When MK Vs DC Universe was announced, three independent camps began to emerge. The first was those who seemed appalled by the idea. The, admittedly, odd pairing of two franchises enraged them and the hatred found its way onto forums across the world. Next, we had the depressed Mortal Kombat fan base, confused and slightly sceptical about what would happen to their beloved franchise. Last but not least there were the few who actually thought the idea was, if nothing else, rather interesting. After all, in an industry where people are constantly clambering for new ideas, why not try something a little bit out there? While in a perfect existence this debate would be laid to rest with the game’s release, it appears the argument is just beginning.

For the past few years Mortal Kombat has subscribed to a more accessible format than its rivals. Whereas the likes of Virtua Fighter and to a lesser extent Soul Calibur have asked you spend some serious time understanding their mechanics, Midway’s beat-’em-up can be fun from the moment you pick up the pad. Consequently, anyone who wants an almost terrifyingly in-depth experience will turn their nose up at it. However, one could make the case – and we damn sure will – that variety is the spice of life! Mortal Kombat’s biggest strength is how enjoyable it can be, even from the get-go; thankfully, MK Vs DC Universe is no different. It’s still perfectly capable to get two people who have never played before and watch them duke it out. There is a sense of depth and yes, the more you play it the better you can get. The difference is, it’s not essential.

Now onto the inclusion of the DC universe. Without wanting to skirt around the issue, it is as odd and daft as you would expect. Two story modes are present (one representing each side) and the way they integrate the different worlds revolves around the ludicrous narrative. Dimensions are drawn together by a ‘mysterious power’ – which, of course, is revealed in due course – and the result is allegiances forming to kick the ass of the other. It’s relatively pointless in the grand scheme of things and really only serves to justify the collision. Nonetheless, the cut-scenes are so amusing, which we assume was unintentional, it makes the experience all the more pleasurable. On top of this, we quite like seeing Batman take on Kano and Superman battling it out with Lui Kang. They’re all fights we haven’t seen before and although they somewhat screw with Mortal Kombat lore it makes the series fresh, one of the main criticisms thrown at the franchise in the first place.

Oddly enough, Midway’s fighters biggest asset is also one of its major downfalls. Despite its ability to lure people in almost instantly before feeling pretty proud of the crowd it’s managed to gather, it can’t keep this sensation going for a prolonged period. As a quick hit it’s an absolute beast but anything beyond this and you may find yourself feeling a little worn down – it’s simply not built for extended periods of play. In the same vein, it doesn’t take long to realise certain moves and combos are fairly ridiculous. True, there are ways around Jax’s machine gun fire, but good gosh, it’s so infuriating and stressful to overcome your controller’s in danger of going out the window. Don’t think this is a one-off either: The Joker and The Flash subscribe to a similar template.

Midway also felt the need to include ‘Rage mode’, a power bar that when built up and activated basically makes you a downright badass, increasing your attack and making you damn near invincible. It doesn’t add much to the game and to be honest, barely even gives you any sort of advantage. Unlike the other new additions – Klose Kombat and Free-fall Kombat – which actually add an interesting side to a match, we didn’t really see the need.

Still, other than the questionable longevity, which is sure to irk some, you can’t deny the entertainment factor Mortal Kombat brings. It’s important to realise this won’t sit in your console for weeks on end, but it’s likely every few months you’ll get that urge to go a few rounds (in particular when a friend is visiting) before leaving it alone again. Such durability issues arguably reflect poorly on the price, but if we started judging all games on their RRP then the Burger King titles would all get tens!

Bottom line is if you like Mortal Kombat or are after a middle-of-theroad beat-’em-up experience that falls between the likes of a Virtua Fighter and the morbid FaceBreaker, you’re looking at it. You can’t deny there’s a market for such a game and those on the look will be satisfied.

Simon Miller