Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks ROM – Playstation 2 (PS2)

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is a 2005 action-adventure beat ’em up video game developed and published by Midway for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. A spin-off of the Mortal Kombat franchise, it is a retelling of the events of Mortal Kombat II (1993). Players control the eponymous Shaolin monks Liu Kang and Kung Lao in either single-player or cooperative play as they protect Earthrealm from the forces of Outworld.

GAMEPLAY

The game features three main modes of play. There is also a versus mode, where two players can fight against each other in some of the arenas featured in the game.

Shaolin Monks features a multi-directional combat system, which gives players the ability to attack any of the enemies that surround them fluidly.
Using some of the environment in this manner, as well as attacking or destroying certain objects, serves as a puzzle-solving element to unlock secrets in the game.

The game also includes Fatalities, a common feature of the Mortal Kombat series. Performing combos on enemies increases the Fatality meter. Once that meter has reached a certain level, a Fatality may be performed, regardless of an opponent’s level of health.

The main characters have the ability to perform several different Fatalities moves, some of which are 3D updated versions of Fatalities from the first and second Mortal Kombat games. The player can also unlock the ability to do Multalities, which are Fatalities performed on multiple enemies at once.

STORY AND CHARACTERS

The battle rages furiously on Shang Tsung`s island fortress in the Lost Sea, as the sorcerer watches the fighters battle his soldiers to protect Earthrealm. The Earthrealm’s Shaolin monk Liu Kang defeats Shang Tsung, and the warrior Goro comes to his defense. With Goro distracting everyone else, Shang Tsung creates a portal to Outworld and retreats with his allies. Thunder god Raiden appears afterward and warns the remaining fighters to get off the island palace because it is collapsing into the sea. Everyone, except Liu Kang and Kung Lao, evacuates and escapes back to the Wu Shi Academy.

Liu Kang and Kung Lao, however, have to fight their way to another portal to get to Wu Shi Academy. Although the Tarkatans are defeated, Baraka captures Sonya Blade. Raiden confirms that Shang Tsung is trying to lure Liu Kang and his allies to Outworld where he can order his henchmen to attack them and bide his time for power. Liu Kang and Kung Lao journey through the nightmarish realm of Outworld to stop the sorcerer’s plot.

Throughout their journeys, they meet several allies and learn of another person who wants Earth; the Emperor of Outworld, Shao Kahn. During their journey, all of Liu Kang’s and Kung Lao’s allies are captured. Once reaching Shao Kahn, Shang Tsung is revealed to have been impersonating Raiden on occasion in the pair’s journey so that each of the soldier’s defeats will enhance his powers enough to steal Shao Kahn’s rule of Outworld. The two Shaolin Monks defeat Shang Tsung and Kintaro and are challenged by Shao Kahn. With the real Raiden’s help, Liu Kang and Kung Lao finish the Emperor and both are given the title of champions. With their friends and Outworld safe, Raiden’s group returns to Earthrealm to celebrate their victory.

The primary protagonists of Shaolin Monks are Liu Kang and Kung Lao. Featured as allies of the protagonists are Raiden, Johnny Cage, Kitana, Sub-Zero, and Jax. Most of the allies make appearances to assist the protagonists during segments of the game. Depicted as enemies of the protagonists are Shao Kahn, Shang Tsung, Mileena, Jade, Reptile, Baraka, Goro, Scorpion, and Kintaro.

Further characters featured are Sonya Blade, Kabal, Noob Saibot, and Quan Chi, who mostly only appear in cinematics. Upon completing the game, Sub-Zero and Scorpion become unlocked as playable characters in the story mode, although the story is unchanged.

The versus mode features Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Johnny Cage, Kitana, Reptile, and Baraka as the playable characters; all but Liu Kang and Kung Lao are unlocked through collecting tokens found in the story.