Guides
| Platform | User Reviews | Avg. Score |
|---|---|---|
| All Reviews | 4 reviews |
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| PlayStation 2 | 1 review |
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| Xbox | 1 review |
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| Wii | 2 reviews |
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| Add your own user review | ||
Great for die-hard MK fans, welcoming enough for a newbie
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is great at what it tries to do - a straight-up fighter, capping off the MK story. It seems like there was a lot of potential wasted and some ideas missing, though, keeping it from being perfect. Plot/Konquest Mode: Fun. You take control of Taven, as you embark on a quest that tears you and your family apart. It takes about 6-10, maybe 12 hours in total. Frequent save points are a bonus, and puzzles sprinkled around here and there in the earlier levels keep it interesting and not as straightforward. For people who have been following the games for ages, seeing nearly all the old characters make their cameos in the story was entertaining. You travel across several lands, including jungles, icy lost temples, and Hell. The fighting in one-half of Konquest Mode is using a few types of punches from a third-person perspective (Uppercut, Roundhouse Kick, Throw, Fast Punch) with a few possibilities for combos. To break up what would be monotonous, though, you can use specials (there are 4 of them; you unlock them as you go along in the game) and some occasional wickedly awesome traps and knocking people off ledges and stuff around the areas of fighting. (The highlight of the 30+ hours I spent on this game was throwing unsuspecting enemies into a giant ceiling fan. Winner: Me.) You can also perform Fatalities on dazed enemies, and plenty of other cool moves. The other half of Konquest is the standard MK fighting - one on one, with all kinds of moves to memorize, and combos to be mashed out. These fights are common, sprinkled about the storyline generously. There's lots of unlockables - hidden items (60 in total) are spread around the world, and for every 10 you collect, a new character or bonus is unlocked. Also, in chests sometimes hidden around the world, you can also unlock full suits of male and female Elder Gods armor - some very cool looking stuff. Alternate costumes for each character, usable in Arcade mode, are in chests as well. Overall, gameplay in Konquest mode is solid, but can get very old near the end, where puzzles become rare and the enemies all look the same. Even including monotony, though, it has plenty replay value - you're not likely to unlock everything your first time around, and the unlockables are just cool enough to make you WANT to get them. Plotwise, I won't include much here for spoilers' sake, but it's standard. A few twists both likely and unlikely to be seen coming are around, and almost every character makes an appearance in Konquest. Overall, unspectacular. Arcade/Fighting: Ah, the bulk of it. Fighting is significantly better than in previous games, as you now only have to worry about two styles - weapon and fists (and feet, and heads, and thighs, and elbows...etcetera). There's a good number of moves available - enough to not be overwhelming for anybody just starting off, and enough to not let you use every move for a character in just one fight. Along with the moves for these two styles, every character has some special moves, including a teleport move, a throw move, a taunt move, and 2-4 others. Throws are especially nifty manuevers to use on an enemy in the heat of battle. The arenas in which you fight in are great as well. In some places, there is a special arena-exclusive weapon you can grab, but these are mostly ineffectual. But a lot of traps are around that are very, very effectual, mostly quite grotesque. After unlocking every battle stage, you can have a lot of amusement exploring all of these. You're sure to find a favorite dueling spot of your own. For Arcade mode itself, it's standard. One of my main disappointments with it was that it lacked different gametypes. All you can do is choose a character, and fight to the top. Great the first few times, of course, but it gets boring after a while unless you're online or with a friend. Characters: Oh, there's plenty. From Nightwolf to Onaga, Jade to Frost, Scorpion and Sub-Zero, Reptile...along with four new characters unlockable through Konquest or through cheat codes. Big part of why you should buy Armageddon if you're a fan. Gives plenty of variety to Arcade Mode Other Gameplay: Motor Kombat. It's a great little add-on, allowing you to take one of 10 big-headed characters (Kitana, Baraka, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and a few others), and race on one of several tracks. Each character has a unique weapon they can drop or shoot or enable to damage the other racers, and every character can bump or get a boost. There's not a lot of variety to be found here, though. The tracks are each cool through two or three races with different characters, with different traps and challenges, but it ends up feeling like what it mostly is - a joke. Fun to play a couple of times with friends or online, but not really a whole new style of gameplay. Kreate-A-Fighter is addicting, as well. You can do pretty much anything you want with a made-from-scratch guy (or girl). Plenty of clothing options, armor, weapon and move customization, and the ability to take your character online is awesome. Not very much customization with facial features on a normal person, but plenty of face options for other sorts of heads (Flaming Skull, for instance) is cool. Menu/Layout/Options: Difficulty levels are good, normal delivers a nice challenge, and booting it up to the highest level is insane. The option to turn blood off or up to maximal settings is nice if you're interested in...family-friendly Mortal Kombat? Eh? Nah. Whatchu' talkin' bout? Clean layout. Sound: Thumbs up. Nothing spectacular musically in Konquest, but a few racing scores are nice, and effects are in the right places at the right times. Graphics: Not of big importance to me, but Armageddon delivers. Very rich and detailed character models, but the landscapes in Konquest are mostly lacking. It's an original-Xbox/PS2 game, but it'd pass for an early next-gen fighter. Overall, it's a good game that will be an addiction for anybody for a rental or a week or so, but unfortunately, it doesn't deliver enough to keep your game time occupied for more than that. Replay value is okay in Konquest, and Kreate-A-Fighter and Motor Kombat are amusing. If only Konquest was less linear (not allowing you to go back or free-roam much at all was a minus for me), and Arcade version had more variety, this would be a very awesome series-ending finale. Armageddon goes out with a bang, but not a very satisfyingly loud one. 
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 A pathetic combat system and sloppy Wii controls ruin this game.
Mortal Kombat has been around for a long time. It's a cultural icon and
was responsible for the creation of the ESRB. This is because the game
is full of gore and people love games with lots of gore. Not to mention
the Fatalities are some of the coolest deaths in any game. But Mortal
Kombat Armageddon doesn't have the coolness factor that the previous
games have.
The first thing that makes this game fail is it's controls. Specifically the Wiimote and Nunchuk attachment. To do your special moves you must hold down the B button and move the Wiimote to the left, right, up, down, or do half circle movement to do the attacks. This might sound easy but getting them to work is a chore. They don't register well and you'll do the movement over and over again just to get it to work once. So instead of wasting time trying to do a special move you can punch and kick. These are mapped to the D-pad on the Wiimote. This is very awkward to do and it's not ideal. But never fear because the Classic Controller and the GameCube controller are both supported. But using either one completely defeats the purpose of playing this game on the Wii. It just becomes the PS2 and Xbox versions of the game minus online play and it looks worse than either of those version too. The games combat system is just flat out pathetic. You've got your simple stock standard punches and kicks, then you've got your grapple moves and special moves. You can't string different combos together either. So it's just basic button mashing mixed in with some special moves making the fighting extremely unsatisfying. There are over 60 characters in the game. You start out with all of them with only 4 available to unlock. All the character play the same with the exception of a select few. Every single character that has ever been in a Mortal Kombat game is playable. What the Wii version has that the other versions don't (other than the Wii controls) is an Endurance mode. This mode has been in just about every single fighting game known to man and MK has just got around to putting it in there games it seems. This mode is exactly how you would expect it to be. You fight until your die. Other than your basic Arcade modes and versus modes there is a mode called Konquest. In this mode you take control of an incredibly generic character by the name of Taven. This mode plays like a really bad flash game that you would play on the internet. The combat is bland and the story is at best forgettable.There is also another Kart racer called Motor Kombat. It's a small distraction and isn't anything special. Mortal Kombat Armageddon is a average game at best. It's nothing revolutionary and there are defiantly better fighting games out there with better controls, deeper fighting systems, and better differentiation between the characters. To put it simply, this game isn't what you think it is and it's worth a rental if you feel the need to play.
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Not much has improved, but it's still great fun.
Is Mortal Kombat: Armageddon a good game? Yes.
If you liked MK: Deadly Alliance and MK: Deception, that is. If you didn't, MK:A won't do anything for you. The game play is more or less the same, the addition of aerial combat, while nice - isn't game breaking nor making. The new fatality system I'm sort of on the fence about. On the one hand, I like that it's more interactive. You do more then smash buttons and watch a cut scene. I think wiping your victory in the face of an opponent is all the more satisfying when they KNOW you intended to rip off their arm and club their head off, as opposed to again - just mashing some buttons and watching a cut scene. On the other hand, this means there are no unique fatalities. Sub-zero doesn't freeze his foe and shatters them. Scorpion doesn't breathe fire over his victims. Everyone rips off someones limbs. Or rips out someones organs. The Kreate a Fighter mode is a welcome addition, though one can't help but think it almost unnecessary with a roster of sixty plus fighters as it is. But it's good. NOT great though. Theres enough character customization and theres plenty of melee attacks to choose from. But as far as special attacks go, the variety isn't so hot. I also believe that in interviews it was stated you'd be able to customize your attacks to some degree, for example - changing the color of your fireball. Not so. This time around, the name of the mini-game is Motor Kombat. I hear people praising it all round, mostly. Some going as far to say they should make it a full game, like some kind of spin-off. I'd go for that if they sold it as at a budget price, but it wouldn't be worth the money otherwise. Its good. But not THAT good. Konquest mode is better this time around. Feeling like a sort of cheap Shaolin Monks knock-off. Thats a good thing. It's not as open-ended as the last Konquest though. But it's more interesting and Taven is slightly more likeable then Shujinko whom I wish would like, die - and stay dead. Graphics and sound are about equal to Deception, which is fine. And I guess thats all there is too it.
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The most complete MK experience money can buy.
+ All of the Mortal Kombat characters ever, both famous and not so famous. + A truly balanced and fun fighting game. Still one of the best in that aspect. + Wii controls are super smooth, really makes it easier for everyone to enjoy MK + Great leveldesign & layout + Fun Motor Kombat, Kreate a fighter & endurance modes. + Loads and loads of extra content for the hardcore fans ! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- - New "Finish Him/Her" system is not as personal to the fighter as the old finishing moves - Wii controls sometimes glitch and moves wont work (very unusual) - The whole conquest mode feels very patched on and is both clumsy and boring - A few bugs here and there, unlocking a character in conquest mode locks up the game... - Graphics are dated and widescreen support are "wierd" - Only one slot for custom fighters per profile. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- To put it short this is really the ultimate version of Mortal Kombat. This one has the most stages, characters, music, lore, moves, modes and bosses of all the MK games so far. So If you´re wondering what this game is the short answer is "as much Mortal Kombat as you can possibly handle". Its also a direct port of the Ps2 version of the same game but with Wii controls. If you´re a big MK fan like me this game is really heaven in some aspects. Packed into this lovely game is every character you can possible imagine and its also the best version of them. Its the Sub Zero WITH the mask and its Zombie Liu Kang e.t.c. Every character is very intact and true to their originals. They have just the right moves and just the right sounds and voices. Scorpions harpoon shout "Get over here!" sounds just the same as in MK1 but with cleaner sound of course. The leveldesign is crazy. You get all the cool locations you would expect from a MK game with "Hell" being my personal favorite. But this time the stages are divided into several arenas that can be accessed by hitting you foe into certain points of the arena you´re in. This will for example launch him through a stone wall, down some stairs or through a fence and this will move you both to a different area. This can result in some super crazy fights where one player is uppercutted through the roof to the floor above and after some fighting there launched through the wall into a 3rd section of the stage where the round finally ends. The stages also have "danger zones" where you, if knocked into them, instantly die. They are really frustrating for the player that loses a winning round because of one hit into a danger zone but they are easy to spot so you should try and avoid them at all times. They are all over the top violent and always fun to watch. Simply put they are masterpieces of violence. On one map you have a catapult with a huge burning ball of fire put onto it. If you´re lucky you can send your opponent onto the burning ball wich will kill him in the following order. 1 - He will start burning madly just bursting into flames and screaming. 2 - The catapult will fire and send him flying forever out over a cliff and towards a castle in the background & 3 - He will finally smash into the wall of the castle in super speed effectively killing him like a bug on a windshield with a large "splat" sound and blood all over the wall. MK: Armageddon also feautures loooads of extra content as if the great fighting engine wasnt enough. First of all you get a "Mario Kart" mode where you race with small childlike models of the fighters in their own little gocarts on different MK themed tracks. This is actually great fun and a welcome break in the fighting. The game also sports a complete system for creating your very own fighter for use in both Single & Multiplayer. You get to pick everything from the characters complete appearance to what kind of horns / wings / ears and or facemasks he/she should have. Then you pick some moves and name your fighters fighting style and of course the fighter itself. The sad thing here tho is that you can only have 1 custom fighter per profile so you cant make both a female version of Scorpion and a female verion of Reptile on the same profile wich is a shame. Then we have the Conquest mode wich is just down right silly. Its a clumsy 3rd person adventure with all of the characters included in some super bad story wher you run down a linear path to earn money (wich you buy Kreate a Fighter parts for, money can also be earned just by fighting in Arcademode, racing or playing multiplayer) and unlock bonus content such as Art and scetches. I actually played this mode until I unlocked a new character but the game actually stopped responding on me... so this whole mode seems to stop working when you reach your first big unlockable wich is of course, just dumb. In addition to this you have the classic Arcade mode and the Endurance mode wich pits you against a neverending stream of opponents with only 1 lifebar of your own. Then you have the Krypt where all the insane amounts of extra content are collected. If you´re a fan you will find endless goodies in here, im guessing most of it will require you to play the conquest mode tho..and you dont want to do that. The graphics in MK: Armageddon are a direct port from the Ps2 with some wierd widescreen support. The textures are nicely designed but feels very dated at times and the game IS played in 16:9 but still some parts of the game feels very stretched out wich is a shame. The game still looks OK tho. You still get a very nice MK feeling thanks to the graphics. The sound is superb. Everything from the commentator to every characters voice is done the right way and punches kicks and special moves sounds just as brutal as they should. The Music goes in a typical MK vein and feels just right for the fighting ! The big thing to notice in this version of the game tho is the new Wii controls. They make special moves so much eaiser for those that never really got the hang of the "up, down, punch" thing. Simple motions with the Wiimote will now execute special moves for you and once you get the hang of it it works like a dream ! Lets take my personal favorite Scorpion as an example where a back -> forward motion with the control will launch his harpoon, a forward -> back motion will do his teleport kick and a down -> up move will do his fire attack. This system is also worked into the new finishing move system wich is, im afraid, not as good. Its still very very cool since moves you make with the controller will result in a long finishing combo where a quick thrusting motion will rip out the heart and a forward -> up motion will rip off the head but the system takes away all of the personality that was in the old system. I want all of the characters to have completely unique finishing moves. I want my Scorpion to rip his mask of, revealing the Ghost Rider head and then have him flame his opponent to bones and ashes. They could have baked in the new Wii-controls into that old system instead. All in all tho this is a VERY solid Mortal Kombat game that any fan of the series will truly appriciate and I can safely say that the Wiicontrols are a great success. You can of course still go old school and play the game with a gamecube or classic controller if you want but even I, old school as I am, prefer the new system. It actually is as smooth as Ed Boon wants you to think it is! Its a very balanced and fun fightinggame that now also has a truckload of extramodes and content that makes the value of this release go up even higher. If you own a Wii and are looking for a solid fightinggame this is really the only choice for you at the moment. The spirit of MK truly lives on and tho you can clearly feel its a Ps2 port and tho the game has some bugs and glitches its still truly worth buying !
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