Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (PS1) Playthrough - NintendoComplete
2,138A playthough of Midway's 1997 platformer/beat 'em up for the Sony Playstation, Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero.
Played through on the medium difficulty setting.
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero is not a traditional Mortal Kombat game, nor was it received as well as earlier games in the series. Though it sold well, it took a lot of fire from critics, and its less-than-glowing review record became something of a legacy for the game.
I wouldn't argue any of the points they called the game out on - the controls are awkward, the graphics are grainy, the storyline is completely insipid, the FMV segments look embarrassingly cheap, much like how the AI opponents play. So that might leave you wondering... did any aspect of the game succeed?
Personally, I liked MKM: Sub-Zero when it came out, and I still can have fun with it. I thought that combining a platformer with a fighting game was a cool way to inject some novelty into the traditional MK gameplay that was starting to feel a bit stale by 1997, and the campy cutscenes added in some (albeit unintentional) humor to keep things moving.
But the best part about MKM: SZ in my mind? That's simple.
It wasn't Batman Forever.
If you've played Batman Forever on the 16-bit platforms, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The concept is the same - it's a platformer that uses the Mortal Kombat control scheme - but it was absolutely terrible. Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero picks up the pieces of that travesty and refines them just enough to be playable... fun, even, depending on your disposition.
The fighting system is based on Mortal Kombat 3's, so the Run button returns and the dial-a-kombo system is here in full effect. The game also introduces experience points to the mix, and by performing high scoring moves and combos, you can gain points toward unlocking Sub-Zero's special moves. If you really want to know the secret to getting through the game without much problem, commit these two combos to memory:
1. (Run in) HP, HP, LP, LK, HK, away+HK and
2. (Run in) HK, LK, away+HK
These two strings score lots of experience points, and as long as you run in to start them, those combos will take out most opponents without any problem. In more harried situations, throw in an occasional Ice Freeze or slide attack and you'll be fine.
The platforming can be a bit more trying, but it's still fairly simple and easy. There's a lot of left-to-right walking, elevator riding, obstacle dodging, and rope climbing, which all work fine, but those jumping sequences...! If anything tests your patience, it'll be those spots where you have to jump between platforms moving in-and-out of the foreground. They're simple once you have the timing down, but until you figure it out, good luck. I can't tell you how many times I saw the Game Over screen thanks to missing those platforms in stage two over, and over, and over. The two maze-like levels are also good for some frustration if you don't have their layouts memorized.
But overall, it works well enough. I can't emphasize just how much of an improvement this is over Batman Forever (https://youtu.be/DhLMfjKJxZU ) on the SNES and Genesis. Simpler and more responsive controls, better animation, and a password/save system make it a more platable experience.
Finally, there's the presentation. I personally thought that it was an okay looking game given that it's a fairly early PS1 title. The backgrounds do tend to be overly dark and dithered but they are well detailed, and the fighters are large and move smoothly. The game doesn't suffer from any slowdown, and the load times, though frequent, are brief.
The FMV is really what steals the show, though. The "acting" is about of the same quality as you'd expect from a program playing on a public-access cable channel, the costumes are all hilariously cheap bits of vinyl (Sub-Zero's outfit looks like it was made from the covering of a high school gym's wrestling mats!), and the less said about the CG, the better. It might sound terrible, and it is, but its unbelievably entertaining to watch. Think of it as the video game equivalent of Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and you're in the ballpark.
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero was an interesting experiment that provided some competent MK fan-service. If you're a fan of old-school Mortal Kombat, there's a good chance you'll like what has been done here. If you hate Mortal Kombat, this one isn't going to change your mind.
(Please note - I had to cut part of the intro thanks to a copyright issue with its music. Everything else has been left fully intact.)
_____________
No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
NintendoComplete (http://www.nintendocomplete.com/) punches you in the face with in-depth reviews, screenshot archives, and music from classic 8-bit NES games!