Mortal Kombat 9: You weak pathetic fools!

[LN]

As I understand it, the demo is far removed from the final product...

[CptMunta]

As I understand it, the demo is far removed from the final product...

That's what's keeping my mind open about it. I heard from previews and podcasts that the final product is way different as well. It's something that definitely has potential. I'm gonna play it then hire it and give it a decent chance.

I just hope the PS3 doesn't sell out if I finally want to pick it up like the ps3 version of MvC3 has. Kiwi retailers have a habit of underestimating the popularity of fighting games

[JackSmash]

A lot of the demo combos you see on youtube only work to an extent.
e.g. you can't get anything after uppercut and the moves deal slightly less damage.

[CptMunta]

Haunts review:
http://www.1up.com/reviews/mortal-kombat-review

[CaptainHook]

Lol: http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/blogs/game-junkie/4907483/Finish-him

[LN]

Ugh.

Anyway, my MK and strat guide have shipped, so I'll be giving it a blast tomorrow evening.

[stereomonkey]

Bring it on Friday Alan, shotz.

[CaptainHook]

Keen to hear what you guys think!

[LN]

I can say without a shadow of doubt the story mode is the most entertaining of any fighting game I've ever played. Some of the matches are legitimately difficult too, although it adjusts the difficulty with retrying the same match over and over, so eventually Shao Kahn becomes beatable lol. While I WOULD have liked to have played as some of the bad guys, it wouldn't really tell the canon story, and I guess that's what the ladder mode is for.

I've only played like 2 rungs of the challenge tower, I guess I'll go through more of it but the incentive isn't that huge tbh. I've already unlocked the alternate costumes in the 'krypt' through the 'koins' gained through story, and those are pretty much the only gamechanging elements. Some of the concept art and whatnot is really cool though.

For the game itself, coming from UMK3 I'm actually finding it a bit strange. The button layout is kind of different. In MK<=3 you had Light/Hard punch/kick and block but now it's Front/Back punch/kick and block. Sweep used to be B+LK, which maps fine to B+BK, but what used to be uppercut D+HP is now D+BP, so it feels like I'm uppercutting with light punch the way my buttons are set up (which is NOT the default). Hard to know what the best is to get used to. Kind of similar problem with MvC3's input system coming from MvC2.

All the chars moves have changed too... All Liu Kang's fireball specials used to be F,F+button but are now B,F+button. Sub Zero's ice moves tend to be on different buttons now, and his Slide (previously LP+BLK+LK) is now B,F+LK.

Dashing with a double tap is really strange also, coming from UMK3's run button.

None of which will make any bloody difference to most of you who aren't actually familiar with old mortal kombats, of course.

Haven't really got much more to report on yet. Haven't gone into training mode or even anything with a normal character select screen. Combos weren't particularly obvious though, juggle timing I think is while not strict, not super easy either.

Definitely picked up a few thoughts on chars that I'm keen to try a lot more though. Most of the ones used during story (all goody good earthrealm types) felt good, even though I had no interest in them prior.

[CptMunta]

Cheers for the write up LN really interested in the story mode and will try and rent it when it comes out to hoon through it. Strangely enough it sounds kind of simlar to the pitch Sirlin made to capcom SF4 funnily enough

I really admire how much work nethereal have put into the amount of kontent for this game, hopefully capcom and other companies will follow suit in the future. Sure stories and extras shouldn't be the main focus, but it sure is a nice bonus if you take the time out to do it.

[LN]

Yeah, the attention to detail and single player modes are what made me buy it, really. Definitely should be encouraged IMO.

The one thing I've mulled over which I'm kind of on the fence about is the Xray system. I previously thought "ah well, they aren't that much damage, I'll probably just use meter for Breakers" but now after trying them, I'm a bit more worried. They feel very much like Supers in Super Turbo. Some are absolute game changers when the character has full meter. We shall see how it pans out.

One great thing about MK is with the kombat kodes you can just disable various bits that you want

[CaptainHook]

Thanks Alan, does it feel clunky like some people have said?

[LN]

I don't think so, except possibly for dashing, but there's a dash cancel ala MvC3 wavedashing which might mitigate that somewhat once I've had a play with it.

It feels like Mortal Kombat, pretty much. Take that as you will.

[CrazyMobius]

I saw there is a 100% loop discovered recently.

[LN]

Yep. Now to see how long it takes them to change it. The guy who posted the u2b vid has an inside ear in Netherrealm and already got some infinites taken out.