| Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Midway |
| Publisher | Midway |
| Director | Ed Boon |
| Producers | Hans Lo Hector Sanchez Michaelene Zawacki |
| Designers | Paulo Garcia John Edwards |
| Programmers | Michael Boon Alan Villani Alexander Barrentine |
| Artists | Steve Beran Carlos Pesina Dave Pindara |
| Writer | John Vogel |
| Composers | Cris Velasco Sascha Dikiciyan Soundelux DMG Dynamedion |
| Series | Mortal Kombat |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 3[1] |
| Platforms | PlayStation 3,Xbox 360[2] |
| Release | |
| Genre | Fighting |
| Modes | Single-player,multiplayer |
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe[a] is a 2008crossoverfighting game developed and published byMidway Games for thePlayStation 3 andXbox 360. The game is a crossover betweenMortal Kombat and theDC Universe, and is the eighth main installment in theMortal Kombat franchise. The game was released on November 16, 2008.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was developed usingEpic Games'Unreal Engine 3, and was the firstMortal Kombat title developed solely for theseventh generation of video game consoles. Its story was written by comic writersJimmy Palmiotti andJustin Gray. The game was the final entry in the franchise developed by Midway Games before the company went bankrupt in 2009 and sold the franchise toWarner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
The game's story takes place afterRaiden, Earthrealm's god of thunder, andSuperman, Metropolis' defender, repel invasions from both their worlds. An attack by both Raiden and Superman simultaneously in their separate universes causes the merging of theMortal Kombat and DC villains,Shao Kahn andDarkseid, resulting in the creation of Dark Kahn, whose mere existence causes the two universes to begin merging; if allowed to continue, it would result in the destruction of both. Characters from both universes begin to fluctuate in power, becoming stronger or weaker.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe received mixed-to-positive reviews. Most reviewers agreed that the game was entertaining and made good use of its DC Universe license, but its lack ofunlockable features compared to past installments ofMortal Kombat and toned-down finishing moves garnered some criticism. The game was followed by aMortal Kombat reboot in 2011, and byInjustice: Gods Among Us in 2013.
The game features a story mode, playable from two different perspectives. The perspectives consist of one segment from theDC Universe side, and one from theMortal Kombat side, each split up into various chapters.[3] Depending on which side players choose, the characters from one universe see those from the opposite universe as the invaders of their own. The player has the ability to play as all the characters in the story mode at one point during development, but the story mode ultimately lacked story arcs for a few characters.[3][4]Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe also contains a mode called "Kombo Challenge", where players must perform ten pre-createdcombos of increasing difficulty.[5][6]
Intertwined within fight matches, which are played in a 3Dfighter style, are new gameplay modes, such as "Free-Fall Kombat" or "Falling Kombat," which are activated automatically after throwing the opponent to a lower level in the arena. The players can fight in the air during the fall in a quasi-mini-game, with one player having to hit certain buttons to be above the other during the fall and land on the other player when the fall ends.[7] "Klose Kombat" is a mode the players can enter during a fight, causing the characters to lock with each other and the perspective to change to a close-up shot of the two, to make for an interval of close-quarters fighting.[3] A "Test Your Might" mini-game is also worked into the gameplay; while fighting in certain areas, the player can smash the opponent through a series of walls and engage in atug-of-war with the damage meter at the top of the screen. The player on the offense presses buttons to increase damage given, while the player on the defense presses buttons to decrease damage taken.[7]
Another in-fight feature called "Rage mode" is introduced inMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. The Rage mode is governed by a rage meter placed below the player's health meter that fills progressively every time the player receives damage or attacks. Once the meter is completely filled, Rage mode can be activated and lasts for several seconds. Rage mode enables the player to break the opponent's guard on the second hit, prevents the attacker from experiencing hit stun, knockdown or pop-up, and increases the damage of an attacker's moves.[7] During fights, characters show permanent signs of damage, such as bruises, scrapes, bleeding, and broken or torn clothing.[8] All of the characters except Darkseid, Shao Kahn, and Dark Kahn have finishing moves; theMortal Kombat characters and the DC villains can executeFatalities, while the DC heroes can execute moves called "Heroic Brutalities," which function in the same manner but do not kill opponents, in order to stay in tone with the heroes who have an established reputation of never taking a life.[9]
AfterShao Kahn's invasion ofEarthrealm is halted byRaiden's forces of light, Raiden blasts and sends Kahn through a portal. At exactly the same time on Earth,Superman stopsDarkseid'sApokoliptian invasion by blasting Darkseid with his heat vision as he enters a boom tube. These acts do not destroy either of them, but merge them into Dark Kahn, and causes the DC andMortal Kombat universes to merge.[10] As this happens, the characters' abilities fluctuate, causing violent "rage" outbreaks that are actually the feelings of Dark Kahn being infused in the characters from afar. Because of this, certain characters gain either strength or vulnerability. This allows for such things as the possibility of Superman being defeated due to his vulnerability to magic and giving the Joker the ability to fight skilled martial artists such as his nemesis Batman andDeathstroke.
With each world thinking that the other is responsible for the merger, they fight each other until only one fighter from each side remains: Raiden and Superman. In the final battle, the two fight while Dark Kahn feeds on their rage. Both realizing that neither is working with Dark Kahn, Raiden and Superman overcome their rage for each other and defeat their fused enemy, restoring the two worlds to their normal separation.[11] While everyone else has been sent to their original universe, Darkseid and Shao Kahn have been switched and are both rendered powerless. In the end, they both face eternal imprisonment in the other's universe; Darkseid is restrained in the Netherrealm, while Shao Kahn is trapped in thePhantom Zone.[4]
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was Midway Games's last project before filing for bankruptcy and selling the rights toWarner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in 2009.[12] In February 2007,Midway Games announced they were planning a new game in theMortal Kombat franchise, inspired by seeing a showcase ofGears of War. "Mortal Kombat 8" would have been "dark, gritty, serious" and a "back to basicsreboot" of the series.[13] Eventually, during the planning process, a deal withDC Comics was made and this project was cancelled, thus leading to the development of a different game.[14] An announcement in April 2008 confirmed the game as acrossover, and atrailer was released.[15] The only notable aspect that remained from the original project was the use of theUnreal Engine 3, also used inGears of War.
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was co-published by Midway Games andWarner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and was the finalMortal Kombat title to be developed under the Midway label prior to its purchase by Warner Bros. Interactive.[16] Midway used AutoDesk software to developMortal Kombat vs DC Universe, according to Maurice Patel, entertainment industry manager atAutoDesk,[17] and Illuminate Labs products for lighting.[18]
The use of a DC license imposed some restrictions on the characteristic violence inMortal Kombat games.Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was thus restricted to a "Teen"ESRB rating. Therefore, certain Fatalities such as Sub-Zero's "Spine Rip" were excluded or replaced due to their graphic nature.[19] In order to keep that rating, two of the Fatalities in the game werecensored inNorth America.[20][21] In theEuropean version, both the Joker and Deathstroke's first Fatality depict them each finishing their opponent with a gunshot to the head, both shown uncut from a distance. The North American version has the camera quickly pan toward the victor before the shot is fired, thereby cutting the victim out of the shot completely.[22][23][24][25] Additionally, one of Kitana's Fatalities which involved impaling the opponent in the head and the torso with her fanblades was modified so that both fanblades impaled her opponent's chest instead.[26][27]
According to interviews, the characters were chosen for their popularity, and for parallels between them from both universes.[3]Ed Boon, creative director ofMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe and co-creator of theMortal Kombat franchise, has said that some of the characters' abilities, especially those from the DC Universe, had been toned down to make them balanced withinMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. For example, Boon specifically mentioned that Superman became vulnerable because of magic.[28][29] Boon revealed that two new characters were developed as downloadable content,Quan Chi fromMortal Kombat andHarley Quinn from DC comics but had been discarded.[30] He had also hinted earlier at the prospect ofKung Lao andDoomsday being downloadable characters.[31]
For the release of theKollector's Edition ofMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, a new cover was created byAlex Ross. Also included in theKollector's Edition is a 16-page comic book prequel,Beginnings, which was illustrated byMortal Kombat co-creatorJohn Tobias.[32]
Downloadable content (DLC) had been confirmed byMajor Nelson, but was canceled due to Midway's financial issues.[33][34] Ed Boon had stated that they would have been updatingMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe periodically with new content all the way up to the release of the next installment of theMortal Kombat series: "I'd like to have [DLC] as soon as possible. I think that might be a great Christmas gift to reinvigorate the game".[35] Ed Boon said on his Twitter account that the plan for DLC had been scrapped, which occurred because, as clarified by1UP, Midway had filed forbankruptcy and was purchased by Warner Bros. Interactive after the suggestion of downloadable content.[30][36]
The game features a four hour long, fully motion captured and voiced acted story mode, becoming among the first fighting games to attempt something like this. Ed Boon pitched the idea to Midway Game's artists, animators, and producers, who were initially unwilling on the grounds they felt it was unnecessary and not possible. It required tech and knowledge that was not available at that time, such as the ability for the game to stream a video while at the same time loading the data required for the next fight. The team was also not sold on the idea of fighting game fans wanting a film-inspired "Story mode". Midway's financial crisis also contributed to this decision making. The team pitched alternatives to Ed Boon's idea, such as still images accompanied by music and voiced dialogue, “like you'd see in some fancy comic presentations”. These alternatives frustrated Boon and he used his authority to force the team to develop his pitch as he envisioned.
According to Ed Boon, the team was sold after they completed a single scene transition into gameplay and out of gameplay. Many workers at Midway had skillsets in film, scriptwriting, and animation that they finally got to utilize. DC comics also assisted by employing two writers, Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, so Midway would keep the characterization of DC characters consistent. Making sure Midway did not diverge from what DC characters would normally say or do. The work done forMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe's story mode would eventually be seen in futureMortal Kombat games, such asMortal Kombat 9, and the futureInjustice series, developed byNetherrealm Studios from the ashes of Midway Games. Ed Boon viewed the single-player mode as a major source of appeal to casual fans who would have otherwise not paid attention to a fighting game.[37]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | (PS3) 77.87%[38] (X360) 74.55%[39] |
| Metacritic | (PS3) 76/100[40] (X360) 72/100[41] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Game Informer | 8.5/10[42] |
| GamePro | 4/5[43] |
| GameSpot | 7.5/10[8] |
| GameTrailers | 7.4/10[44] |
| Giant Bomb | 5/5[45] |
| IGN | 7.5/10[6] |
| Official Xbox Magazine (US) | 8.5/10[46] |
| X-Play | 3/5[47] |
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe received mixed to positive reviews from critics.[40]Adam Sessler ofX-Play stated: "Whether it's a decade-late answer to theMarvel vs. Capcom team up games or an off-the-cuff boardroom joke gone wildly too far,Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is destined to make just about anyone's shortlist of bizarre video game team-ups. Still, sometimes two disparate things can merge to create a unique synergy that makes the melding work, however unlikely it may have seemed at the outset."[47] InGamePro, Sid Shuman called it "surprisingly enjoyable."[48]Wired.com's preview stated that the concept of the game was "nose-pokingly ludicrous", noting that Superman's powers could be used to easily defeat a character with the comment, "fromSub-Zero to Well-Done in eight seconds flat."[49]ABC News praised the game's story because it did "a great job of giving players a cohesive, if far-fetched, story line that's fun if not engaging," as well as "comic book-like" dialogue.[50]Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe's Kombo Challenge mode was criticized as a thin and frustrating mode with combos that required very precise timing.[6][42][47] The modes of Klose Kombat and Free-Fall Kombat were praised as concepts but were criticized in their execution as they appeared to slow the gameplay down and took the player out of the fast gameplay experience.[6] Critics noted that the change in the amount of gore was disappointing to longtime fans of the series who were used to the "insane amounts of gore."[8]
TheAmerican Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry approved ofMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe because of its departure from the earlier M-rated games of the series praising its "simpler play, familiar graphics and adjustable gore content" but still not recommending it for younger players.[51] In 2008,GamePro, ranked it as the 15th best fighting game out of 18.[52]
Midway Games announced that as of January 26, 2009,Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe had shipped 1.8 million copies since its release in mid-November 2008, not including the sales of theKollector's Edition.[53] The chief operating officer ofGameStop stated that theKollector's Edition ofMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe made up 55% of the game's total sales at GameStop locations in its first week.[54] In their 10-K filing, Midway Games revealed the title had sold over 1.9 million units, making it one of the company's most successful titles since 2002.[55] According to Wired.com,Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe also "holds the distinction of being the mostpre-orderedMK game of all time."[56] In a ranking byRentrak, the Xbox 360 version ofMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe was the sixth most rented game of 2009.[57]
During the12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, theAcademy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominatedMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe for "Fighting Game of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Adapted Story".[58]
Midway's work onMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe's cinematic story mode would influence development of futureMortal Kombat games and theInjustice series after Midway filed forChapter 11 bankruptcy[59][60] and becameNetherRealm Studios.[61][62] Future fighting games likeGuilty Gear Xrd,Street Fighter V,Tekken 7, andMarvel vs. Capcom: Infinite attempted to create similar film-inspired experiences.[37] Screenwriter Jeremy Adams pitched an animated film forMortal Kombat vs. DC Universe but was rejected by Warner Bros.[63]
Dark Kahn: On your feet! This battle is not yet over! You will fight! / Superman: Don't give into the rage, Raiden! It can be overcome! / Raiden: Focus...we must focus! / Dark Kahn: What are you doing?! / Raiden: If we fight together, we can channel his own energy against him! / Superman: Sounds like a plan! / Dark Kahn: Face each other, or face me, it makes no difference! You - will - fight!!!
Ed Boon:Our goal right now is to provide at least one character from each side of the universes as a new character to play as
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