Mortal Kombat: Deception [GC]

Hand-to-Hand
Veterans of Deadly Alliance should recognize the combat engine of Mortal Kombat: Deception immediately. Almost identical to the last game in terms of its mechanics, it has retained a similar setup to what it had before, although there have been a few new trivial and much-needed refinements. The analog stick, for example, can now be used as an alternative to the digital pad (a bizarre omission from Deadly Alliance), but to be honest, this type of alternative doesn't really add a lot to the experience. And given the fact that MK is primarily a tap-tap scrap anyway, you'll likely use the D-pad regardless. Even so, it's nice to have the option.

The four face buttons still command four different attack types (usually weak and strong punches and kicks), and happily, no two characters play exactly the same. Though there are still some basic similarities, the majority of each fighter's individual move list is as varied as you could hope for -- with a pretty balanced lineup of fighters with few exceptions. Fans of the returning characters that were looking for a ton of new moves may be disappointed, however, as the majority of the recurring combatants from Deadly Alliance play a lot like they did before. But look at it this way: at least you'll have a few guys mastered right off the bat.

Of course, being able to switch between three different fighting stances is just as important now as it was before, and to its credit, the game is a lot more balanced in this regard. In the previous title, it wasn't uncommon to find one dominant style that helped propel players to an advantage early -- particularly against CPU opponents -- for a cheap and easy win in a matter of seconds. Mortal Kombat: Deception, on the other hand, puts a strong emphasis on being able to switch back and forth between fighting styles to best react to your adversary's onslaught. Knowing how to chain combos between these styles is essential to doing well. This doesn't mean that there still aren't dominant fighting disciplines (because there are), it just means they're less dominant.

One of the best decisions that Midway had made regarding the whole Kombat setup, though, is the removal of the special move button. Originally used for throwing, counter attacks, and impaling (depending on which fighting stance you had), Deception employs only the defense key. Impalements have been completely removed too (a tactic that gave players a quick and easy advantage last time), and you can counter an attack simply by pressing forward and defense at the same time -- regardless of which discipline you're using (called "Breakers"). Being able to perform this breaker brings a nice reactionary tool to Mortal Kombat's admittedly mechanical combo system. As we're sure that most of you remember, the previous game was absolutely brutal when it came to pulling off its dial-a-combos -- only stopping if the aggressor missed or if the animation was finished. This time you can stop any combo dead in its tracks before it can ever pick up, which bolsters the idea of being defensive quite a bit. But there is a strategy here: you're only allowed three breakers per match, so using them wisely will be one of your foremost concerns.

There are other new subtle changes to the fighting system as well, but not all of them are good. As an example, there's a brand new defensive meter below the health bar that's supposed to indicate when an opponent is open for a counter attack, but it really doesn't serve much of a purpose (it's both unintuitive and sloppy). The more interactive, multi-level fighting arenas on the other hand, are a great addition both in terms of the presentation and the gameplay and they really bring each and every stage alive and offer an additional strategic element to the contest. Unfortunately, this addition isn't perfect. As some of these interactive stages are so overflowing with environmental fatalities, that it only takes a few hits before you're falling into a pit of doom or being eaten by a giant set of choppers.