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Aimee Hatfield: 'Shaolin Monks' brings fun back to 'Mortal Kombat'

Friday, Sep 30, 2005 - 12:12:31 am CDT

It’s been a long time since there’s been a decent “Mortal Kombat” game. Even fans of the series have to admit that recent offerings have been substandard.

Enter “Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks.” Finally, an update to the series that not only is bearable but is actually good.

“Shaolin Monks” is an action game, not just a fighting game. As either Liu Kang or Kung Lau, players fight through enemies to get from one area to another.

Everything about “Shaolin Monks” is targeted at fans of the series. Each area has a connection to the original games, and most of the original characters make an appearance at some point, including Kitana, Johnny Cage, Scorpion and Sub-Zero, to name a few. While the voice acting at times is not very well done, “Mortal Kombat” fans will get a thrill out of the many vocal tributes, from Liu Kang’s high-pitched battle cries to the announcer’s “Excellent.”

The combat itself, while solid, can be simplistic and repetitive, but unlockable abilities and plenty of over-the-top methods of killing enemies make it a blast to play. Single-player mode is fun enough, but even better is a two-player co-operative mode that makes excellent use of team puzzles and team attacks.

My only major qualm is that the single-player and co-op modes weren’t somehow combined so a second player could jump in or out at will. Especially considering that most of the extras can only be unlocked in co-op mode, a more user-friendly option would have been nice.

It should be noted that among the usual unlockable extras of artwork, movies and arenas is the full version of “Mortal Kombat II.”

While “Shaolin Monks” certainly is nothing groundbreaking, it’s full of the silly, spine-shattering fun that has made the “Mortal Kombat” series so popular. Fans should definitely check it out, and “Mortal Kombat” newcomers who don’t take their gaming too seriously should at least rent it.

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The Japanese have always been good at silly, and “We Love Katamari” continues that tradition.

The sequel to last year’s cult hit, “Katamari Damacy,” “We Love Katamari” has the same simple premise: Roll a ball (called a katamari) and pick up things — such as household items, animals or even people — to make the ball bigger. As the ball grows, you roll up larger items, including whole houses. When you’re done, if it passes inspection, the King of All Cosmos places the katamari in the sky as a planet or star.

It sounds strange, but “Katamari” is loads of quirky fun. Its Japanese origins are obvious — bright colors, rainbows, peppy pop songs — and that makes it even more endearing. While the sequel’s gameplay is essentially the same as the original, there are a few new features.

Most important is the addition of two-player modes. The new co-operative mode fails miserably — one player controls left to right motions, while the other controls front to back. It’s just boring. But there’s also a new battle mode, in which two players race to roll up the biggest katamari and pick up a certain item, all while avoiding being rolled up by the opponent. It’s a welcome addition to an already entertaining game.

Of course, there are also new levels and new items to roll up, and a new (bizarre) storyline. Fans of the original will enjoy this version as well. I only wish the creators would add a free mode — just once, I want to see how big I can make my katamari without being limited by time or the number of items.

The core gameplay may not have changed, but trust me when I say rolling up things in a big ball has never been so much fun.

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One more for quirky gaming: “Evil Dead: Regeneration” is the newest in a line of games based on the “Evil Dead” movie trilogies starring cult-movie star Bruce Campbell.

“Regeneration” has the hero, Ash, in the Sunny Meadows mental institution because nobody believes his tales of the Necronomicon (the Book of the Dead) and battling the Deadites. Through the actions of a twisted doctor, the undead are unleashed on Sunny Meadows, and Ash once again must fight for his life (with his “boomstick” and trusty chain saw, of course). This time, he has the help of half-Deadite Sam, whom Ash uses and abuses.

As far as action games go, “Regeneration” is not very good. The game is extremely short, repetitive and has some serious control flaws. Where it shines is in its superb voice acting by Campbell and Ted Raimi (as Sam), hilarious dialogue and entertaining storyline.

Fans of the “Evil Dead” movies or Campbell will enjoy “Regeneration” (and its plethora of unlockable extras) and would do well to shell out the $20 for it. Gamers who want a quality action game and who aren’t familiar with the movies or the actor probably should stay away.

Reach Aimee Hatfield at 473-7326 or Aimee.Hatfield@lee.net.

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

Midway, for Xbox, PlayStation 2

Rated: Mature

Cost: $49.99

Grade: B

We Love Katamari

Namco, for PlayStation 2

Rated: Everyone

Cost: $29.99

Grade: A-

Evil Dead: Regeneration

THQ, for Xbox, PlayStation 2

Rated: Mature

Cost: $19.99

Grade: B (if you’re an “Evil Dead” fan), C+ (if you’re not)