Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is an action-adventure game developed by Midway Games for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles. It was released in 2005 and is based on the popular Mortal Kombat fighting game series.
The game features a new storyline set in the Mortal Kombat universe, where players control two of the series’ iconic characters, Liu Kang and Kung Lao, as they journey through various levels, fighting enemies and bosses, and unlocking new abilities and moves.
Shaolin Monks offers both single-player and two-player cooperative modes, allowing players to team up and fight through the game’s levels together. The game’s combat system is based on the Mortal Kombat fighting game series, with players able to perform various combos and special moves to defeat their enemies.
One of the game’s notable features is its use of interactive environments, with players able to use objects in the environment to defeat enemies and unlock hidden areas. The game also features various mini-games and puzzles that add variety to the gameplay.
Shaolin Monks features updated graphics and sound compared to previous Mortal Kombat games, with detailed character models and environments, as well as voice acting from the series’ original actors.
Overall
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks offers a fun and engaging action-adventure experience for fans of the Mortal Kombat series, with its exciting combat system, interactive environments, and cooperative gameplay. It is considered one of the best spin-off games in the Mortal Kombat franchise and a must-play for any fan of the series.
The game features three main modes of play. Aside from a single-player mode, the game has a co-operative mode, where two players can work together through the game, with access to some areas and items that are inaccessible in single-player mode. There is also a versus mode, where two players can fight against each other in some of the arenas featured in the game.[3] In addition, players can play a shortened, censored demo version of The Suffering: Ties That Bind as well as an emulated arcade perfect version of Mortal Kombat II (which is taken from Midway Arcade Treasures 2).
Shaolin Monks features a multi-directional combat system, which gives players the ability to attack any of the enemies that surround them fluidly. The engine allows the player to maintain combo attacks across multiple enemies, and even continue their combos after launching an enemy into the air through a powerful attack or a throw. The main characters also have many of their signature moves from the series.[3] Combos and special moves are upgradeable through the earning of experience points. These are mainly gained through defeating opponents, with the combo system multiplying the value. The environment plays a vital role in the game, as there are several hazards that will instantly kill an enemy, such as pits in the floor or rotating wheels of spikes. Using some of the environment in this manner, as well as attacking or destroying certain objects, serve as a puzzle-solving element to unlock secrets in the game.
The game also includes Fatalities, a common feature of the Mortal Kombat series. Performing combos on enemies increases the Fatality meter. Once that meter has reached a certain level, a Fatality may be performed, regardless of an opponent’s level of health. The main characters have the ability to perform several different Fatality moves, some of which are 3D updated versions of Fatalities from the first and second Mortal Kombat games. The player can also unlock the ability to do Multalities, which are Fatalities performed on multiple enemies at once. The concept of Brutalities from Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3/Mortal Kombat Trilogy has also been brought back, though with a different function. Once the move has been performed, the player is able to give more devastating attacks for a limited time.
