Archive for the ‘mortal kombat’ Category
Mortal Kombat Demo 3D Hands-On: What You’ll Get On Tuesday
Posted by Sid Shuman in 3D, Demos, mortal kombat, netherrealm studios, PlayStation Games, playstation plus, PS3, PSN on March 4th, 2011
Sometimes, life is about the simple pleasures. The contented cooing of a sleepy puppy. The smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. The sickening crunch of Scorpion stomping your rib cage while an X-ray view displays the internal damage in real time. In 3D.
Yes, friends. I have played the Mortal Kombat PSN demo, and it is good. Comprised of four characters and two stages, the demo is a meaty preview of what to expect when the full game hits PS3 on April 19th (April 21st in the EU). PlayStation Plus subscribers are getting early access this coming Tuesday, March 8th (March 9th in the EU) and it’ll be delivered directly to your PS3 as long as you enable Automatic Downloads in your XMB settings. All other PSN users will be able to download the demo on Tuesday, March 15th.
The demo comes with four playable fighters: Johnny Cage, Mileena, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero. Fan-favorite Scorpion is nastier than ever, packing his trademark throwing spear (“Get over here!”) and a wicked new sword, while rival ninja Sub-Zero forges weapons from ice and shatters internal organs with a touch. Hollywood prima donna Johnny Cage hits below the belt, and sai-wielding mutant assassin Mileena makes no effort to hide her gleaming five-inch fangs. You’ll also get two environments: The Living Forest and The Pit, complete with its gruesome stage fatality.
Mortal Kombat’s stereoscopic 3D viewing mode is exclusive to the PS3, and I was lucky enough to try it on a massive 60’’ 3D Sony Bravia. Stereoscopic 3D lends an impressive sense of grandeur and scope — the environments seem to stretch on into infinity but don’t distract from the fighting. “We didn’t want 3D to change the basic mechanics or complicate things needlessly,” Mortal Kombat creative director and series co-creator Ed Boon told me. “Our 3D implementation makes the characters pop from the background a little more, and helps you focus on them.” By rendering the fighters in 2D for its stereoscopic 3D mode, Mortal Kombat’s action remains visible even if you’re not wearing 3D glasses. This is a handy detail if you’re playing with a group on a 3D TV and find yourself short of 3D glasses — everyone will be able to play and watch whether they wear 3D glasses or not. If you’re not wearing glasses, the 3D backgrounds will look a bit blurry but the characters will appear crisp and clean.
Gameplay-wise, the Mortal Kombat demo is loaded with special attacks, combos, juggles, and ultra-powerful X-ray attacks that will leave your opponents reeling (and your stomach heaving). The action is fast and satisfying, with a 2D, side-scrolling feel that’s much closer in spirit to MKII or MK3. A standout example lies in the glorious return of the turn-around kick, which is a powerful juggle combo starter where you jump over an opponent and kick after you clear his shoulder. Judging by my hands-on time, turn-around kicks — a staple of the classic games but downplayed in later entries — are back in full force. According to Boon, this is by design. “We know turn-around kicks are an essential ingredient this time,” Boon told me. With a little practice, I was able to easily perform my signature Scorpion combo from Mortal Kombat II: Turn-around jump kick, teleport punch, spear throw followed by an uppercut or combo for an easy 25-30% damage. Not bad, but I’m sure some of you can do much better!
The Mortal Kombat demo supports two modes: One-on-one Versus battles (the final game supports two-on-two tag battles as well), and a short single-player Ladder mode. Protip: Completing that Ladder mode in the PSN demo unlocks a jaw-dropping video montage of the final game, complete with glimpses of new fatalities, returning characters, and impressive new stages. I won’t spill any secrets, but consider that video to be required viewing.
Oh, and one more thing: The “Toasty” guy is back. I’ve seen him! Have any questions about the features or feel of the upcoming PS3 Mortal Kombat demo? I’ll be delighted to provide further information, just ask away in the comments.
FINISH HIM: How to Make a Killer Fatality for Mortal Kombat
Posted by Steve Beran in Developer Corner, Inside PlayStation, mortal kombat, netherrealm studios, PlayStation Games, PS3 on February 15th, 2011
Fatalities are back and better than ever in the new Mortal Kombat! Ever since 1992’s Mortal Kombat, fatalities have gotten a HUGE fan reaction. The new game’s fatalities are the most lethal, elaborate, and quite simply the best we have ever made. We are sure that the fans are going to love what we have come up with in the new Mortal Kombat.
Ed Boon and the rest of the MK team knew that returning to a Mature game rating – PLUS the tremendous graphic improvement and new technologies we now have access to – would let us take fatalities to an unsurpassed level of unimaginable brutality. Additionally, we wanted to make sure there were a ton of fatalities for all of the iconic warriors in the game (with two fatalities, minimum, for every character) as well as fatalities for some of the dynamic environments. There is a looot of content for players to uncover – and we finally had plenty of time to build it all!
The fatality development process is extremely collaborative. In the past, we didn’t start designing and implementing fatalities until the majority of the game was finished. But with this game, the team began working on fatalities early in the development cycle in order to have the maximum amount of time to come up with ideas and polish them. Fatalities are born in the dark recesses of the designer’s minds – each fatality always starts with a general idea from [Mortal Kombat co-creator] Ed Boon and the designers. They basically lock themselves in a room for hours and lay out all of their ideas. Once the meeting begins, one brave soul is the first to share a sick and twisted way for the player to finish off their opponent, and the process begins.
Inspiration can come from anywhere – gruesome murder news stories, old horror movies, and actual nightmares have spawned more than a few of our most disturbing fatalities. There is a usually a lot of “You know what would be cool…” and “What if…” The designers pantomime many of the motions for that fatality and the reaction of the other team members in the room determine whether a fatality is good enough for inclusion in the game. Ideas with the strongest team reactions are the ones we all build on and polish into a final concept. Ed then goes on to storyboard each fatality for the motion-capture session.
The motion-capture sessions are a dynamic experience involving two people that act out each fatality over and over until they perfectly capture the movements needed to make the fatality look as realistic and awe-inspiring as possible. From there, our magicians in the animation and cinematics groups add the look, feel and special effects that take the fatalities from a motion-captured wire frame to a graphically intense piece of in-game content.
As a team, we review each step of the process many times in order to make sure each element looks as impactful as possible. Once the fatality meets our quality requirements, we pass it along to our audio group so that they can take the piece to the next level and create horrifying sounds to add the final touch of atmosphere to the piece. Finally, it is given back to the designers who embed the fatalities in the game in preparation for players around the world.
Fatalities are truly one of the most collaborative development efforts and are a great reflection of the vast amount of talent we have working on the game. We want to ensure that fans get the Mortal Kombat they have been waiting for come April 19th. I wish I could show you some examples of our new fatalities, but because we’re bound by certain advertising guidelines we are only able to show them after you pre-order at GameStop. Once you pre-order, you will be emailed a code that you can enter that into a widget in order to view some of the great fatalities in the final game. You can see more details here.
Mortal Kombat Kicks Off PTOM’s List of Biggest Games of 2011
Posted by Gary Steinman in mortal kombat, netherrealm studios, PlayStation Games, playstation: the official magazine, PS3, warner brother interactive on December 17th, 2010
We knew it would make the cut. How could it not? After all, Mortal Kombat isn’t just destined to be one of the biggest fighting franchises of 2011, but it’s one of the best we’ve played in a long time. It’s fast, it’s fun, it’s brutal, and it harkens back to the series’ gory glory days. The move to a 2D plane, the giddy celebration of everything that’s great about the Mortal Kombat franchise, the mix of faithful fan-service with future-looking gameplay upgrades: It’s exactly what we at PlayStation: The Official Magazine crave in our heavy hitters.
Then we found out Kratos would be in the game, and that’s all it took for Mortal Kombat to kick, punch, impale, and maim its way to the tippy top of our Hugest Games of 2011 issue.
Not only did we get a sneak peek at Kratos’ in-game model, but we’ve got the first-ever screenshots of the God of War in action—along with this unbelievably gorgeous cover. On stands Dec. 21, the January issue of PTOM has our hands-on impressions of the game, along with razor-sharp insight from series creator Ed Boon and his team at developer NetherRealm. We even have the first images of a newly revealed kontestant, Ermac.
It’s all part of our grand look at what’s hot for 2011, a list that includes massive shooters like Killzone 3 and Rage, magnificent adventures like L.A. Noire and The Last Guardian, and brilliant innovators like Metal Gear Solid: Rising and Child of Eden. Be sure to pick up the issue for new screens, information, and insight into all these games and more!
Also in the January issue: a playtest of four MMOs coming to PS3 (including an in-depth look at DC Universe Online); a list of 51 PlayStation resolutions for the new year; the complete Gran Turismo 5 car list in one handy spread; and dozens of previews and reviews of the latest and greatest PS3, PSP and PSN releases. Don’t miss it!
E3 Encounters: Mortal Kombat for PS3
Posted by Sid Shuman in E310, mortal kombat, netherrealm studios, PlayStation Games, PS3, warner brother interactive on July 15th, 2010
Mortal Kombat and I go way back — I can’t imagine the 90s without it. I still play Mortal Kombat II regularly on the PS3, and know the button commands for every single Fatality by heart, even Shang Tsung’s secret third Fatality that requires holding down the Low Punch button for 30 seconds. Ahem.
Anyway, Jeff Rubenstein and I decided to stop by the Warner Brother Interactive booth at the 2010 E3 Expo to check out the new Mortal Kombat. I met with Steve Beran, a longtime MK series veteran and director of art for the newly named Netherrealm Studios. We talked about the new vision for the gory brawler, got a sneak peek at the new Fatalities and stereoscopic 3D support, and went hands-on for a few matches.
First, though, check out the E3 announce trailer below for a quick look at Mortal Kombat’s visual style, fighting mechanics, and the new “X-ray” attacks.
Mortal Kombat is a re-imagining of the events of the first three games (“the fan favorites” according to Beran) meaning you’ll see lots of familiar faces: ninja specter Scorpion, his rival Sub-Zero, cybernetic assassin Sektor, misshapen clone Mileena, and Hollywood action star Johnny Cage have all made the cut. All told, Mortal Kombat will feature at least 24 fighters — a mix of old favorites as well as newcomers — with more on the way post-launch via PSN downloadable content.
Mortal Kombat will return to the 2D, juggle-centric fighting style popularized by the earlier titles, but the core fighting mechanics are seeing modern, HD enhancements. Most obvious are the devastating new “X-ray” attacks. The camera sweeps in to show the victim’s innards as the aggressor snaps, cracks, and gouges away. “Ribs shatter, jaws break, teeth pop out,” Beran elaborated. “It’s one of the things we’re most excited about.” What’s more, each character possesses unique-looking innards, meaning that Reptile’s skeleton looks different than Mileena’s, Sektor’s guts look appropriately cybernetic, and so on.
The gruesome “X-ray” attacks are the most dramatic example of Mortal Kombat’s new Super meter, which builds in power as you inflict and absorb damage during each match. A well-timed “X-ray” attack can wipe out nearly half an opponent’s life bar, particularly when chained into another juggle combo. “X-ray” attacks require a full Super meter but, at lower levels, the Super meter will also enable you to power-up a character’s special move for extra damage and beneficial effects, or swap in a tag-team partner mid-combo for a brutal two-man juggle. How you best leverage the Super meter is up to you.
Then there are the Fatalities, the most recognizable and controversial element in any Mortal Kombat title. “In this game,” Beran told me, “we starting thinking about the Fatalities much earlier.” It shows. The new Fatalities are ghoulishly inventive: Kung Lao dragging his victim through his buzzsaw-like bladed hat, Reptile giving a venom-spewing french kiss, and Scorpion slicing and dicing with his katana will make longtime series fans quiver with delight.
Oh, I also donned a pair of 3D glasses in order to experience a video of a Mortal Kombat match running in stereoscopic 3D on the PS3. The fighting genre seems to be a good fit for 3D: the detailed characters, sparkling projectiles, and gushing bodily fluids popped off the screen at a smooth 60 frames per second.
Mortal Kombat will hit the PS3 in 2011, with online play being a major focus. What else would you like to know about Mortal Kombat? Ask away in the comments, and I’ll do my best to track down the answer.
E3 2010 Wrap-up: Photo Gallery
Posted by Sid Shuman in assassin's creed brotherhood, capcom, dc universe online, dead space 2, EA, guerrilla games, killzone 3, lego harry potter, mafia ll, marvel vs. capcom 3, mortal kombat, PlayStation Games, PS3, red faction armageddon, tron evolution on June 18th, 2010
What a week! With eight years of the E3 Expo under my belt, this was perhaps the most exciting, inspiring show I’ve attended. For me, the highlights included experiencing stereoscopic 3D in games like Killzone 3 and MotorStorm Apocalypse (seeing is believing), sampling the many PlayStation Move games (the precision and gameplay versatility were on full display), and the much-anticipated return of Twisted Metal from Eat Sleep Play. Oh, and Kevin Butler.
And of course, games, games, games: From heavyweights like MotorStorm Apocalypse, LittleBigPlanet 2, Gran Turismo 5, SOCOM 4, inFAMOUS 2, and God of War: Ghost of Sparta to head-turning PSN titles like Dead Nation, Journey, and PixelJunk Shooter 2 — this year, the games did all the talking. And don’t get me started on the third-party lineup, with Dead Space 2, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Medal of Honor, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Crysis 2, Mafia II, Portal 2, Mortal Kombat, Scott Pilgrim…I could go on all day and I’d run out of breath before I named them all.
This is an excellent time to be a gamer. It’s also an excellent time to have access to a camera, as this year’s E3 booths were bigger and bolder than I’ve seen in years. I wanted to give PlayStation.Blog readers an inside look at some of the most inspired booth layouts we spotted on the show floor. It’s by no means a complete look, but I hope you enjoy the eye candy.
Enjoy the pics! And see more PlayStation E3 2010 photos on our Flickr Photostream.
Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 for PS3
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood for PS3
Homefront for PS3
Killzone 3 in stereoscopic 3D for PS3 (so popular it averaged a one-to-two hour line wait)
Left: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow for PS3; Right: Yakuza 4 for PS3
MAFIA II, coming to PS3 with exclusive bonus content
Mortal Kombat, coming to PS3 with Stereoscopic 3D
Red Faction Armageddon for PS3
Lord of the Rings: War in the North for PS3
TRON Evolution for PS3
Left: Marvel vs Capcom 3 for PS3; Right: DC Universe Online for PS3