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Mortal Kombat 8: Sub-Zero, Scorpion and Superman?
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Two combatants face each other in the moonlight. The mist creeps along the dead leaves strewn across the ancient forest floor. An ominous voice bellows from the shadows in preparation for the imminent bloodbath.
“Round One . fight!”
The voice echoes through the night air as the fighters surge forward, colliding in a cacophony of violent battle-cries and the vicious clash of steel and bone. The epic struggle swells like a discordant symphony of raw malice. This is the latest edition of “Mortal Kombat.”
Soon after the 2006 release of “Mortal Kombat: Armageddon,” rumors and speculation began surfacing all over the Internet in regards to where the series would go next. Ed Boon, co-creator of the Mortal Kombat franchise, had stated that Armageddon would be the final installment of the titular fighting game.
However, as of April of this year, Midway Games has announced a new Mortal Kombat which is set for release sometime in the fall of 2008 for Sony’s Playstation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360. Boon also indicated that the game would be a “return to the roots of the series.”
The series is facing a major overhaul with obvious innovations in fighting techniques, new fighting arenas and most importantly new fighters. Joining the cast of classic Mortal Kombatants are none other than some of the most famous super-heroes and heroines of DC Comics.
The official title of the game is “Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe” and will feature a balanced character roster from both creative properties. Only four fighters (two from each respective party) have been officially confirmed.
Hailing from Midway’s MK universe are the infamous ninjas Sub-Zero (whose special powers consist of a mastery of the elements of cold and ice) and Scorpion – the hell-spawned, spear throwing specter seeking vengeance. DC Comics comes to the arena with Superman, the Man of Steel himself and Gotham City’s Caped Crusader, Batman.
The announcement of such a crossover fighting game is perhaps the biggest change to the standard Mortal Kombat formula. Along with the inclusion of Batman and Superman, Boon has also stated that “MK vs. DC” will likely include an ESRB rating of teen.
This comes as a surprise considering that the Mortal Kombat series evokes visions of bloodshed and over-the-top finishing moves or fatalities.
Such carnage has always rendered a mature rating for every other game in the MK series.
Though nothing has been confirmed, the toned down rating is likely due to DC Comics’ preference of seeing their beloved characters decapitated and disemboweled.
The ambitious storyline of the game will be written by comic writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray and will feature a brand new re-invention of the Mortal Kombat universe viewed from different perspectives of those involved.
The only true game-play footage features Sub-Zero squaring off with Batman in a forested fighting arena. A playable demonstration is anticipated to be featured at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo.
The news of such a game will likely cause fans of both franchises to speculate about the decision of this type of crossover.
Hopefully, it will be as successful as the Marvel/Capcom fighting games that can still be found in arcades today.
These games featured various characters from the Marvel Comic universe like Spiderman and the X-Men as well as Capcom heavy hitters, Ryu and Blanka of “Street Fighter” fame.
Until more information is available, Mortal Kombat fans can only conceptualize what the Bat-Signal will look like shining in the night sky above Shao Kahn’s fortress, or what it will sound like to hear Scorpion scream, “Get over here!” from atop Metropolis’ Daily Planet.
C. COLT CRANE
BizTech Writer
