they were meant to be seen, not babied up for the little ones.
The story is fantastic; I have never seen a fighting genre have a story that was so entertaining. This genre has never been known for their stories but with MKvsDC they take it to another level. There are two sides to the story, can you guess which sides? The worlds between the two have begun to merge, and playing through either faction coincides with the other making it a must to play through both campaigns. It was my favorite part of the game and I already miss not having more. Another decent aspect of the game besides the story is the online multiplayer.
Too many times I have found myself sitting at home searching for competition but to no avail. Here, I can go online and find many takers. Then, I find out how truly inept I am at playing, but it is still fun even if it is slightly masochistic. I found out quickly how precise you actually have to be, no button masher here and that is excellent.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, is this going to be Midway’s swan song, or is it going to be the death nail for a struggling company that is on the verge of being dumped from the stock market? The game is fun, but being a savior to a drowning company I would have to say no and I hope I am wrong. The right persons can have a lot of fun with it, I did and still am. With all the right moves that Midway made in this title I would hate to see them crumble, I desire a true to form Mortal Kombat and I can not imagine anyone else creating it. 8/10