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PS2 | Action | Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

Boxart for Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks 69 screen shots
  • GRAPHICS: 4.0
  • SOUND: 3.5
  • CONTROL: 4.0
  • FUN FACTOR 4.0
  • AVG USER SCORE 4.2
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE 3.8

Review: Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

Review by Ouroboros | 09/19/2005 | 16:06:55 PM PST

The seminal fighting series revisits classic locales in this blood-drenched action adventure.

Mortal Kombat's previous spin-offs proved mediocre, so skepticism is understandable, but while there's still ample room for improvement, Shaolin Monks is the best thing to happen to the series in some time.

Unnatural History
Play begins immediately after the first Mortal Kombat tournament. Shang Sung has something ugly up his sleeve, and that never bodes well for Earthrealm, so players take control of either Kung Lao and his razor-edged hat, or Liu Kang and his fireballs, and set out to save humanity in the Mortal Kombat II universe.

Each warrior boasts an array of purchasable and stylishly animated attacks, plus ten supremely gory Fatalities. Enemies get cut in half, have their heads knocked off, and generally explode into torrents of blood and giblets. The variety of enemies, from bizarre tunneling ninjas to the brutish Oni, goes a long way to keeping the carnage fresh, and due to responsive controls and some hilarious combat vocals, the overall sensation is of starring in an otherworldly Kung Fu flick. You can certainly play the game alone, but cooperative multiplayer is the sweet spot here.

Cirque du Soleil This Ain't
In addition to their martial arts repertoires, characters develop a set of acrobatic maneuvers like wall-running and swinging, which would lend the game a stylish Prince of Persia feel if they were handled with more flair, and didn't exist solely as a ham-fisted way to lock off areas for later.

The abortive nature of these abilities brings some level design deficits into sharp relief. For MK vets, the most appealing conceit of Shaolin Monks is the chance to visit classic settings from the early games, from the opening in Goro's Lair to the ghoulish anthropomorphized trees of the Living Forest. There are some gems, but due to a handful of dull and overly simplistic level layouts, this nostalgic whimsy wears thin sooner than it should.

A Puzzle of Flesh
Most of the simple puzzles served in these strange hinterlands are an exercise in creative killing. Whether you're impaling an enemy onto floor spikes and using the corpse as a platform, or launching a goon into a hungry tree's gaping cakehole, none of them are exactly brainteasers, but even the most arbitrary puzzle goes a long way to keeping the over-the-top carnage fresh, and the dark tone yielded is a perfect fit for the Mortal Kombat mythos.

Shaolin Monks certainly has its problems, but the action at its heart is the most enjoyable the series has offered in ages. If you've ever been a fan of Mortal Kombat, you should at least give it a look.

KEY MOMENT: Cutting a hulking Oni doofus in half, using only your hat.


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