Mortal Kombat: Unchained [PSP]

The latest Mortal Kombat trilogy has shed a lot of blood during its reign of terror on current-gen systems. After the final head rolled with Mortal Kombat Armageddon, we get an aftershock in the form of Unchained on PSP. Don't be deceived by the new moniker, however, as it's a port of 2004's MK: Deception.

Following on the heels of Tekken: Dark Resurrection, Unchained is another 3D fighting game making the jump to PSP with startling accuracy. Deception was a huge game, and Unchained retains an admirable amount of its content. You have a cast of 30 characters -- six combatants have been added, or more accurately reincarnated -- the two mini-games, and the story-filled Konquest mode. It's definitely a full plate for any portable gamer.

Mortal Kombat's gameplay has grown in complexity from back in its early days. What was once mirrored basic moves with a few specials has become a combo-fest of epic proportions. Each fighter has three distinct styles, including a weapon. It's heavy on the memorization, and actually its lack of friendliness to button-mashers may be a detriment to those who mainly game on the go. Still, you can't help but love the breakthrough environments, sweet air juggles, and of course the gore.

Konquest mode is a good first stop in Unchained, as it gets you acquainted with the fight mechanics over a series of tutorials. Between that, you'll do fetch quests and collect valuables. Sadly, it's got one of the worst cameras in all of 3D gaming. The camera will actually get stuck and left behind by your character. The loading is a little taxing, as well. At the same time, voiceovers are prevalent (lip-synched, no less) and the animations are nice. It's a mediocre mode made playable by its teaching aspects and ability to throw koins at you.

Puzzle Kombat feels right at home in the PSP space, as it's geared toward quick sessions. Matches are just long enough, and the difficulty ramping -- like in the rest of MK: Unchained -- is merciful. Needing bombs to blow up colored block sections makes it more luck than strategy, but think of it this way: You're basically getting this for free; if you wanted a full-on puzzle game, pick up Lumines.

Chess Kombat is a little tougher to recommend, though it's no less clever. The learning curve is a little steep for the payoff, even if it does smartly blend board gaming with actual MK battles. You'll need to be well versed in both the rules and normal gameplay to have success.

The Krypt is here, naturally. For the uninitiated, this is where you trade in all those koins to open one of 400 coffins to see what's inside. It's often art-related, but there are some more premium goodies like characters and stages. The video trading cards are great, too, with interviews on the origin of the fighter and a chronicle of his/her appearances. Everything you do in MK Unleashed rewards you with koins, so you'll spend a lot of time in the Krypt.

Unchained looks darn nice, and is tough to discern from the console versions. Obviously the damage model isn't as detailed, but you probably won't notice. The audio is par for the course as well, and features the same hit-or-miss voiceovers you know and love/hate. Load times can be beefy; expect to wait 20-30 seconds at a crack for anything substantial to happen.

Getting yet another current-gen port on PSP usually doesn't do the platform any favors; but in Mortal Kombat's case, it's an asset to have such a robust title make its way to the portable realm. If you've already grown weary of the series, Unchained definitely won't change your mind; but if you have a few more fatalities in you, pick it up. Who knows? Its unique, cathartic brand of violence may prevent a road-rage incident.