Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks PS2 game review - MKSM

Dear gaming world enthusiasts,

When you hear Mortal Kombat you think arcade-style fighting and some one-on-one co-op mode, but Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks is not that. Rather, it is an action adventure game.

You start the game and get to choose between Kung Lao or Liu Kang. Obviously, the list of selectable characters is too short but some characters can be unlocked. It does not hurt much though because it is not about one-on-one battle between two human players. Though the game misses the one-on-one battle, it does feature the co-op mode in which you can play with your partner to beat the game.

The combat in MKSM has not changed much. You can still pull off some great combos and having you fight with two players in the game, the screen may look a bit overcrowded some times. There is one huge arsenal of combos here. You can learn about them in the combo screen. Using combos earns you experience points (XP) which can be used to learn a few new moves. Apart from enemies and bosses, the game also features puzzles and environment tasks. The game has a frustrating sort of map (one of the weak points).

The graphics in MKSM is somewhat ridiculous which helps the game to give a first bad impression. The game makes mockery of real world physics. The graphics in that area are anything but believable. Textures are factory like but they are acceptable sort.

The sound here is not that good either the characters shout too much (especially Liu Kang). You can only hear screams while fighting some times though the game gives you a bad impression, it somehow manages to make you stick to it. The best part is this that the combat is simple to understand and pull off. Unlockables are also something you can look up to here. Demos of some games can also be unlocked here.

Rating on a scale of 0 to 10. 0 being worse and 10 being excellent.

1. Game play: 7.
2. Graphics: 7
3. Sound: 7.

Total rating: 7.

The overall rating is not too low, but then I would recommend not buying this one. I would recommend instead Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat old series.