Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate Review (PSV): A long trail of empty promises

There is a point where I thought that Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (herein referred to as "Blackgate") was due to end. There was a boss fight, a few puzzles and a room that was thick with finality. I thought I was knee deep in the conclusion, but I was then again tasked with playing fetch throughout Blackgate's labyrinthine wings.

My meandering, directionless agony was set to continue. Again I would wrestle with the game's nonsensical map.

The worst thing is that it shouldn't have been this way. Well, at least not on paper. If you read into it before release, Blackgate should have been one of the better games released in 2013. A Metroidvania -- for those not in the know, that means a platformer with role-playing game elements and a map that opens up with the acquisition of new equipment and abilities -- title starring Batman and developed by Armature Studio, which is partly comprised of Retro Studio alums. Retro Studios just happened to be responsible for two of the greatest Metroidvania games that I've ever played (just to clarify, I haven't played Metroid Prime 3: Corruption or much of Hunters on the DS, so that count may deserve to be bigger). If that's not enough, the Arkham series' signature combat, investigation and stealth systems would also be translated into 2.5 dimensions. Such promise!

It starts off well enough: the game looks good and the punching, kicking and stalking work just fine. There were lengths of time where I found that I was actually enjoying myself too, but these stretches are undermined by poor direction and hapless navigation. The best games in the genre subtly guide players to the next objective whilst also encouraging experimentation with new tools in previously-explored environments. Blackgate gives you new tools and a marker on an indecipherable map: good luck sorting that shit out. Suffice to say you'll be rubbing your screen (which activates Detective mode) looking for some indication of where to go next for hours at a time.

I'd wager at least a third of the 6 hours I spent playing the game involved asking aloud (on public transport, on my bed, in the park), "Where the fuck do I go now?". No short order of competent boss fights or charming comic book cutscenes could really redeem the game; no matter how badly I wanted it to. Still, if I'm being honest, I enjoyed this game as much as the 2011 mega hit, Arkham City and the less said about Arkham Origins, the better.

Wait until this shows up in the PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection, otherwise approach only if seen in the bargain bin. Heartbreaking stuff.

Muramasa Rebirth Review (PSV): Let's play a painting (a fucking rad painting)

With your PlayStation 4s and Xbox Ones around the corner, photorealistic graphics are going to be what every developer and their Call of Duty dog strives for. The two-dimensional sidescroller will soon solely become the domain of indie developers. Not that I don't appreciate their work, more that your average publisher won't want any part of a niche market comprised of a small set of customers yearning for experiences from a bygone age.

Enter Muramasa Rebirth, a remake of the (previously) Wii exclusive, Muramasa: The Demon Blade. I never played the 2009 home console release, but I have read enough songs of praise for Vanillaware's beat 'em up to make the idea of importing the handheld iteration sound like an acceptable course of action. Let's face it: at this point, importing any new retail release for the Vita sounds like a plan because new releases for Sony's fledgling portable are rarer than hens' teeth, and publishers aren't exactly breaking their backs to get their games to Australia. I can understand why, mind you; but still, the game's showing a release date of "TBC 2013" on the EBGames' website and our friends across various ponds have been playing it for two to five months now!

Oh yeah, the game! Let's talk about that, rather than the business of releasing games Down Under.

I loved this game. Loved it. I can fully understand if someone didn't want to give it time to see the time of day or wanted it to burn in a fire though.

For one, it's mighty repetitive. When you're not mashing the square button for minutes on end, it's more than likely that you'll notice some familiar scenery. The two campaigns play from and to opposite sides of Genroku era Japan to attempt to break up the monotony, but save for a few enemy types that are unique to each, there are a lot of common experiences spread across 10 hours plus.

Secondly, it's repetitive. Save for one boss fight that takes the concept of "verticality" and turns it up to 11, you'll have seen all the different types of combat scenarios the game has to offer after about two hours of play. So, that means shitloads of lengthy boss fights, hundreds of often frustrating exchanges between high flying enemies, and just generally bashing shit until it falls over. If you're looking for "surprise" in the conventional videogame sense of the word, there is no turret sequence and you can't jump in a vehicle to "freshen up" the experience. This is a beat 'em up: you will beat shit up on a 2 dimensional plane. That is it.

It's a good thing then that bashing shit up in Muramasa Rebirth happens to be somewhat enjoyable. The range of attacks that both Momohime and Kisuke have at their disposable are varied, and generally have your chosen character darting from one side of the battlefield to the other with a flurry of strikes. Some of the more open arenas lead to some particularly satisfying battles where you can string attacks together and climb from tree to tree (or cliff to cliff), leaving bodies above, below and to the side of you. There are some slight RPG elements at play here, but none of the special, blade-specific Secret Arts will greatly affect how you play (on the standard difficulty setting, at least).

I probably should've mentioned this earlier, but this has to be one of the best-looking games on the Vita. Hell, it's one of the most visually-arresting games I've played this year. Anything from the most fearsome demon to serene shorelines are rendered by hand, and the animation quality is top-notch. The game's visuals are reminiscent of a kakejiku that's come alive. The greatest joy in this game comes from running through a vibrant Japan and catching Momohime and Kisuke's wry glance at you mid-flight: it's hauntingly beautiful.

The boss fights probably wouldn't be anywhere near as memorable -- and in some cases, bearable -- were it not for Murama Rebirth's memorable artistic direction. Some of these encounters encourage movement and require enough skill and timing so as to be satisfying, but the vast majority require you to a) mash the fuck out of the square button and b) push the analogue stick to the right. Sometimes, ten minutes of bashing your sword against a wall would seem a challenge if not for the fact the game is so easy on the eyes.

There are some other quibbles, like the finnicky positioning required to start a conversation with NPCs, the apparent ignorance of the developers regarding the Vita's touch interface (and how that could've remedied the aforementioned issue), and two difficulty settings that allow for either careless play or require judicious use of resources (where's my happy medium?), but they don't detract enough from Muramasa Rebirth's gorgeous veneer to warrant further discussion. I'm sure that most will appreciate it's beauty, however, I'm less convinced that all could see its charm. If you don't mind playing with one less dimension and have an itch for some swordplay, I'd recommend this without hesitation.  

The High Horse Audit 2012, Part 2: The most disappointing game of 2012

It was always going to be hard to follow 2011. If it's possible to pity a year, I truly feel sorry for 2012. That's not to say that the year just gone failed to deliver any worthwhile experiences. I think it's more accurate to say that 2012 was full of double-edged gaming swords (if I think of a less elegant analogy, I'll be sure to be post it here).

"What do you mean by that?" I hear you ask, mildly frustrated. Well, in all but a few instances, there was something significant that detracted or was missing from the best games released in 2012. How about some examples to qualify my nonsense: Journey was a beautiful, heart-wrenching experience, but it wasn't really a game. Rayman Origins is the best game on the PlayStation Vita, but it's a port of a game released in 2011. Far Cry 3 delivers wild animal attacks and high explosives, but is also troubling with its Colonial themes and apparent racism. Seldom did I find myself playing something for what it was -- or in the case, of Far Cry 3, what it was trying to be according to the author. Every good game released in 2012 came with a catch.

I don't think I played a truly terrible game this year. At the end of the day, I only have so much time to play video games, and I'll always be somewhat discerning in how I choose to use my spare minutes, hours, even seconds. There were some games that disappointed though, some that failed to deliver on promises or assume the lofty weight of my expectations. Where to begin?

Let's start with the PlayStation Vita. I love the machine, I love the controls, I've even come to love the "bubble" interface. I can now play PSone games on the device, and the amount of compatible titles from the PSP back catalogue is slowly increasing. Yes, despite flagging sales, the Vita is finally delivering on most of the promises made by its maker. There's only one, relatively-large problem: there's no games exclusive to the Vita which could prove to be system sellers -- the fabled "killer apps", if you will. Yes, there are some great -- amazing, even -- games available on the portable, but none that couldn't be or haven't already been done better on home consoles.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss was a solid outing, and the initial stages -- which have Drake acting more the treasure hunter than wily mass-murderer -- almost had me convinced the series was heading in a promising, less-violent direction. So enamoured was I with the initial stages, that I even lashed out at Kotaku's Kirk Hamilton via Twitter over his negative review of the game. For what it's worth, Kirk, I apologise, as after enough time, the play formula reverted to the mass of firefights and death I've come to associate with the series. Back to my previous point, I'm not sure that anyone would take Golden Abyss over any of Drake's home console adventures.

AAA releases like Halo 4 and Borderlands 2 failed to hold my attention long enough to see either game's end. These big guns also failed to deliver the compelling narratives that many a critic promised. Master Chief and Cortana don't measure up to any of Reach's Nobility (see what I did there), but I will concede that Gearbox's second effort is better written than the sparsely-storied original.

Yes, there were a few games that left me wanting in 2012, but none quite like Street Fighter X Tekken; a game that took two storied franchises and combined them to produce the most lopsided contest in fighting game history.

That's right, I'm not even (that) mad about Capcom's hideous DLC strategy that had players shelling out for content included on the disc. Why? I didn't buy any of the costume packs, and I got a voucher for the extra characters with my copy of the Vita version. I wasn't even (that) upset about the game's lacklustre online offering, which was at first plagued by audio glitches and is now, in some cases, unplayable following efforts to fix problems found at launch (I can remember Gamespot reporting that a fix for the fix is due this month). When it's all said send done, I prefer local competition, so the online issues are a pain, but they wouldn't stop me from playing altogether.

What killed me is that save for a few exceptions (the Mishimas), the Tekken side of the roster has a hard time defending itself from the projectile-laden arsenal of their Street Fighter opponents. Paul Phoenix, a powerhouse in his native series, is neutered by his inability to fling fireballs. King and Marduk, intimidating, hulking wrestlers with prowess in throws, parries and counters in their home realm, are most often pinned to corners in this crossover effort. Even a fighter as wacky and nimble as Alisa is able to be relegated to the edge of the screen.

Also problematic is the combo system, which relies heavily on sneaking in light hits to chain into launchers and juggles. It's not something that can be imparted easily to newcomers (read: I've tried to get friends that are comfortable with both series playing this game to no avail), and worse still, it's not a system that proves satisfying after sustained play.

For someone who's been playing fighting games for nearly twenty years as well as someone who's invested a lot of time in both series, Street Fighter X Tekken is the most disappointing game of the year. It takes legends of the genre and delivers something that is glitchy, at times cheap, and one-sided. I like the game, but there's no way it could've met my expectations.

Street Fighter X Tekken Review (PSV): I touch myself

You may remember that I've previously reviewed Street Fighter X Tekken for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. I even got myself a spot on Metacritic for my trouble.

With that in mind, I'll try not to cover too much old ground. The idea here will be to give you an idea of what Capcom was able to achieve, and what it had to sacrifice with this portable port on the PlayStation Vita.

Firstly, I was blown away with how well the game manages to scrub up on Sony's handheld. Some characters may look a little washed out at first blush, but given some time to readjust, this ranks as one of the best looking games on the system. Animated backgrounds, a broad and bright colour palette, and peerless animation characterise what awaits you and your AMOLED screen.

There are some new features in the portable version which won't revolutionise how you play, but are appreciated regardless. First is the addition of quick select slots to the character select screen, that allows for you to pick from your most-recently used teams if you wish. Burst Kumite mode is your run-of-the-mill survival mode with an unlockable Pandora variant. I had a lot of fun with this mode, which is an ideal fit for gaming on the go. The Pandora variant gifts you with a rechargeable Cross Gauge and feels a little simple as a result; worse still, the off-putting sound that accompanies every fight in which you're in this state meant that I shelved it pretty quickly. There's also some pointless Augmented Reality and Near antics available to those with time to burn.

Whatchu talkin' bout Juri?

I should probably mention that the Vita version comes with twelve extra characters including Blanka, whose omission from the home console versions was the cause of some distress. The Street Fighter characters (save for maybe Elena) are all well-suited to the crossover's brand of combo and juggle-heavy action but, as is the case for the roster at large, the Tekken fighters have a hard time competing. All things considered, my extra time with the game has come with two glaring observations:

• The Namco side of the roster tends to get pinned down due to a wholesale lack of projectile attacks
• The general mechanics, which focus on common combos and quick hits, don't prove to be as enduring as recent entries from either franchise (or either publisher for that matter).  

Concerns over longevity aside, my copy also came with redeemable codes for the additional fighters for my PS3 version, as well as alternate costumes for most of the starting cast. Considering these goodies would set you back more than twenty bucks, the Vita versions represents an undeniable value. 

Controls are responsive, and the front and rear touch screen offer some more ways to bust out Quick Combos as well as your favourite moves when in a pinch. The rear touch inputs are placed a little too close to the shoulders for my liking, so I found myself performing throws with gay abandon. After a while, I decided to disable the rear touchpad as the unintentional grappling attempts often put me at great peril. The analogue sticks, d-pad, face buttons and front pad all work well though, and save for some trouble performing Super Arts and Cross Rushes, the game handles on par with its console brethren.

Touch controls are shoehorned into a lot of the menus, and this causes frustration given the small size of most tiles and items. Customising gem sets is still a laborious task, as the Vita version also lacks the ability to customise blanket configurations for all characters; it's one at a time, or nothing.

I should mention that I couldn't find a single match online. Now this may have something to do with the Vita not liking my home network setup or a paltry player community. Either way, fighting games usually live and die by their competitive scene, so this is a pretty big mark against the game. Poor (and I mean worse than woeful) sales figures in Japan lead me to believe that this is more an issue of numbers than logistics, truth be told. Regardless, I haven't been able to trial any of the network features, save for the aforementioned Near functionality.

The lack of live opponents wouldn't be such a big issue if the AI could hold its own. Unfortunately, even on its hardest difficulty level, Street Fighter X Tekken can be mastered with almost any combination of Capcom fighters. Hell, even some of the Tekken cast can bruise the best the AI can throw at you.

With a huge cast, system leading visuals and solid controls, the PlayStation Vita version of Street Fighter X Tekken is a worthy addition to any fighting game lover's library. It may lack the depth and balance of the tag team efforts from each respective franchise and/or publisher, but it packs a lot of value: especially for those who also own the PlayStation 3 version. Highly recommended.

Of clocks and cakes

Veteran  Australian games writer, David Wildgoose has told staff writers under his tutelage that games are not clocks. Presumably because:

a) Not all games employ the same systems and work the same way
b) "There's more to games than just how well they operate" (Henderson, 2011; p36)
c) When reviewing games, you shouldn't be checking features against a checklist 

Brendan Keogh - another prolific writer of Australian stock - recently tweeted the analogy that games are not like cakes. He said (and I am paraphrasing somewhat) he's more interested in how the cake makes you feel (how it tastes), as opposed to the quality of the ingredients.

Hybrid Theory

I agree with both theories to an extent, but my recent experience with Assassin's Creed: Liberation would have me ask Ubisoft Sofia and Montreal where they source some of their ingredients. Don't get me wrong, I like the game, but there are two elements of it that are driving me to madness. 

Firstly there's the control scheme, which needlessly shoehorns in some loathsome, Vita-specific input (read: touch controls) that have marred a game that I'd otherwise recommend without question. Firstly, there's pick-pocketing: an action that's effortlessly performed in the home console iterations by holding the X/A button around the citizenry of Renaissance Italy. In Liberation, you need to hold down the left shoulder and swipe down the rear touchpad. Doesn't sound like it involves too much effort, but when you've been playing a game a certain way for a matter of years, the change is unwelcome. Worse still, the implementation of gyroscopic controls for a specific puzzle sequence nearly had me hurling the expensive portable against the wall. Both these scenarios comprise a small part of the Liberation experience, but they've done enough to taint my opinion of it thus far. 

The visuals and soundtrack combine to make one dreary looking layer of sponge cake: like someone added blue and green food colouring to the mix to make grey batter. It's not that the game doesn't look good, rather the omnipresent brown of the ground and structures in New Orleans (where you'll spend the majority of your time) combined with a Creole spin on the Nolan Batman score had me wallowing in the pits of despair. Regardless of whether Aveline adopts her vibrant lady persona, assassin garb, or slave costume, you're treated to the same rotation of tracks that evoke little but dread and thoughts of violence. I'm not so naive or insensitive to think a rousing, light-hearted track would be appropriate fodder for our hero to sneak through a plantation, but surely high society has more pleasant notes to offer? 

In any case, Assassin's Creed: Liberation is shaping up to be one of the better games on the fledgling handheld; at the very least, it's proving more enjoyable than Revelations. I can only hope that there's less improvised motion and touch controls thrown into what's left of the game. 

References:

Wildgoose, D (Editor), 2011. Hyper, Special Japan Issue, p65. 

Rugby Challenge Review (PSV): The hardest button to button

In these modern times of fast cars and funeral insurance, we expect one button to do a lot. We expect it to help us stick to cover, roll away from it, duck and run faster. Things work as expected most of the time, but that unintentional forward roll can sometimes end in bloody, frustrating death. The stakes aren't as high in Rugby Challenge (deceivingly packaged in Wallabies and Jonah Lomu varieties), but those unintended consequences crop up more often than the average because of a control scheme that tries to do too much with a few buttons.

It doesn't try to do too much with every button, but some work across purposes. The most eggregious example being the humble square button. You use it to shrug off defenders, drive through tackles and... drop kick. So many times I found myself breaking away from what could've been a try-saving tackle, only to bomb the ball dead; on the full no less. To make things even worse, every face button can be used to kick the ball. Useful commands are either relegated to the unresponsive back touch pad (sprint), or simply don't function under the pressure of competition.

I should clarify, the controls don't function under the pressure of competition and the artificial difficulty. Play even the most meagre of opposition with the greatest of teams, and you will be beaten each time at the breakdown if you beef up the difficulty. Break the line on any difficulty level higher than Easy, and your opposing number will move at the speed of a sports car to end your rush for glory. They'll also promote the ball with reckless abandon. Normal difficulty or higher will have the AI playing hot potato with reasonable odds of breaking your line. The unresponsive player-controlled tackling doesn't help things either; more often than not, I would switch to a player and run back to act as a safety net for my defence and hope that my computer-controlled allies wouldn't need me to intervene. Don't get me wrong: victory is possible on even the highest setting, but your enemy will use dirty tactics to keep you on your toes.

The training suite is reasonably thorough, save for the fact that I still have no idea how the line out works in this game; I won these set pieces often, but I'd be buggered to tell you how -- or more importantly -- why. The training mode tasks you with watching instructional videos complete with button prompts, and then performing the actions yourself. It's surprisingly effective, and the ability to play with a group of four players during the extensive loading sequences had me well versed in how Rugby Challenge was supposed to work. It leaves a solid first impression, but as per the observations above, it's quite misleading.

The best thing about Rugby Challenge is that the fundamentals work well: the passing, running and kicking of the ball (when intentional). Played on Normal difficulty or lower, you can set up scoring plays by running straight, absorbing defenders, and offloading with precise timing; it's undeniably satisfying. Twin stick controls for scrums and touch-controlled goal kicking also work surprisingly well, and if you're not too picky about what happens when a phase ends, you'll probably find a lot to like here.

In terms of presentation, Rugby Challenge again gets the fundamentals right for Australian and New Zealand fans. The Trans-Tasman rivals get licensed national and Super 15 squads, but our European and African friends aren't so lucky. There are quite a few genuine European club teams and kits on offer, but none that I'm really familiar with. No such luck with international teams, however. Player and location likenesses are surprising in some cases, but more often than not, you'll find a clusterfuck of unimpressive textures on display. There's some competent commentary and a repetitive score that occasionally plays over the menus: otherwise your ears will have to be satisfied with the roar of many a different crowd.

I couldn't find a single multiplayer match, which is more than understandable given the system's relatively small install base and the limited appeal of the sport. That being said, however, Rugby Challenge offers a respectable amount of options and competitions for solo Rugby enthusiasts. That being said, unless you have a great love of the sport, I'd probably recommend an EB rental (EBGames in Australia has a seven day return policy which I used to exploit on a regular basis) before committing.

Despite the inconsistent controls and artificial difficulty, Rugby Challenge wasn't a total loss. The game faltered at the breakdown, but the solid fundamentals made for a reasonably enjoyable experience. I wouldn't recommend this game to any but the most ardent Rugby Union enthusiasts, and even then, you need to spend some time messing with the camera options to get the most out of it. A pleasant surprise with some expected technical and mechanical hiccups.

The Demo Downlow: Resistance: Burning Skies (PSV)

The first review I read for Resistance: Burning Skies was less than glowing. Affording Nihilistic's first effort for the PlayStation Vita a score of 2 out of 10, Jim Sterling resolved to test my desire for a first person shooter on the young portable. What was a "must buy" turned into a bargain bin acquisition in minutes.

I read some other reviews, and while they weren't quite as harsh as that seen on Destructoid, they were still fairly uninspiring due to some common observations: ugly, bland and boring. Rather than give up on the game completely, I decided to download the demo and see this mess for myself. While it's not the best FPS on the market, I don't think it's fair to relegate it Review Hell either.

 Welcome to Review Hell!

Don't get me wrong, this game is ugly; but we're still in the early days of the Vita, so I think it's unfair to assume that every game on the system will have graphics on par with home console versions. Mortal Kombat on the Vita looked terrible in most situations and I didn't read a single observation regarding "lacklustre visuals." Perhaps more importantly, the shooting feels somewhat satisfying. Even in spite of muffled sound effects and lack of eye candy, Resistance: Burning Skies handles well, shouldn't that count for something?

The use of touch controls is quite smart in my opinion: secondary fire modes and the throwing of grenades is managed by tapping, pressing, or otherwise swiping the screen. The button controls work just like your average Call of Duty clone, and I found it to be more than functional. There's even a promising cover mechanic that probably won't function too well in the more hectic firefights, but it's good enough for me now.

If it weren't for the fact that I'm fast becoming a collector of Vita games, I'd advise that the trial would do little to convince you to spend at least fifty bucks on the full version. Since I lack any real sense of fiscal discipline, however, you'd best believe that I bought that game.

Mortal Kombat Review (PSV): An uppercut to the status quo

The ninth Mortal Kombat instalment -- creatively titled, Mortal Kombat -- is an exciting rebuke to how most publishers approach the fighting game. There's no need to pay for additional characters, costumes, or online play: this is reminiscent of the fighters of old. There are some decidedly-modern additions to the formula, but the PlayStation Vita version provides a refreshing value proposition that shouldn't be ignored.

For anyone who's had experience with the home console iterations, you're bound to notice that the visuals on the portable version don't quite measure up. They're actually ugly when compared to most Vita games, all things considered. To be fair, the cut-scenes in Story Mode look great and the transitions between these segments and actual gameplay are surprisingly quick. Further to that, the lack of visual fidelity has made the X-Ray moves and Fatalities no less quease-inducing; the animation is as convincing as ever. This isn't a great looking game, but it doesn't need to be.

The viscera is the star of the show in Mortal Kombat, and save for a middling crossover with the DC Universe, it always has been. Be prepared to see plenty of intestines, acid, blood and vomit as you defend Earthrealm from the combined forces of Outworld and Netherealm. There are some cases -- Noob Saibot and Skarlet's default Fatalities come to mind -- where even those with iron stomachs will be hard-pressed not to wince or swallow bile: the violence on display is beyond explicit. While in no way suitable for children, the excessive nature of the visuals is a macabre attraction that is not only a big point of difference in terms of the genre at large, but it also holds your attention. No fighting game quite sells its sense of impact like Mortal Kombat.

Apart from some inconsistent touch controls, Mortal Kombat's core fighting action functions as per the home console versions. The Vita's d-pad is perfectly designed for fighters, meaning I had no qualms in terms of control unless I was attempting one of the more gimmicky stages on the Bonus Challenge Tower. Unfortunately, the cheap AI also survives the transition to the portable version, with any bouts against Shao Khan nearly compelling me to throw my expensive piece of kit. Fights against any of the boss tier characters can induce rage for that matter, as these bouts tread into unfair territory often. Worst of all, I found that there was no real strategy to winning these bouts; more often than not, spamming quick combos would eventually nut out a win. The cheap end game isn't a huge turn off, but it did artificially lengthen the Story Mode and render many Challenge Tower levels unenjoyable.

Despite my frustration, Mortal Kombat offers unparalleled value for a fighting game on the Vita (or any platform for that matter). With standard arcade ladders (as well as a tag variant), a plethora of mini-games and two Challenge Towers, you'd have a hard time experiencing all that this game has to offer. The Bonus Challenge Tower is exclusive to the Vita version, and offers many fun and frustrating ways to experience the portable's touch controls. This iteration also includes the complete roster, including Sony-exclusive, Kratos and all four paid-for characters: Rain, Skarlet, Kenshi and Freddy Kreuger. Better still, there's a slew of unlockable costumes that don't cost an additional cent. Content is unlocked through sustained play, not by shelling out extra dough. When a competitor such as Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3 demands around thirty bucks to supply each character with some extra duds, Mortal Kombat is a cost-effective breath of fresh air.

Disappointingly, I wasn't able to connect to any online multiplayer lobbies, so it's just as well that the Vita version doesn't require redemption of an online pass. Repeated attempts at matchmaking ended in failure, but I suspect this may have a lot to do with the fact that there are few Aussies who've opted to import this version.

It may be frustrating, even ugly, but Mortal Kombat is easily one of the best games on the PlayStation Vita and a brilliant fighting game in its own right. With enough blood and guts to keep players engaged for months, this is a game that you should certainly consider importing. I only wish there were some bloodthirsty kombatants nearby so I could play some matches online, but rest-assured, it's a great fun playing solo.