Mortal Kombat 11

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Sumac

Shaolin Monks can be emulated perfectly from what I've heard.

But is it worth playing?

I'm actually pretty pleased. I got a Playstation-like controller in the mail and it works perfectly with PS2 emulation. MKDA-MKA play just the same or better as they would on a real PS2. I don't see or hear any difference. I haven't done much looking into PS3 emulation... I wonder if that is a thing yet?

I was also playing a little more Tekken 7 tonight. While it is DEFINITELY not as beautiful as a game as MK11 (when played on a 4K TV, all of the characters look way more "smooth" -- not in a good way -- and not as well textured and not in as good of resolution as MK11)... I still circle back to the argument of "3D fighting games vs. 2D fighting games." I'll make the case with Akuma in Tekken 7, whom I hadn't played as in ages but did tonight. You can't tell me when you play as him in Tekken 7 -- in a full 3D playing field in which you can sidestep and all -- is in any way inhibiting of the experience of playing Akuma (who, let's be honest... is basically the same as playing as either Ryu or Ken in any SF game, with minor variables) vs. playing him in any 2D-based SF game (as in, all of them). I was landing SF-based combos, traditional Shorrrrrrukens, harrruuuukens, and haraptaparuuuukens just fine, hitting the same buttons as in any SF game, just with the added caveat of me being able to sidestep stuff with only a gentle tap or tap tap of the directional buttons. I'm still flummoxed at how being able to do so is somehow honestly being looked at as limiting or overly complicated in any way.

Like, I'm playing MK11 and while the visual treat of it is amazing... every time I'm hit with a projectile or spear or anything when I could just sidestep, or hit an "invisible wall" at the left or right end of the level the same as MK1-3 25 years ago (some of them aren't invisible and some of them can be interacted with, to be fair, but not all)... this just makes me sad. This truly isn't progress. If the argument is that MKDA-MKA got to be "too much" with all the Animalities and different fighting styles and weapons and stuff, I would agree with you... but the basic benefits of operating on a 3D playing field shouldn't have been lost.

A quick bit on the "Aftermath" storyline. I finished it. I was a little disappointed in that I'd swore I'd read that Robocop and a couple other "weird" new fighters were integrated into the storyline only to not see them at all. Undoubtedly my fault -- I'm sure I misread something. So Shang Tsung teams up to help Liu Kang reconstruct reality by fetching the crown, betrays everybody at the end (surprise!), gets erased... and now Liu Kang basically facilitates what is essentially another MK reboot? That's what he does. Like, I don't believe for a moment anyone goes into the MK series expecting a clear and concise saga by any means... but is this a good idea? Like 2 games from the last reboot? I kind of thought what they might do was use the main MK11 story as a way to kill off older versions of existing characters to then swap in their now-altered younger selves to keep things fresh. But literally, Liu Kang recreating all of reality and everyone in it, dead or alive? Now? Hm...