Lawrence.com

Many gamers blew off Shaolin Monks when they first heard about a new MK adventure game. Obviously, the main thought process there was "Great:.another Sub Zero Mythologies disaster". If that thought ever entered your mind, or if you had any doubts about MK Shaolin Monks, get rid of them. This game is the best co-op experience since Turtles in Time for the SNES.

That's not to say the game is without error:..it certainly has its faults. For one, it's extremely short. The first time through in co-op mode (oops, I mean "ko-op"), it shouldn't take the average gamer more than 7 or 8 hours, and that's even if you're going after all the secrets. If you're skipping the cutscenes and trying to beat the game as fast as you can, it can be done in 2-3 hours. Don't let this fact keep you from trying out the game. Keep in mind, Turtles in Time could be beaten in under a half hour. Metal Gear Solid can be beaten in less than three hours. God of War took about seven. It's been proven many times that a game doesn't have to be at least 20 hours long to be great.

Shaolin Monks is a game that is clearly meant to be played with two people. The first time through, players can choose between Liu Kang and Kung Lao. These two characters have very different fighting styles, with Liu generally getting the better moves and abilities. At the beginning, Liu shoots fireballs and does his trademark flying kick. As you level up, you'll be able to shoot low fireballs, air fireballs, and perform the bicycle kick from MKII. Lao has all of his MKII moves as well (hat throw, teleport, spin attack). The only real advantage Lao has over Kang is a useful air combo. For all other intents and purposes, Kang is the superior character.

The control scheme works almost perfectly, and will rarely be a problem. Basic attacks are done with X, Y, and B, while throws are performed with the black button. Holding the R trigger will modify any of these attacks. Once you've performed enough combos, you'll have a fatality at your disposal, which is activated by hitting the white button. At this point, it goes into typical MK fatality mode (ominous music, screen goes dark), and you input a 5-button command to brutally finish off your opponent. Both Kang and Lao have almost 10 standard fatalities, along with "Multalities" and "Brutalities". Multalities can clear a room of enemies, and Brutalities put your character in a "berserk" mode. Because neither of those gives you experience points, it's usually best to stick with the standard Fatalities. In addition to the special attacks, you'll also unlock new platforming moves. You'll gain the ability to long jump, double jump, and perform Prince of Persia-esque wall jumps, wall runs, and swinging abilities.

The story takes place between MKI and MKII. Kang has just won the Mortal Kombat tournament, and Lao has started to get jealous of him. There's not many cutscenes in the game, which is definitely a good thing considering that they're pretty inane, poorly acted, and not interesting in the least. It boils down to this: Shang Tsung is being devious, and you need to go kill him in a violent manner (along with everything else you see). The only semi-interesting parts of the narrative are the occasional "Ohh...that's how that happened" moments. You'll see how Sub-Zero got his scar, how Shang Tsung became young again, and even a confusing back-story bit about Kabal.

Almost all of the environments are straight out of MKII. If it's in the background of that game, it's a level in Shaolin Monks. You'll fight through the Acid Pool, the Wastelands, Shao Kahn's temple, the Living Forest, and the Pit II. Even background characters like the druids and masked guards from the older games are full-fledged enemies in MK:SM. One of the best aspects of the game is the constant interaction with the environment. There are almost no areas that don't feature a spiked ceiling, meat grinder, furnace, pool of acid, or a hungry tree to knock an unlucky opponent into. The only downside to ending your opponents in this manner is the fact that you don't get experience points.

MK:SM does a good job of mixing up the gameplay. Every once in a while, the action is broken up by puzzle elements. You'll have to do various "Test Your Might" challenges to put out fires and smash guards with gates. Boss battles are unique, and most feature multiple segments. For instance, the fight with Baraka starts out as a straightforward 2-on-1 fight (or 1-on-1 if you're playing single player). After knocking down his life a bit, he'll throw flaming monks at you that you need to avoid. Pass that obstacle, and he'll jump across a pit and start shooting projectiles at you. The battle ends with a swordfight in which you have to win a Test Your Might and impale him. Most boss fights follow this formula of multiple stages, and very few are simple fighting affairs.

Like all MK games, this one is certainly packed with secrets. There's a hidden item in every single area of the game, and the rewards for finding them are usually "Koncept Art" or new characters and arenas for Vs. mode. Some of the secrets are harder to find, but very rewarding. It's very easy to beat the game without facing Kano, Ermac, or Mileena in hidden boss battles, but it's more rewarding if you do. There are also five hidden Smoke Missions that will unlock the arcade version of MKII. After beating the game once, you'll be presented with two new unlocked characters for the Story Mode. I won't ruin who they are here, but the silhouettes in the character select screen should make it obvious.

The Versus mode isn't anything like classic MK games, and actually bears more of a resemblance to Power Stone. The two combatants are placed in the middle of a 3D arena filled with traps, weapons, and power-ups. Each of the eight selectable characters can perform one of two fatalities at the end of the fight. Some arenas have AI-controlled characters (Goro, masked guards) that will attack you randomly during the battle. This mode is better than I expected it to be, but it's not quite up to par with the rest of the game. Besides, if you've completed the Smoke Missions, you've got the far superior MKII to play whenever you want.

Graphically, Shaolin Monks is nothing to write home about. It's also nothing to complain about (other than the occasional slowdown). It's basically exactly how you would expect a 3D adventure game to look like in the MK universe. Of course, this universe is filled with ridiculous sound effects and cheesy B-movie music, and Shaolin Monks stays true to that tradition. Liu Kang's gibberish yell when he does his bicycle kick sounds just as stupid now as it did in MKII, which is great.

It's important to note that the single player experience truly pales in comparison to the ko-op. Don't immediately buy this game unless you have someone to play through it with. The combat gets repetitive far quicker when you don't have a partner to work with, and some areas of the game are only accessible in ko-op mode.

I'm trying to think of a way to say "it's short and it's way better with two people" without it coming off as some kind of sexual joke, but I'm failing to do so. Regardless, it's a blast to go through in ko-op mode, and there's certainly enough unlockables and secrets to warrant a second, third, or fourth play-through. Should be an immediate purchase for fans of either Mortal Kombat or co-op action games.

Graphics: B

Sound: B+

First Play: A

Last Play: A-

Gameplay: A-

Overall: 90% A-