Mortal Kombat Vita Preview
It is close guys, can you feel it yet? The Vita is literally around the corner and soon all our concentration will be focussed on the handheld device that has gotten so many people excited. But the excitement doesn’t end there, as with only a few days before the release, GodisaGeek is here to bring you info on a lovely new game coming to the console.
With its abilities to bring mainstream games to our hands, it really isn’t a surprise that most companies are jumping at the chance to get their Triple-A titles into our sweaty little palms, and I can’t blame them. The most recent title to jump on the bandwagon is Mortal Kombat, releasing a version of what strict lovers of the series know as Mortal Kombat 9 for the Vita.
What’s changed? Nothing much, which is the fantastic thing. Mortal Kombat is bringing you the full package straight to a portable console, with a full character roster and full combo packages meaning that none of the game is lost in translation. Expect the full house if you’re an avid fan of the series, not a watered down version of what you’re used to on your living room console.
The game runs at a smooth 60 FPS, just like the console version which means screen tearing and lag won’t be a problem, however there were a few moments whilst playing the game where the screen fell behind what was actually happening. I was only playing a beta version, so this will probably be an error that is easily ironed out for retail release, but it happened enough to be slightly annoying.
Controls, whilst still similar to the normal version of the game, have been slightly updated. Fatalities can now be performed by slicing the combination across the screen with your finger in a Fruit Ninja-esque style, which some touch users made find much easier then learning button choreography. Gameplay is consistent with the past titles, allowing for easy learning of the combos and character move sets, which doesn’t penalise newcomers, but rewards veterans.
But of course, it couldn’t just be a complete port of one game to another, smaller console. The Vita version does hold a few exclusives that your precious PSN, or should I say SEN account will only benefit from by playing the Vita version.
New trophies have been added to the game that will allow hardcore players specifically to set themselves new challenges. Whilst I didn’t have the chance to see exactly what they were, I was told that the faint hearted (or easily angered) people shouldn’t aim to achieve these particular awards. Not without a bit of practice, at least.
16 brand new costumes are making their way to the game, which means your favourite characters will be swinging around in some funkier attire. Not only that, but the Challenge Tower has had a remake, with 250 levels, some old, many new additions. These challenges not only take what the series had offered in the past, but includes Vita specific functions that blow your mind, such as tilting the Vita to keep balance, shaking the console to prevent the screen flipping upside down, and issuing touch commands during a battle to stay on top to mention a few.
Whilst the story mode is still the same (so don’t hope for an extended version, or a completely different stance), the Vita will hold exclusive artwork unlockables for those of you who find the development of the game interesting.
Again, we essentially have a direct port of the game, and while a few extra bells and whistles have been added on, the theme of the game is still there. The PS Vita has allowed for a fully ported version of one of our most favourite titles straight to the literal tips of our fingers once again.
On the other hand, there is the case of whether or not this game is worthy of being a Vita money maker. It’s clear that avid fans of the series, who buy a Vita, will obviously jump the gun to be able to play it on the bus, or toilet. But the game feels a bit off on the Vita. Whether it’s the small screen limiting full immersion on the game I couldn’t tell you, but there was something epic that was definitely lost in the transition to pocket sized.
That doesn’t take away from the fact it’s still a good game, but the Vita is on a different planet when it comes to the amount of launch titles available for it. With some hard hitting games already hitting the shelves, I’m worried that Mortal Kombat may be lost within the commotion, and forgotten, which would be a tragedy.
Mortal Kombat on the PS Vita is one to keep an eye on when you (surely) are purchasing that shiny new tech!
Mortal Kombat is out now on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the PS Vita version will be released in Spring 2012.
Rik Wortman
When he’s not writing up a storm at his desk, he’s playing games like Minecraft, Skyrim, Portal, World of Warcraft, Pokemon…well, the list goes on. He studied English and Creative writing at university, which is where he honed his skills for making the gaming news come alive, with a few terrible typos along the way for good measure. Fret not though, my friend, for he does tell quite an engaging tale with each article, and has had plenty of practice, having written for This Is My Joystick and 3DSBuzz.
In between articles he likes to indulge in one of his addictions: Twitter. @Wortermelon provides a good dose of gold on occasion, and other times leaves you wondering why you’re following such a huge weirdo.
