Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero

The Good
What made the Mortal Kombat games the behemoths they are today? Not the lame gameplay that's for sure...the gore? yeah, but also...The story! that's right! At the time it came out, every fighting game followed the "corny martial arts tournament/avenge your father" premise. MK took that and placed it for the first time in a dark and somber world without any Ryu and Ken characters, and, for the first time, with anti-heroes, assassins and the like fighting in outwordly, dark settings instead of down the street, and for motives very different from the "gotta rescue my sister" ones. Throughout the years the backstories to every character, situation, etc. have been fleshed out considerably and, surprisingly, this has been done well enough to keep the series interesting. Finally, to my joy, a game was released that focussed on all this interesting myths and backstories the series has had....well, some. This game explains and fleshes out practically every bit of information there is on one of the game's coolest characters: the assassin/thief Sub-Zero. You'll get to know how he entered the original Mortal Kombat (this game is sort of a prequel), what's his relationship with Rayden, how his feud with Scorpion got started, etc, etc plus some interesting new original stuff (like a possible love interest?? hmm? ;)). Everything that served as a backdrop to the MK fighting games is placed on center stage in this game, mixing it with a very well made plot that turns you into an unlikely hero as you are hired to steal an artifact and are forced Thief-style to recover it after you discover the true intentions behind it (the resurrection of Shinook, the MK4 baddie).

The game itself is a very good combination of arcade/platform action with puzzle/rpg elements, where you go around kicking butt in standard MK fashion but with the added bonus of gaining exp. for every foe killed (which translates into new powers and moves) and in a fully side-scrolling world with multiple levels, traps, etc. The puzzles are no brain teasers, but they are kept well above the annoying and manage to give the game the right amount of depth without becoming frustrating.

Technically the game is very good, with bright, crisp, fmv sequences and great graphics and moody sounds. Plus there's a small modicum of replayability, as some key choices you make can lead to alternate situations (kill Scorpion and you have to face him in the afterlife, don't kill him and... who knows!)

The Bad
Essentially the only bad things about this game are its acting and the lack of play options. The acting is simply atrocious. It seems the guys that got digitized as game characters were also hired to play themselves in the fmv sequences and well.... let's just say that as actors they are very good models. Sometimes it's bearable, but mostly it's just atrocious.

The other gripe mainly has to do with the fact that after the game is over....it's really over. The small variations you can add with your change of in-game choices don't last much, and I couldn't help but feel that even a one-on-one two players fighting mode would have increased the longevity of this game, or even some sort of survival mode...I dunno.

Also I should mention that if the idea of Mario meets Street Fighter seems like a marriage made in hell to you this one isn't gonna be exactly you cup of tea. Trust me, it is really good. But if you just hate the idea....

The Bottom Line
Quite simply, if you have a Playstation you have to have this game. It's a short and challenging ride, but it's worth it. I've played nearly every MK game, but this one is the only one I'm proud of owning. But.... Mortal Kombat? I hear you say. Yes, trust me, unless you have a serious aversion to arcade/adventure console crossbreeds, then go for it.