GamersCircle

IGN – 7.5

• Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe is fun and a solid entry into the franchise, but I doubt many folks will find it entertaining past a rental. Casual players will punch through the storyline before burning out after getting stumped by one or two Kombo Challenges, while Mortal Kombat fans will have trouble accepting the toned down Fatalities and somewhat slower gameplay. In short, this game’s fun, but its legs probably can’t carry it beyond the whole “Wow, Batman’s fighting Superman” first impression.

1UP – B-

• But I dig the combat in spite of itself — for all its faults, MK vs. DCU is an oddly enjoyable distraction from “real” fighters. Its masher-friendly controls appeal to me in a casual-gamer way, and the midmatch minigames (damage-percentage tugs-of-war, airborne ass-kickings with the defender mirroring the aggressor’s button-presses in a bid for dominance) give the fights a sort of party-game vibe. Even the online mode is virtually lagless; outside of a parade of day-one savants, I can’t complain. I just wish the game’s signature (and somewhat watered-down — go Teen rating!) Fatalities (”Heroic Brutalities” for the politically correct DC heroes) appeared in each character’s move lists, as I’d rather not look up a button combination every time I want to shoot my opponent in the face or drop a Mortal Kombat arcade cabinet on his head. You know, the important stuff.

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