Well, I for one, am most certainly looking forward to this game. All of the proposals for this game seem too good to pass up for a die-hard MK fan like me. However, after the resounding disappointment that was the Mega Man X Collection in terms of gaming companies making promises that they actually keep, I'm going to handle this one with kid gloves, because, sometimes, things actually
can be too good to be true, sometimes. So, I owe it to you guys to give a completely objective P.O.V. on the matter.
Well, old news by now, but Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is going to come with 60+ characters, featuring all of the characters, past and present, that make up the franchise
(which would bust the record set by Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for most characters in a fighting game). The reason that Midway has stated for doing so is to bring some closure to the roster- they are going to decide who lives and who dies in the MK universe, once and for all. Apparently, Midway's going to wipe the slate clean by having a free for all with all of the characters. Hints are dropping everywhere that Stryker's not going to make it in the end (well, he is one of the most unpopular characters in the series, so no surprise there....), but that's still left to be seen.
Personally, I'm glad for that little development right there. I am so sick and tired of characters having such tearful and dramatic sendoffs only to come back as if nothing happened (some of you may remember my rant when Midway announced the return of Goro and Shao Kahn in Deception.) If anything, I'm happy some of the characters will be taking a permanent dirt-nap to make way for the new kombatants. Once you die, STAY DEAD, GOD DAMMIT. Resurrection is so cliched, anyway.
Midway's also promising a ton of fatalities per character, as well as the create a kombatant mode will fully customisable fighting styles, weapons and special moves (something I thought was going to happen in Deception, but I got stuck with that ass, Shujinko instead.)
I can't help but wonder that with all that's being offered, is it really too good to be true?
Let's look at some of the factors to be considered here:
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Tick,tock....tick,tock... One has to consider, that with a game of this magnitude, is it even doable, given the time Midway has to do it? Let's look at Deception. Some of the features of the stages and even a couple of the proposed characters were left out because of time restraints (like Sektor, which was supposed to get a manga-like upgrade), and they had two years to work on the game. Back track even further to Deadly Alliance, where twice as much time is being spared and one character, Dairou, was left out because of time, as well as distinct fighting styles, weapons and fatalities for the two hidden characters, Blaze and Mokap. So, it makes me wonder. After using one year to work on Shaolin Monks and wrapping up Deception in 2004, that leaves one year to work on Armageddon. Given what has happened in the past, can we really conceive in our minds that a game featuring more characters and features than both MK:DA and MKD
combined can be truly polished and refined in less than one year? There
could be a possibility, if:
1) Mortal Kombat: Armageddon was in the works immediately after (or even
during) Deception, foregoing any true refinement in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, which could account for another year;
2) The experience and technological advances garnered from the previous games would account for faster working times.
3) Midway deceides to pull a Capcom and recycle the animations/gameplay/whatever from previous games for the returning MK: DA and MKD characters. (Heck, I wouldn't be surprised at all if they do decide to do this.....check out the pictures below, which shows a Deadly Alliance version of Sub-Zero!)
I'm a bit skeptical at this point, because a game of that magnitude would take at least 3 years to really get all of the kinks in terms of graphics and gameplay out. (Those of you who have played against my Noob-Smoke would know
exactly what I mean by certain 'kinks'. Mwe hee hee.....)
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Next Gen, Shmext Gen! Seeing as how this game will not see the next-gen consoles, the idea that a game like this would even fit on the current platforms is a bit hard to swallow. Deception, after all, did push the envelope on the current platforms, and it scares me to think that an attempt is made to fit three times as much in the next game. If it was the PS3 or the X-Box 360, then sure....I could see it happening. But on current consoles....just wow. If all goes well and there are no space issues, I'd definitely applaud Midway for that. Especially if they're going to combine
two engines into one game (Shaolin Monks engine for Konquest, Deception engine for gameplay.)
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The story and Shaolin Monks You know, the last time Midway said they were going to 'tie up any loose ends' in a story, they completely annihilated what we MK purists
thought we knew about MK and MK2, and they called it 'Shaolin Monks'. Some pretty damn good storytelling has got to go down in here, because seeing characters like Sheeva again makes me wonder, "How in the blue HECK did they come back?"
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FIGHT! The game is apparently introducing what appears to be an Aerial Rave mechanic into the game, which is good, considering that the gameplay in the air in these types of games is virtually non-existent. Makes you wonder just how they're going to pull it off, though, because I can't picture that in my mind. I'd actually have to see it to believe it.
Also....just how unique are they going to make the characters? Last time I checked,
three people share Kano's moves. Just a little thing to ponder on....
But, you know. I am still willing to give this game a benefit of a doubt, because the series has gotten better with age for me (at least, after Deadly Alliance), and I'd like to see what form of closure Midway has in store for the roster of Armageddon.
And now, for those of you who didn't bother to endure the long and painful rant, here's a pretty picture for you to look at (you ADD monkeys.....
)
It's a magazine cutout that shows the roster for Armageddon (some characters are cut out of the shot, though, and Motaro is nowhere to be seen.)
And, I'm out. If i find out more, I'll post it up here.
