I could go ahead and b*tch all day about the super-duper crazy AI of this game. Yes, finally played Mortal Kombat II at home using the Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks adventure game. Okay, it's no secret that I don't play the first eight games anymore. I'm still mad at Netherream Studios for not remastering Mortal Kombat (2011) because it's practically the beast. I'm probably among the few who think the game didn't age well. Interestingly, Tekken had its first game released also in 1994. Tekken managed to influence Mortal Kombat and MK (2011)'s new attack scheme is obvious!
The first game Mortal Kombat (1994) didn't really age well even if Goro became more popular than Kintaro. The game introduced 12 characters and started to ramp up the engine. It also demoted Shang Tsung and Reptile to extra. Shang Tsung was practically OP during the first three games. I'm glad that Shang Tsung can only morph into the opponent in later games. The game introduced an even more difficult AI than the first game. There were more hidden opponents. Kintaro was even more difficult than Goro. Goro would later be depowered (but still be a pain) in later games past the super-broken Mortal Kombat Trilogy -- another game I don't miss playing. Shao Kahn can be very difficult unless one discovers the cheesy method of well-timed uppercuts. They can be DIFFICULT TO TIME. Kintaro could even grab an opponent in the air.
The first successful adventure game was based on MKII
The first MK adventure game MK Mythologies: Sub-Zero was really hated. The second one was even worse called MK Special Forces with Jax as the hero. Fortunately, Midway learned from its first two mistakes and gave the adventure game that fans needed. MK: SM was a game where you played as Liu Kang and/or Kung Lao in a non-canon (or most likely retcon) game. MKII was rewritten and given another story -- something that contradicted the original game. Midway may have decided to retcon MKII instead of creating a non-canon game.
The game gave people a tour of Outworld and fight various bosses. The game also started making rumors from MKII "real" such as one needed to feed the monster trees of the Living Forest to pass, Ermac as a secret opponent one can fight, the rumor that you could uppercut the opponent to the hooks of the Dead Pool (which was needed to progress), and Goro's possible retcon of not being missing was probably in response to another rumor.
The references left and right were just amazing. I didn't care much about Sub-Zero and Scorpion because of Liu Kang. I also enjoyed the Smoke Missions to unlock MKII. Overall, it's a solid game that should be remastered in higher-generation systems. I'm probably saying this because I'm hearing Mortal Kombat 1 is getting a lot of backlash.
MK (2011) would've clearly still had heavy influence from MKII
I was more than happy to hear MK (2011) returned back to 2D gameplay. That's another reason I didn't feel I lost much not playing MK vs. DC. MK was better designed for 2D gameplay while Tekken can stay in the 3D field for all I care. I mean, Tekken is really non-projectile based so sidestepping works. The game's return to the 2D roots with 3D graphics was what it was meant to be. Maybe, I called it Mortal Kombat EX because of the Street Fighter EX series. Street Fighter EX used 2D gameplay with 3D graphics. MK took a horrible turn going 3D. MK Deception should just be considered a joke now after playing this game!
This game didn't hesitate to put heavy references to MKII. The blatant favoritism couldn't be denied even without playing the Story Mode. Some lies from MKII were made a reality such as creating the Living Forest stage fatality and a DLC character named Skarlet. The Arcade Mode's last three opponents are Shang Tsung (who could morph into any character like he did in MKII but the player can't do that), and the Shokans as the second-to-the-last boss (Goro and Kintaro took turns, I preferred fighting Kintaro for an extra challenge), and Shao Kahn. Shao Kahn had a mixture of attacks from MKII and MK Trilogy. I like Shao Kahn's spear attack better than his fireball. Shao Kahn returned with all-new hammer attacks that are theoretically worse than he did in MK Trilogy. However, I think Shao Kahn's easier even if he's still a MOFO. I lost to Shao Kahn several times but it was still MORE MANAGEABLE than what MKII or MK Trilogy did. I even remember saying Shao Kahn's infamous hammer toss (which can leave him open if he misses) is nowhere near as annoying as Jinpachi Mishima's crushing fireball (which takes a HUGE CHUNK OF HEALTH) in Tekken 5.
What can't be denied is the longest portion in Story Mode was the second tournament. Most development happened in the Outworld Tournament rather than the first tournament and the Outworld invasion. Some parts were changed such as Goro returning to Outworld safe and sound. It was also interesting Liu Kang was never able to have his rematch with Shang Tsung or fight Kintaro. Instead, Kung Lao had the honors because Liu Kang was losing faith in Raiden. Kung Lao later dies at Shao Kahn's hands in the second tournament. Raiden was trying to prevent the same victory in the new timeline causing a new version of the Midway continuity. Yeah, I like some plots of the Midway continuity better and hated how Mileena didn't grow up with Kitana here. After that, I felt the Outworld Invasion was really rushed to the point it became a weaker part of the Story Mode. I guess the staff didn't like MK3 as much so they decided to do that infamous Sindel murdering more than half of the good guys plot.
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