Scorpion fighting Superman? Sub-Zero battling Batman? Really? Really? Yes, really, it turns out.
There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical "Mortal Kombat" co-creator Ed Boon and his team at Midway would properly harness DC Comic's greatest heroes (and villains) for a crossover game, but my time spent with "Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe" washed away most of those.
It's an addictive, deceptively simple fighter, where a seasoned "Mortal Kombat" player (read: me) can pair with someone who's never played -- and lose.
I still don't know the story reasons for why Superman can't crush Sonya Blade by blinking, but it's largely irrelevant. All of the characters are mostly on the same level power-wise and that makes for some fantastically fun dynamics. It's extremely satisfying to toss Scorpion's spear into Batman's chest and yell "Get over here," even if it doesn't make a lot of sense. You just have to roll with it.
Unlike "Tekken" or "Virtua Fighter," you don't need to learn a specific character in "Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe." Most moves are pulled off with the traditional down-to-forward motion combined with a face button. This has been a "Mortal Kombat" staple and it clicks better than ever in this environment. There are, obviously, more complicated moves to discover, but you don't want to spend hours learning and re-learning each character here; you just want to jump in.
This isn't a fighting game made for frame-by-frame fighting fans. There are mechanics in place for those hoping for something a little deeper, though. For example, during Scorpion's teleport punch move, if you time presses correctly, he can execute up to three punches in a row. The additional damage isn't punishing, though, meaning an expert player isn't going to take out a novice with a few well-placed blows.
Perhaps most telling, however, was the response at Midway's own party at Comic-Con. More often than not, attendees are more interested in the open bar than touching a game kiosk. And while, yes, the bar was expectedly packed, so were the many game kiosks. It's clear this is a game made for a party atmosphere and group play. Smack talking is a must, and there was plenty of it.
So far, this is shaping up to be a game pleasing for "Mortal Kombat" die-hards (those who can look past the lack of spinal finishers) and comic fans pining for an opportunity to pit their favorite heroes and villains against one another. I've already started bugging Midway for another chance to play.
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