Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks: Difference between revisions

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Developer(s)	Midway L.A.
Publisher(s)	Midway
Designer(s)	Adam Puhl, John Edwards
Series	Mortal Kombat ;
Platform(s)	PS2, Xbox
Release	September 16, 2005
Genre(s)	Beat 'em up
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit Next edit →

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Revision as of 18:21, 9 February 2006

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is the ninth game in the controversial and bloody Mortal Kombat series. Shaolin Monks was developed and published by Midway for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox and was released September 16, 2005 in the United States. A GameCube version is also being developed, but its release date is not known at this time. In October 2004, the president of Midway, David F. Zucker, called the release of Shaolin Monks the "first step toward delivering something that Mortal Kombat fans have been calling for: a new game set in the Mortal Kombat universe every year." [1]

Gameplay

Template:Spoiler Shaolin Monks takes place in between Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II, with the opening scene of the game depicting the final moments of the first Mortal Kombat tournament. As Shang Tsung, Goro, and other evil enemies escape to Outworld, the warriors from The Order of Light in close pursuit, Liu Kang and Kung Lao, are stranded within Tsung's crumbling island.

The game centers on Liu Kang and Kung Lao as they travel through the different realms in order to stop Shang Tsung. In addition to Liu Kang and Kung Lao, there are characters for you to unlock in both the co-op and versus modes. Several other characters appear in order to help, including Johnny Cage, Jax and Raiden while many others must be defeated including Goro, Reptile, Mileena, Kitana, Jade, and Baraka.

Also included is a Ko-op mode wherein two players can work together to get through the game. Special team attacks become available only in this mode as well as some areas and items. Sub-Zero and Scorpion can be unlocked as playable characters in the Ko-op mode. In addition to these two and the two main characters, four other characters can be unlocked in the versus mode: Reptile, Kitana, Baraka, and Johnny Cage.

It is also possible to play as Goro, Reptile, Kitana, or Johnny cage in story mode by way of Gameshark or Codebreaker or anything else. You can see someone playing Goro on Mortal Kombat Guides website.

Shaolin Monks has a gameplay device called the Multi-Direction Fighting Engine which allows the player to deal with many enemies surrounding the player fluidly while maintaining the ability to link combo attacks across multiple enemies. The engine also allows the player to continue their combos after launching an enemy into the air through a powerful attack or a throw. Various other moves can be performed against an enemy including using one as a shield against other attacks and propelling the player off the back of one into another enemy. The environment also plays a vital role in the game as there are several hazards that will instantly kill an enemy which range from a mere pit in the floor to rotating wheels of spikes. Many hazards also play a part in solving a puzzle in a specific area.

Included are some fatalities from the original Mortal Kombat II game that get some updates with new technology in the 3D world. There are also some more new fatalities for the characters to give the players variety in regards to the one-fatality per character in Deadly Alliance. The player can unlock the ability to do Multalities, which is a fatality performed on multiple enemies at one time. Brutalities from Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 have also been brought back and upgraded to the 3D world.

A good contribution to this game is the unlockable version of Mortal Kombat II, whilst not the complete original version of the game (the Random Character Select trick and the method to access the hidden character Smoke do not work due to a programming error), opening this is not difficult, all that has to be done is complete the 5 missions given to you by Smoke in a hidden section of the living forest and is accessed in the main menu's Kontent screen. (note: although Smoke's missions are available in the European release, Mortal Kombat II is not unlockable). The original backgrounds of Mortal Kombat II were used as the basis for the areas and environments of Shaolin Monks.

Throughout the game are coded messages written vertically, translatable through the references of Concept 86 and 87, unlockable pieces of Concept Art via Ko-Op, exclusively. The text on the tournament victories wall in the Portal (later leading to the Foundry) reads "LIU KANG WILL DIR" (NOT die), obviously referencing (though technically predicting) Liu Kang's death during Deadly Alliance. Several banners surrounding and en-route to Mileena's arena in the Living Forest treetop area read "TOASTY" once translated. Two glowing symbols above the entrances to the alternate routes in the Soul Tombs read "FIRE" and "WIND", respectively. The symbol for "LIZARD" is repeated several times within Reptile's Lair in the Living Forest, most notably as the activator of the statue challenges.

Fatalities

Template:Spoiler At the end of every boss battle (with the exception of the battles with the Oni Warlord, the Orochi Hellbeast, Sub-Zero, and Mileena), a fatality is performed on the boss.

Jade- After stealing Jade's staff and stunning Mileena with it, the character takes Mileena's sais and ram them into Jade's eye sockets, effectively killing her. Mileena is not killed in Kombat.

Reptile- The character grabs Reptile's tongue and proceeds to strangle him with it, then breaks his jaw.

Baraka- Upon initiating the fatality (which require's Baraka to be impaled with two swords prior), Baraka stumbles backwards into a pit. Screaming skulls similar to Quan Chi's fireball in Deadly Alliance attack Baraka, cornering him on walls and the roof then consume him in midair.

Goro- The player moves to perform a fatality on Goro, but Johnny Cage returns to the storyline, interrupting the player and killing Goro with a penetrating kick.

Ermac- Ermac proceeds to hold up two large rocks and throw one at you via telekinesis. The character kicks it back into him, knocking him over and disrupting his control. The second large stone falls on him, crushing him.

Scorpion- Scorpion attempts to fight back but is hurled into the lava surrounding the battlefield. Upon trying to leave the area, he returns as Inferno Scorpion.

Inferno Scorpion- Scorpion moves too close to the edge of the level and gets pulled in by bloody scorpions. After several seemingly successful attempts to escape, he is finally overcome. As he sinks, he gives a thumbs-up sign (a reference to Terminator 2: Judgement Day).

Kano- Jax steps in and knocks him into the prison stand, then wheels it up to the ceiling, crushing Kano.

Shang Tsung- The player stuns Shang Tsung with a kick, then proceeds to drop him to a knee and snap his neck (this is a reference to the intro of Deadly Alliance where Shang Tsung broke Liu Kang's neck in a similar fashion, as well as the traditional killing of Lui Kang's brother).

Kintaro- The player stuns Kintaro with a spin kick, then proceeds to break off Kintaro's lower arms in one motion, then his upper arms in two separate motions, before ripping off his head in the final motion.

Shao Kahn- Raiden turns Shao Kahn into stone, then both Liu Kang and Kung Lao shatter him with flying kicks.

Reaction

The game has received enthusiastic reviews from critics and gamers alike, especially in comparison with the previous two spin-offs (Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero and Mortal Kombat: Special Forces), which were critical and commercial failures. Among the game's strongest points include its efficient and simple gameplay and a well-received soundtrack (many songs are actually re-mixes of Mortal Kombat I and II tracks) as well as having a large arsenal of gruesome finishing moves that can be performed at almost any time.

Unlike Mythologies and Special Forces, which were prequels to the original Mortal Kombat, this one takes place between the first and second games, which gives experienced players a sense of nostalgia especially when venturing to familiar sights like the two Pits, the Kombat Tomb, the Living Forest, the Tower, and the Portal.

The PS2 version had few clipping problems for the enemies and causes the game to slow down; the only way to stop it is to defeat the enemy that's halfway through a wall. The Xbox version has similar issues as well as a bug that makes experience points go up at random times. The game also has a glitch where the map appears to show a series of slanted ones and "/" marks down many rows for a split second.

Much criticism is directed at the game's storyline because many feel it completely ignored and changed the majority of the events of Mortal Kombat II (ex. Jade, Ermac, Baraka, Reptile and Kano's deaths, Scorpion trying to kill Liu Kang and Kung Lao for no reason, and Goro being killed by Johnny Cage in the game even though in Mortal Kombat II it was stated that Goro was killed during the original Mortal Kombat tournament), and many feel that even with a person hired to write the script and check for continuity between games that many events were retconned.

There are also controversial matters in the game's story that don't necisarily pertain to alterations, so much as story elements that were never explained but had a long history of Fanon behind them. Namely the origin of Sub-Zero's scar and Kitana being placed under a spell. Sub-Zero's scar has never officially been explained in MK lore until Shaolin Monks, however many fans were dissapointed that the long held fan opinion that he was scarred by the Lin Kuei when he left the clan in Mortal Kombat 3 was invalidated by the game's version (that he was scarred in a fight with Kung Lao). The idea behind the Lin Kuei scarring him was invented by fans and it's origin is largely linked to Sub-Zero's Mortal Kombat 3 bio which states that he was "marked for death" by the clan. However Ed Boon, co-creator of the Mortal Kombat series has stated in an online chat "Fight Night" held at the fan site Mortal Kombat Online that the term "marked for death" was meant figuratively because the Lin Kuei had placed a bounty on his head.

Shaolin Monks also introduced the idea that during Kitana's days as an assassin for Shao Kahn, she was placed under a spell to erase her memories of her original parents and what Kahn had done to them. This idea is not contradicted anywhere else in the MK series, however many fans felt that this weakened Kitana's character.

Differences Between Shaolin Monks and Mortal Kombat II Storyline

The official Mortal Kombat II comic book was believed to be canon since it was written by John Tobias himself.

Kung Lao's original story was that he did not want to be the Champion of Mortal Kombat and was more of a quiet, brooding, reluctant hero who only fought when he had to. Instead, Kung Lao is depicted as being arrogant and shows resentment towards Liu Kang for winning the Mortal Kombat tournament and desires to be Champion himself.

Liu Kang was not present when the Tarkatas attacked the Shaolin Temple, his Mortal Kombat II bio made this very clear. In the game, he is present and helps fight off the Tarkata.

The MKII comic in it's entirety is contradicted by the story as presented in Shaolin Monks. While the fundamental basics remain the same (Shang Tsung's island crumbles, the Shaolin temples are destroyed, Shang Tsung regains his youth, the Earthrealm warriors are lured into Outworld etc.) the details and order of many events and whom fought whom are largely different beween the two. They are two wildly different versions of the same basic story.

The Elder Sub-Zero was originally killed by Scorpion at the end of the first Mortal Kombat tournament. In Shaolin Monks they both survive the tournament itself, and Scorpion doesn't kill him until the tournament's aftermath.

There is no mention of Sub-Zero's mission to complete his brother's failed assignment to assassinate Shang Tsung, though it could be argued that just because it isn't mentioned doesn't mean it's been invalidated as it's never contradicted, just noticably not brought up. More of an oddity than a difference.

Originally Goro was supposed to have been thought killed in the original Mortal Kombat tournament. In Shaolin Monks, he survives the first tournament, but is "killed" shortly thereafter in Outworld.

In Noob-Smoke's Mortal Kombat: Deception ending, it is mentioned that Sub-Zero and Noob Saibot have not seen each other since before Noob Saibot became a wraith. In Shaolin Monks they briefly meet, and it's there that Sub-Zero begins to suspect that Saibot is his brother.

Quan Chi getting the amulet at the end of the game spurred a huge controversy among fans of the series. It is believed that Quan Chi had it since the end of Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero. Here, it is rather strange that Shao Kahn has it and Quan Chi gets it from him.

Other controversial matters:

The reasons behind Scorpion's boss battle has been highly criticized by fans, who felt it was out of character for Scorpion to just go after Liu Kang and Kung Lao all of a sudden. This made it look like Scorpion had an evil alignment, even though Scorpion is meant to be a neutral character throughout the course of the MK timeline.

Jade, Ermac, Reptile, Baraka and Kano's deaths.

Quan Chi already bearing his tattoos.

Screenshots

Click on a thumbnail to enlarge:

External links

Official websites:

Other websites:

@@ Line 142: / Line 142: @@
 [[Category:PlayStation 2 games]]
 [[Category:Xbox games]]
+[[fi:Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks]]