'Kombat' characters good, fighting average

The controls are awkward and the moves limited.

By Derek Reagan

Published Dec. 1, 2008

When Midway announced it would create a fighting game using both the Mortal Kombat and DC Universe characters, they created immense interest and combined two large fan bases for one game. The combination of these two titans is very unlikely, and it made quite a few skeptical about Midway's ability to combine fighting elements that made Mortal Kombat famous while keeping DC Universe superhero fans content at the same time.

The juggling act Midway attempted is a good effort, but inevitably they aren't able to make "Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe" the epic game that it could've been. There are some problems in the game that you can find solved on other previous games in the genre (like "Soulcalibur IV" and "Virtua Fighter 5" online). Overall, the lineup is the biggest strength of the game, and mixed with a decent fighting system it makes for a game that Mortal Kombat and DC Universe fans can't miss. But it may leave general fans of fighting games disappointed.

Back when "Mortal Kombat" came to fame, the games were presented on older consoles that created almost strictly 2D experiences. With the new game on the newest systems, Midway has tried to bring their fighter to the 3D arena. While "Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe" is 3D, trying to use the combination of the D-pad and the analog stick is frustrating. This combo has resulted in making ranged attacks (like Sub-Zero freezing an opponent) almost impossible to complete if the opponent just sidesteps one way or another. It feels like the game could've come across as a bigger success if Midway had focused on the 2D gameplay they helped make famous.

 "Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe" is one of a kind in that it has a deep line-up of characters. Players can use all of the big name Mortal Kombat characters, from Scorpion and Sub-Zero to Raiden and Jax. As if it weren't enough to have the Mortal Kombat mainstays, you can also choose from the legends of DC Universe, including Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Batman and even villains such as The Joker and Lex Luthor.

With characters on this level, it is important to have moves that fans of the characters love. The moves in the game are very good fits for the characters, and it can be extremely rewarding to complete some of the more complex moves (like using Wonder Woman's lasso, Sonya's kiss of death or even Superman's plethora of moves). The pause menu is great for letting the user learn how to use all of the moves that they would like to. The only bummer is that the game's move sets are too limited.

The game modes are fairly standard, with the traditional "Mortal Kombat" arcade mode pitting users against a ladder of enemy fighters to defeat one at a time. The story mode is also very average, with cutscenes that are different for both sets of fighters, and there is even online play to bring the game up to date. The online gaming is fairly standard to the genre and doesn't make for anything that moves the genre in a new direction.