Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PS Vita
Release date: May 1st, 2012 (US)/ May 4th, 2012 (EU)
Time ago we had the pleasure of reviewing Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition for the Xbox 360. With the recent release for the PC decided to play it on the go and had a great time with the PS Vita version of this game. Mortal Kombat for PS Vita brings all the action of the console version, including classic costumes and characters such as freddy krueger DLC among others, as well as new content that takes advantage of the touch screen capabilities and more.
Story
In the near future Shao Kahn defeated all the warriors of earth and only Raiden survives, but not for long, Shao Kahn is about to kill him, Raiden decides to send his remaining energy to his alter ego of the past to try to avoid the terrible tragedy.
Raiden in the present begins to have visions of this tragic future, he must do everything possible to change the fate of mankind and the three Mortal Kombat tournaments.
Over 150 tower missions and challenges
Gameplay
It has everything that the console version had that made it one of the best games of 2011 in the present release for the Sony handheld. Of course, there are some differences between the console and the PS Vita. Apparently Kratos (God of War) arena is not available in this version and “King of the Hill” was also removed.
But new quite addictive features were added, this includes a new challenges tower with 150 different challenges for your enjoyment, this apart from the original tower for a total of 450 challenges. If a Tower of Challenges was not enough for you, now you have two of them!
Mini games and challenges that take advantage of the capacity and power of the console such as the touch screen, which will keep you busy for hours! Among the various mini-games the most notorious is “Test Your Slice”, which clearly is a clone/homage of “Fruit Ninja”, but with that unique style that only Mortal Kombat could offer, cutting heads, body parts and of course tons of gore.
Some of the challenges include projectiles you block by tapping the screen, reducing the size of your character head during combat growing, grows that’s pretty hilarious and I could not stop laughing during this challenge. “Test your balance” makes use of the console’s gyroscope , you turn it to the left or right to maintain balance and survive. You better survive the challenge or suffer a painful death in a deadly pit.
If the difficulty of the many challenges were not enough motivation for you, by completing all of them will unlock new costumes for the characters.
The touch screen functions are not limited to challenges, but also normal combat, as you fight you get blood smudges all over the screen, making you wipe the screen with your fingers. X-Ray movements can be triggered by tapping “X” on the screen just like if you pressed a button. In similar fashion you can perform the fatalities with your fingers by using the screen as you would do with the D-Pad, is not just innovative, feels and works great.
Without a doubt, it can be said NetherRealms studio made good use of the hardware in a unique way!
That will hurt in the morning!
Graphics
The graphics suffered a downgrade, let’s say it was a necessary sacrifice to keep the game running smoothly at 60 frames per second, on par with the versions of the Xbox 360 and PS3. Something that Nether Realm has already explained, and it seems reasonable to keep the pace of the game intact. Despite this all the content is there, no missing elements, all the animations and content in the many stages is there, dragons, fiery lava, etc..
Pre-rendered cutscenes that if not great, look just like the PS3 or Xbox360 counterparts.
Although the models do not look as good as the console version, they are not so bad, and with all the action on screen and with the exception of a couple of scenes, you will not have time to complain about the graphics, it is not as noticeable.
Sound
As much as the Vita can deliver music, voice and others, you can not compare the sound of a nice sound system on your TV, nothing wrong with the sound more than anything it’s me being picky with the sound of the Vita.
Downsides
Of course we can be picky and demanding, but the graphics are degraded to give 60 frames per second, it is undeniable that there will always be people who will not be happy with this, but is not that bad, really.
The controls are not perfect, I find some differences with the controls for the Vita, nothing that can ruin the game, but can be annoying from time to time, like when you tag team.
If you feel the console versions gave you everything it could and that the game does not offer anything new, you’re probably right. This is a version without changes in gameplay or story, challenges alone may not be enough to keep you entertained for much time, the same game but on a handheld.
Hey Kahn, Thor called, he wants his hammer back! What a cheap boss… Seriously!
Overall
With this game you cannot go wrong, if you like fighting games and you own a PSVita, do yourself a favor and grab this game now. Mortal Kombat is definitely for you!
Then the game is good? Practically, you have in your hands an almost identical version to that on consoles, both in gameplay and challenge, on the go in your PS Vita. Blood, brutal action, everything is there. A title that really is well worth having in your collection.
Pros:
+Awesome gameplay
+150 new challenges & missions
+Innovative controls
+New costumes
Cons:
–Downgraded graphics
–Doesn’t offer anything new story wise
–Kratos arena fu**** where?
We give the game a 8.5 out of 10
