Mortal Kombat: Deception

The Basics:
Platform: Xbox
Developer: Midway
Price: $49.99 (Dec 2004)
ESRB rating: M (Mature)

Summary: Martial Arts combat at its bloodiest.

Note: Although the Mortal Kombat universe continues to expand in terms of depth of its storyline and the variety of options within the game, the principle in Mortal Kombat: Deception is the same as all predecessors-kill or be killed, and make it as horrific as you can . .

Further Breakdown:

Overall rating: 0 out of 5 stars

Best for ages: 18+
Playability: Medium
Graphics: Very good
Entertainment value: Low
Educational value: None
Reading Level: 5+
KidScore Rating

Ages 3-7: Red
Ages 8-12: Red
Ages 13-17: Red
Violence Amount: Red
Fear: Yellow
Illegal/harmful: Red
Language: Green
Nudity: Green
Sex: Green

Review:
Wounded, and with globs of blood running down his body, Nighthawk swings his double tomahawks in a deadly rush of fury, slamming Mileena's body into the ground again and again. She screeches as more blood spurts into the air. Seconds later, she blocks his attack, and returns the favor-charging in with a variety of kicks and punches. Taking advantage of the sudden upset, Mileena finishes Nighthawk with an uppercut punch, knocking him from the arena. In the next scene Nighthawk plunges screaming to his death, skewered on a spike at the bottom of his fall.

Mortal Kombat has long been known as a game to push the boundaries. The latest version, Mortal Kombat: Deception, continues by ratcheting up the blood and gore. The game has four basic modes of play: Kombat, Chess Kombat, Puzzle Kombat and Konquest. Kombat allows the player to fight one-on-one rounds of combat with increasingly difficult opponents. Chess Kombat is played similarly to chess; however, when a piece takes another piece they fight for the space, allowing the defender to potentially win and keep the spot. Puzzle Kombat is a variation of Tetris.

Konquest contains the storyline element of the game. The player explores six 3D worlds, talking to characters, accomplishing quests and training, primarily under the tutelage of Mortal Kombat character Bo' Rai Cho. While the Konquest portion of the game is large and diverse, it primarily focuses on combat sequences and side quests. Much of the combat sequences are similar to training and are focused on learning different combinations of keys to enact blocks, attacks, special moves, etc. The side quests vary greatly, but many of them require fighting to accomplish.

Some of the minor quests in Konquest mode do entail good deeds, such as getting medicine for a sick boy. Most, however, involve violence. For example, in the very first mission you help a man with a toothache by punching him in the face. This knocks out the tooth and the man rewards you for "solving" his problem.

In Konquest mode, the age of the character changes with time from a young boy to an old man. This is disturbing in that even while the character is a child, they are involved in violent and bloody missions. The character of Bo'Rai Cho, the "guide" for most of the game, leaves much to be desired as well. For example, one of Bo'Rai Cho's "fighting styles" is called drunken fist, and uses a secret move, referred to as "puke puddle," to spew a pool of vomit on the floor, causing the opponent to slip.

Perhaps the greatest concern, however, is the amount of very graphic violence in the game. Gruesome deaths are a highlight of the game, and are strived for by the "best" players. Players can throw their enemies onto spikes-piercing their bodies, knock them into giant metal presses that crush them, amongst many other bloody options. Characters bleed profusely as they are hit. Secret moves include many ways to enact "fatalities"-with the goal to "try them all out" and see how many ways there are to kill off the opponent. Even the background images are disturbing. In one level, for example, several lifeless corpses dangle from rope, their necks broken. When bumped into, they swing in arcs, getting in the way of the battles fray.

Although the Mortal Kombat universe continues to expand in terms of depth of its storyline and the variety of options within the game, the principle in Mortal Kombat: Deception is the same as all predecessors-kill or be killed, and make it as horrific as you can . . .