Previous attempts to bring the Mortal Kombat franchise into the brawler genre have been lacking, to say the least. MK Mythologies: Sub Zero's awesome concept and level design were ruined by abysmal controls, and as far as Special Forces goes… well, the less said about that, the better. But the third time is, as they say, the charm: Shaolin Monks not only has some of the best beat-em-up gameplay of this generation, but explores so many different aspects of the Mortal Kombat mythos that it would be downright foolhardy for any fan of the series or action games in general not to give it a look.
The story follows Liu Kang and Kung Lao into Outworld as they attempt to chase down Shang Tsung. Not much of a story, to be honest, but then again, it's only there to serve as justification for non-stop exploration of a wide selection of MK stages throughout series history. You'll escape Goro's Lair, climb out of the infamous Pit, and battle through the courtyard where you first had an audience with Tsung in MK 1, among many others. From start to finish, this is clearly the ultimate example of fan service.
Of course, when accompanied by great gameplay, fan service isn't a bad thing in the slightest. Good thing, then, that Shaolin Monks has it in spades. The controls are far easier to pick up than those in the fighting games, with each character's signature and finishing moves mapped to simple button presses. With the very notable exceptions of Ninja Gaiden and God of War, I can't remember the last time a game made me feel like such a capable instrument of ass kicking.
The graphics aren't exactly state-of-the-art, but it's the little things that count in a game like this, and oh boy, are they ever nailed down hard. The little touches that fans remember are all here, from level design to in-jokes that only the die-hard will get; to music and voice/sound effects that seem ripped straight out of the series past (and for good reason…much of the audio is.).
Add in awesome replay value via a fully developed two-player mode (some areas and secrets are only unlockable by playing with a friend), and Shaolin Monks becomes a clear winner for action fans and MK fans alike.
-George
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