What Games Are You Playing?
- Thread starter Unit 0
- Start date
it's the same with resident evil requiem that don't own yet.
JeiKaos
Brigade Leader
With my PC now fixed I thought I would have a nostalgic play through of Mass Effect Trilogy. Oh Bioware where did it go so wrong 
After this going to have a Witcher 3 new game+ playthrough. Only occurred to me the other day I've never played this game modded looking forward to scrolling through nexus mods to see what the modders have cooked up.
After this going to have a Witcher 3 new game+ playthrough. Only occurred to me the other day I've never played this game modded looking forward to scrolling through nexus mods to see what the modders have cooked up.
Anime1977
Stand User
18+ mods are age gated you need to give them some of id since there uk based.With my PC now fixed I thought I would have a nostalgic play through of Mass Effect Trilogy. Oh Bioware where did it go so wrong
After this going to have a Witcher 3 new game+ playthrough. Only occurred to me the other day I've never played this game modded looking forward to scrolling through nexus mods to see what the modders have cooked up.
JeiKaos
Brigade Leader
They probably already have that info from my cyberpunk mods
Anime1977
Stand User
I finished Pragmata today.
If anyone sees something sexual about the new game by capcom Pragmata you need help and your hard drive looked at and the devs did not have bad intentions and not all the people who have the game are kiddy fiddlers. it just attracted a small minority of people that are.reddit admins delt with the subreddit that kicked this off.
If anyone sees something sexual about the new game by capcom Pragmata you need help and your hard drive looked at and the devs did not have bad intentions and not all the people who have the game are kiddy fiddlers. it just attracted a small minority of people that are.reddit admins delt with the subreddit that kicked this off.
Dai
Combat Butler
Pragmata
Despite being a game overrun with robots, Pragmata may have more heart than any other Capcom game. You feel it in the gameplay, which meshes combat and puzzling together so seamlessly that it speaks to the countless iterations it must have taken before the developers perfected it. You feel it in the level design, which entices you to explore every inch of its puzzle-box-like locations for the countless upgrade items hidden throughout. But most of all you feel it in the growing bond between stranded astronaut Hugh and inquisitive robot girl Diana.
As dad fiction goes, Pragmata is the antithesis of The Last of Us. Where TLoU presented two deeply flawed, wounded and broken people learning to open up to someone again, Pragmata features an impossibly adorable super-daughter who is curious about everything. If TLoU was about the pain of family, Pragmata is about the joy. This is seen most clearly in the shelter, the hub area where you return between levels. At first this is a sterile place where you just heal and upgrade your gear, but slowly you find hidden items that unlock various toys and objects for Diana to play with, turning it into more of a home. There's also a lot of optional dialogue in the shelter, where Hugh and Diana discuss everything from the latest weird robots they've encountered to why people bother making sand castles.
Once you go back to exploring, the back and forth between the two of them continues as they plan for what they will do once they escape the moon and reach Earth, inbetween discussing tactics to handle the enemies being thrown against them. It all blends well into the exploration and combat in a way that never got old.
Combat, too, remains engaging throughout. The cramped confines of many encounters, combined with the need to complete puzzles in real time to hack enemy shields, places an emphasis on positioning and spacial awareness. New enemy types appear at regular intervals, punctuated by a handful of large-scale boss fights and climaxing in a memorable set piece for the finale.
It's been a long wait for Pragmata due to the many delays, but the end result was worth it.
Despite being a game overrun with robots, Pragmata may have more heart than any other Capcom game. You feel it in the gameplay, which meshes combat and puzzling together so seamlessly that it speaks to the countless iterations it must have taken before the developers perfected it. You feel it in the level design, which entices you to explore every inch of its puzzle-box-like locations for the countless upgrade items hidden throughout. But most of all you feel it in the growing bond between stranded astronaut Hugh and inquisitive robot girl Diana.
As dad fiction goes, Pragmata is the antithesis of The Last of Us. Where TLoU presented two deeply flawed, wounded and broken people learning to open up to someone again, Pragmata features an impossibly adorable super-daughter who is curious about everything. If TLoU was about the pain of family, Pragmata is about the joy. This is seen most clearly in the shelter, the hub area where you return between levels. At first this is a sterile place where you just heal and upgrade your gear, but slowly you find hidden items that unlock various toys and objects for Diana to play with, turning it into more of a home. There's also a lot of optional dialogue in the shelter, where Hugh and Diana discuss everything from the latest weird robots they've encountered to why people bother making sand castles.
Once you go back to exploring, the back and forth between the two of them continues as they plan for what they will do once they escape the moon and reach Earth, inbetween discussing tactics to handle the enemies being thrown against them. It all blends well into the exploration and combat in a way that never got old.
Combat, too, remains engaging throughout. The cramped confines of many encounters, combined with the need to complete puzzles in real time to hack enemy shields, places an emphasis on positioning and spacial awareness. New enemy types appear at regular intervals, punctuated by a handful of large-scale boss fights and climaxing in a memorable set piece for the finale.
It's been a long wait for Pragmata due to the many delays, but the end result was worth it.
DragoStark
School Idol
I've been playing some VNs (picked up the humble bundle for them) and completed Hi-Fi Rush at the same time. It was fun! I've always enjoyed rhythm games and so a rhythm and beat em up was a great combo. I enjoyed it.
I've moved onto FFVII Rebirth now though. I had some steam credit from my bday and so I decided it was finally time. I also picked up FFXIII which I've heard mixed things about so eventually, I'd like to give it a go and judge for myself.
As for Rebirth, I got used to the mechanics pretty quick as they're very similar to Intergrade and I only finished that last year so it's still pretty fresh. The only thing is, those minimum recommendations are truly a minimum. I thought I'd be able to get away with it and just lower the graphics but no. Nope the game doesn't even run because my graphics card is truly getting too old now
I have resorted to playing the game on my steam deck because that's better than not playing at all. Yes the graphics take a major hit and you can tell this game is supposed to be frigging stunning even with the potato graphics. Thankfully though, the experience is still pretty decent and I'm already getting used to it. Plus it's kinda nice to play in bed rather than at my desk all the time.
I'll probably be playing this for the next two months. I don't think I'll be a completionist on this one though, especially not on the deck. Maybe when I finally upgrade my computer I'll give it another whirl to 100% it and appreciate how it's supposed to look lol.
I've moved onto FFVII Rebirth now though. I had some steam credit from my bday and so I decided it was finally time. I also picked up FFXIII which I've heard mixed things about so eventually, I'd like to give it a go and judge for myself.
As for Rebirth, I got used to the mechanics pretty quick as they're very similar to Intergrade and I only finished that last year so it's still pretty fresh. The only thing is, those minimum recommendations are truly a minimum. I thought I'd be able to get away with it and just lower the graphics but no. Nope the game doesn't even run because my graphics card is truly getting too old now
I have resorted to playing the game on my steam deck because that's better than not playing at all. Yes the graphics take a major hit and you can tell this game is supposed to be frigging stunning even with the potato graphics. Thankfully though, the experience is still pretty decent and I'm already getting used to it. Plus it's kinda nice to play in bed rather than at my desk all the time.
I'll probably be playing this for the next two months. I don't think I'll be a completionist on this one though, especially not on the deck. Maybe when I finally upgrade my computer I'll give it another whirl to 100% it and appreciate how it's supposed to look lol.
Game #13 - PRAGMATA (PlayStation 5)
Acquired: 16.04.2026 - Started: 23.04.2026 - Finished: 04.05.2026 (Story), 05.05.2026 (Post-Game Content)
It's not often you have Capcom come in with a new IP over the past decade. Their previous ones were released a few years back with strategy-based Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess and third-person co-op shooter Exoprimal, and both didn't explode in popularity like their most known franchises. For me, the former didn't receive a physical release so it wasn't a priority to pick up and play, while the latter was more multiplayer focused despite attempting to appeal to Dino Crisis fans.
I'm mentioning those two because Capcom were also developing another new IP, one that was in development hell for a long time called PRAGMATA, which was announced during the PlayStation 5 announcement showcase in June 2020. It took six years, but it was well worth the wait.
PRAGMATA to me felt like playing a classic third-person shooter that's sci-fi themed from the seventh generation era of gaming, in fact my first thought process was comparing this game to Dead Space but replace the cosmic horror with AI robots and a companion that provides a new gameplay mechanic during combat.
I've never seen a game play like this before, and its thanks to Diana, the companion who tags along with you on your journey, and her hacking abilities. In short, this game is both an action third-person shooter and a puzzle shooter at the same time.
When you aim at any enemy, your regular weapons won't do much damage so you will need to rely on Diana to hack through their defences so that you're able to take them out. Diana's gameplay works by displaying a mini-game on the right-hand side of the screen in a grid box using X, Square, Triangle and O to move around almost like the classic Snake game on mobile phones.
These grid mini-games, done in real-time, will have blue icons where if you manage to reach them before hitting the green icon (which ends the mini-game), you can deal more damage against the enemies. There's also yellow icons that you can find along the way to offer additional boosters like the ability to confuse enemies into dealing friendly fire, freeze them into stasis, burn them out i.e. exhaust them, and more. You also have to watch out for red icons that will halt your progress.
Hugh, our main protagonist, can wield different types of weapons that will unlock over the course of the game. His main weapon, the Grip Gun (and later the Pulse Carbine) have infinite ammo but at the cost of reloading taking its time which is why you want to take advantage of the other weapons in your roster, like the Shockwave Gun (which is this game's shotgun), Charge Piercer (this game's rifle/railgun), Stasis Net (to freeze enemies in front of you) and a very interesting weapon the Hacking Mine gun where if you use it correctly you can deal tons of damage towards multiple enemies and bigger opponents during your progression. A few defence weapons are also available. I've tried a majority of the weapons and they're pretty neat but you want to alternate to what works with your style.
The level design was also pretty engaging. While the game was linear for the most part, there were areas that give you the opportunity to explore your surroundings such as locating secret paths that reward you with items that help upgrade your equipment and mods which was pretty addictive to collect.
You will also encounter red doors that open up challenging rooms where you need to defeat tons of enemies or bigger opponents in a small area. I failed on a few but upon succession they reward you with tons of bonuses. Speaking of items there's quite the variety you will find in the wild and from defeating enemies like Lunafilament, which are these blue box like items, you can use to upgrade your other weapons as well as hacking modules and mods to assist with combat and progression.
In terms of other items you uncover during your playthrough are yellow hologram cubes that were scattered around which you want to collect so you can upgrade your health, Grip Gun/Pulse Carbine power and Diana's hacking abilities. There's Cabin collectibles which are fun to discover, which you will notice from the sound he makes, and there's REM collectibles which is a great side plot for Diana to learn more about Earth and the interests that humans take part in.
PRAGMATA features a main hub that you will use to go in-between each area of the map, upgrade and prep your gear, and have a quick chat with Diana or Cabin, the latter of which offers you bingo sticker mini-games and training missions. These training missions are really good and help test your skills in a lot of areas including defeating enemies in specific ways or reaching a target before the time wraps up. They can be pretty easy but there are some that were quite challenging if you're not careful. If you really like these training challenges there's more that you can unlock in post-game content.
The boss battles were pretty spectacle in its design. They do make you think about how you fight them in each area, for example if there's a new weapon introduced you probably want to include it in your roster against these opponents. The final boss in particular doesn't hold back so you want to be really well-experienced with the weapons and hacking modules you have in your possession, and if you feel you can't do it there's always the option to revisit previous areas to further upgrade your gear, or just switch to a lower difficulty if you want to focus more on the story.
PRAGMATA's story is an interesting one because the general premise is pretty simple by design, and what makes the game special for me was the journey from start to finish thanks to the dynamic Hugh and Diana have to each other. It's like a father and daughter bond and I don't want to spoil anything else because I feel a lot of how these two get along is best experienced yourself. The ending in particular was really special and is definitely one of the better endings I've experienced in terms of the characters, plus the final fight was pretty fun in terms of epic-ness. The music was also wonderful with really peaceful piano pieces which adds to the adventure vibe and tone of the game.
As much as I really enjoyed the experience, the game isn't by means perfect. The hacking mini-game is fun but it can be a bit sluggish at times especially during fast-paced moments where enemies would just go off-screen which breaks the flow. The health pickups that you can use are pretty slow and can easily be voided which was annoying during boss fights or tense segments so I wish they sped that up. The main weapon's reload was pretty damn slow even when upgraded which is a shame but I suppose it's to make the game feel more balanced. And the map itself I do think could have been expanded on in terms of knowing exactly where you are in an area, but the rest of the game was pretty polished in general.
My playthrough on Standard difficulty was 15 hours 18 minutes with an additional 4 hours for post-game content which was pretty fun. In terms of trophies, it's surprisingly easy to get a majority of them, however you will have to start a new playthrough to get the Lunatic difficulty which is unlocked upon story completion so it's similar to Resident Evil's trophy lists. I have all except for Lunatic but I'm happy to settle with what I have.
PRAGMATA is a great game and a cool new IP for Capcom that I hope they will revisit in their catalogue. Thanks to their Reach for the Moon Engine the game ran really well and is said to be the same for Nintendo Switch 2 users as well.
I'm mentioning those two because Capcom were also developing another new IP, one that was in development hell for a long time called PRAGMATA, which was announced during the PlayStation 5 announcement showcase in June 2020. It took six years, but it was well worth the wait.
PRAGMATA to me felt like playing a classic third-person shooter that's sci-fi themed from the seventh generation era of gaming, in fact my first thought process was comparing this game to Dead Space but replace the cosmic horror with AI robots and a companion that provides a new gameplay mechanic during combat.
I've never seen a game play like this before, and its thanks to Diana, the companion who tags along with you on your journey, and her hacking abilities. In short, this game is both an action third-person shooter and a puzzle shooter at the same time.
When you aim at any enemy, your regular weapons won't do much damage so you will need to rely on Diana to hack through their defences so that you're able to take them out. Diana's gameplay works by displaying a mini-game on the right-hand side of the screen in a grid box using X, Square, Triangle and O to move around almost like the classic Snake game on mobile phones.
These grid mini-games, done in real-time, will have blue icons where if you manage to reach them before hitting the green icon (which ends the mini-game), you can deal more damage against the enemies. There's also yellow icons that you can find along the way to offer additional boosters like the ability to confuse enemies into dealing friendly fire, freeze them into stasis, burn them out i.e. exhaust them, and more. You also have to watch out for red icons that will halt your progress.
Hugh, our main protagonist, can wield different types of weapons that will unlock over the course of the game. His main weapon, the Grip Gun (and later the Pulse Carbine) have infinite ammo but at the cost of reloading taking its time which is why you want to take advantage of the other weapons in your roster, like the Shockwave Gun (which is this game's shotgun), Charge Piercer (this game's rifle/railgun), Stasis Net (to freeze enemies in front of you) and a very interesting weapon the Hacking Mine gun where if you use it correctly you can deal tons of damage towards multiple enemies and bigger opponents during your progression. A few defence weapons are also available. I've tried a majority of the weapons and they're pretty neat but you want to alternate to what works with your style.
The level design was also pretty engaging. While the game was linear for the most part, there were areas that give you the opportunity to explore your surroundings such as locating secret paths that reward you with items that help upgrade your equipment and mods which was pretty addictive to collect.
You will also encounter red doors that open up challenging rooms where you need to defeat tons of enemies or bigger opponents in a small area. I failed on a few but upon succession they reward you with tons of bonuses. Speaking of items there's quite the variety you will find in the wild and from defeating enemies like Lunafilament, which are these blue box like items, you can use to upgrade your other weapons as well as hacking modules and mods to assist with combat and progression.
In terms of other items you uncover during your playthrough are yellow hologram cubes that were scattered around which you want to collect so you can upgrade your health, Grip Gun/Pulse Carbine power and Diana's hacking abilities. There's Cabin collectibles which are fun to discover, which you will notice from the sound he makes, and there's REM collectibles which is a great side plot for Diana to learn more about Earth and the interests that humans take part in.
PRAGMATA features a main hub that you will use to go in-between each area of the map, upgrade and prep your gear, and have a quick chat with Diana or Cabin, the latter of which offers you bingo sticker mini-games and training missions. These training missions are really good and help test your skills in a lot of areas including defeating enemies in specific ways or reaching a target before the time wraps up. They can be pretty easy but there are some that were quite challenging if you're not careful. If you really like these training challenges there's more that you can unlock in post-game content.
The boss battles were pretty spectacle in its design. They do make you think about how you fight them in each area, for example if there's a new weapon introduced you probably want to include it in your roster against these opponents. The final boss in particular doesn't hold back so you want to be really well-experienced with the weapons and hacking modules you have in your possession, and if you feel you can't do it there's always the option to revisit previous areas to further upgrade your gear, or just switch to a lower difficulty if you want to focus more on the story.
PRAGMATA's story is an interesting one because the general premise is pretty simple by design, and what makes the game special for me was the journey from start to finish thanks to the dynamic Hugh and Diana have to each other. It's like a father and daughter bond and I don't want to spoil anything else because I feel a lot of how these two get along is best experienced yourself. The ending in particular was really special and is definitely one of the better endings I've experienced in terms of the characters, plus the final fight was pretty fun in terms of epic-ness. The music was also wonderful with really peaceful piano pieces which adds to the adventure vibe and tone of the game.
As much as I really enjoyed the experience, the game isn't by means perfect. The hacking mini-game is fun but it can be a bit sluggish at times especially during fast-paced moments where enemies would just go off-screen which breaks the flow. The health pickups that you can use are pretty slow and can easily be voided which was annoying during boss fights or tense segments so I wish they sped that up. The main weapon's reload was pretty damn slow even when upgraded which is a shame but I suppose it's to make the game feel more balanced. And the map itself I do think could have been expanded on in terms of knowing exactly where you are in an area, but the rest of the game was pretty polished in general.
My playthrough on Standard difficulty was 15 hours 18 minutes with an additional 4 hours for post-game content which was pretty fun. In terms of trophies, it's surprisingly easy to get a majority of them, however you will have to start a new playthrough to get the Lunatic difficulty which is unlocked upon story completion so it's similar to Resident Evil's trophy lists. I have all except for Lunatic but I'm happy to settle with what I have.
PRAGMATA is a great game and a cool new IP for Capcom that I hope they will revisit in their catalogue. Thanks to their Reach for the Moon Engine the game ran really well and is said to be the same for Nintendo Switch 2 users as well.
I haven't decided on my next game but I will probably take a break to focus on the anime backlog for once. I do want to finish some more before the quarter is over though.
Dai
Combat Butler
Most of these felt like intentional design choices to me, rather than a lack of fine-tuning. Like PN03, Pragmata is designed to be played in a very specific way. Attempting to force it to play like a typical fast-paced run-and-gun is a recipe for headaches. While the hacking is the headline mechanic, the moment-to-moment gameplay is as much about spacial awareness, positioning, and crowd control. The weapons and abilities that impede enemy movement are all about creating those moments to complete a hack or heal up. And the slow reload encourages weapon-swapping to vary up tactics, since weapons continue to reload while you have a different one equipped. I do agree that the map was a pain though.
Spark_Heal
School Idol
Feeling burnt out on games at the moment has me planning on getting rid of a lot of them. I was playing Pragmatia and as much as I was enjoying it but paused it and haven't picked it up in a few weeks. Something I got in a PSN sale following a recommendation by Raycevick was Need for Speed Heat. As a kid I really enjoyed Need for Speed Most Wanted but fell out of the franchise and the racing genre since 2005. Like many genres of the modern day racing games are a quagmire of DLC, season passes and online modes that just feel uninviting if you are interested in pinching pennies. But the selling point for Heat is that there is no of that and you unlock cars, parts and customisation just by completing challenges.
And it's been very absorbing. By day you race in official events along courses laid out by event organisers to win prize money. By night you race in illegal street races to build your reputation as a daredevil driver worthy of high-performance parts. You were consistently jumping between these two modes in the open world with the night time mode also having you worry about the police. If you get caught by the cops then not only does your reputation take a hit but they confiscate all your money. If you get away your reputation multiplies to a much higher level, increasing the amount of unlocks you can get in one day. It's a system that can only work if you have a lot of stuff to unlock and can't just buy it with real cash. And because the police can also show up during nighttime races and attempt to capture you it makes for a chaotic and thrilling experience.
When it comes to driving I have no idea how accurate life, it is because I've never drove in a Ford Mustang into incoming traffic at 100 miles an hour. But the cars have a good sense of weight where different models actually handle very differently and your customisations can completely change how they handle corners and feel to operate. Graphically it's really nice especially at night. And something that puts Need for Speed ahead of the pack is that because a lot of your races take place on the streets you are constantly swerving past motorists obeying the speed limit. Like Leonardo DiCaprio says in The Aviator (2004) having something in frame that gives you context for how fast something is the best way to showcase speed. And Heat pulls it off remarkably by making you top speed look, sound and feel utterly terrifying. And because of how the races work I've also felt the need to constantly shift camera options in order handle different situations and claw my way back from the brink. Somehow fighting to get in 3rd place is as satisfying as winning the race outright in a lot of cases.
And it's been very absorbing. By day you race in official events along courses laid out by event organisers to win prize money. By night you race in illegal street races to build your reputation as a daredevil driver worthy of high-performance parts. You were consistently jumping between these two modes in the open world with the night time mode also having you worry about the police. If you get caught by the cops then not only does your reputation take a hit but they confiscate all your money. If you get away your reputation multiplies to a much higher level, increasing the amount of unlocks you can get in one day. It's a system that can only work if you have a lot of stuff to unlock and can't just buy it with real cash. And because the police can also show up during nighttime races and attempt to capture you it makes for a chaotic and thrilling experience.
When it comes to driving I have no idea how accurate life, it is because I've never drove in a Ford Mustang into incoming traffic at 100 miles an hour. But the cars have a good sense of weight where different models actually handle very differently and your customisations can completely change how they handle corners and feel to operate. Graphically it's really nice especially at night. And something that puts Need for Speed ahead of the pack is that because a lot of your races take place on the streets you are constantly swerving past motorists obeying the speed limit. Like Leonardo DiCaprio says in The Aviator (2004) having something in frame that gives you context for how fast something is the best way to showcase speed. And Heat pulls it off remarkably by making you top speed look, sound and feel utterly terrifying. And because of how the races work I've also felt the need to constantly shift camera options in order handle different situations and claw my way back from the brink. Somehow fighting to get in 3rd place is as satisfying as winning the race outright in a lot of cases.
cfx
School Idol
Just be very sure of this before doing it. I've never done that on any large scale but long ago did it in some smaller sense a few times, and sometimes came to regret it later.
Shadow Cat
Dragon Knight
Making my way through KH1.5
Pretty sure this is Mimikyu lol
Edit: Thinking about it,,, Mimikyu being a heartless would actually make perfect sense.... WTF
Pretty sure this is Mimikyu lol
Edit: Thinking about it,,, Mimikyu being a heartless would actually make perfect sense.... WTF
Last edited:
Dai
Combat Butler
Time Crisis
"Don't come!" (Rachel Macpherson, 1995)
PSA for anyone buying the new PS5 emulation of the PS1 version. It implements gyro controls to substitute for the lack of a lightgun, but I have terrible problems with drift on motion contols for all the PS4 and PS5 controllers I've owned, and sure enough I was finding the crosshairs in Time Crisis drifting 90 degrees off-centre within minutes. Fortunately this port of Time Crisis has a button to re-centre the crosshairs (triangle). I almost gave up before I realised that, since the game doesn't tell you the controls. You can also use the d-pad to aim (not the analogue stick), but it's borderline unplayable that way, so it's good that there's a way to manage the drifty motion controls.
"Since you have travelled so very far, be my guest... AND. LET. ME. EN. TER. TAIN. YOU." (Sherudo Garou, 1995)
Aside from that, the original cover shooter is as much fun as it was in the 90s, with its well-paced action and goofy voice acting. Since this is a port of the PS1 version, it includes the extra levels from that.
"Shucks!" (random goons, 1995)
"Don't come!" (Rachel Macpherson, 1995)
PSA for anyone buying the new PS5 emulation of the PS1 version. It implements gyro controls to substitute for the lack of a lightgun, but I have terrible problems with drift on motion contols for all the PS4 and PS5 controllers I've owned, and sure enough I was finding the crosshairs in Time Crisis drifting 90 degrees off-centre within minutes. Fortunately this port of Time Crisis has a button to re-centre the crosshairs (triangle). I almost gave up before I realised that, since the game doesn't tell you the controls. You can also use the d-pad to aim (not the analogue stick), but it's borderline unplayable that way, so it's good that there's a way to manage the drifty motion controls.
"Since you have travelled so very far, be my guest... AND. LET. ME. EN. TER. TAIN. YOU." (Sherudo Garou, 1995)
Aside from that, the original cover shooter is as much fun as it was in the 90s, with its well-paced action and goofy voice acting. Since this is a port of the PS1 version, it includes the extra levels from that.
"Shucks!" (random goons, 1995)
Games #14-21 - Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection (Nintendo Switch 2)
Acquired: 09.05.2026 - Started: 10.05.2026 - Finished: 24.05.2026
Not long after I finished PRAGMATA, I went to the cinema to check out Mortal Kombat II and beforehand the previous 2021 film in preparation. While both films have their respective flaws, it did achieve my intrigue with the franchise. Mortal Kombat as a whole I've known about for decades and I've even played Injustice: Gods Among Us which is NetherRealm's DC fighting game so I'm familiar with their style, but I never played these games in general.
That's where the Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection comes in, which is a collection of games from the franchise thanks to a collaboration between NetherRealm Studios, Warner Bros, Atari and Digital Eclipse. The latter of which handled the emulation and preservation work to bring the various versions of the classic games for modern platforms.
This was also my first physical purchase for the Nintendo Switch 2, which is my chosen platform for retro video games especially of this graphic style. I played through most of the games in the collection for the first time and as they were released independently as their own games I also considered them as individual game completions in return. Now my completion for each game is solely based on reaching the end of the Arcade mode than pursuing different character endings as I'm more of a casual player with the franchise.
Starting off with the very first Mortal Kombat from 1992. I decided to go with the Arcade version which graphically looked the best and played the best across the versions I tried (and I did the same for the later games in the series). The gameplay is interesting as you fight with different stances and combos to ensure a greater chance of defeating your opponents and the AI is pretty solid for the most part. Whilst I struggled a lot, I managed to overcome the challenges once I got used to some of the attack moves, like having to kick them from beneath than just spamming punch because they will block you quite easily.
I tried different characters and for the most part the basic attack moves were pretty much identical, with the main differences other than their appearances being the combos. For example Liu Kang can perform a high kick and fireball while Sub-Zero can freeze people. The most challenging part of the arcade mode was fighting Goro because he would constantly knock off your health instantly so you had to rely on a different strategy to defeat him, so for me it was Liu Kang's high kicks which helped but it took numerous attempts. Shang Tsung was also a challenge but nowhere near as messy as Goro's. Overall despite having a small roster, the first Mortal Kombat was pretty good and graphically looked great with its artwork and sound design.
Then we move over to Mortal Kombat II from 1993. I did consider the SEGA Mega Drive and Super Nintendo versions but both of them were surprisingly difficult and from what I read online, the AI was absolutely ruthless and will instantly beat the living heck out of you right away. It was also the point where I had to modify the game settings to tone down the difficulty to the easiest one which I know is a sin for many hardcore fans but it was the only way for me to navigate through the game's hardcore difficulty.
The character roster is just bigger this time and the graphics have been updated, but the fatalities are the highlight with this sequel as it's more noticeable this time around. I tried different characters and many of them have their own special moves. I also tried Raiden and Kano which were both amusing, but the favourite for me was probably Katana with her move set which was pretty fun to control.
Because I did tweak the game's difficulty I did manage to make my way through to the end of Arcade mode, and while I can see why many loved this game when it was first released, the difficulty is what ruined it for me personally so if I had to choose between the first and second I would actually go with the first game. It will probably be a different vibe if you were going up against a human opponent though.
A few days later I eventually played Mortal Kombat 3 from 1995. This one was considered controversial by fans due to making a lot of changes to its mechanics whilst also removing a couple notable characters from its roster including Raiden, Johnny Cage, Kitana and Scorpion (Sonya and Kano do return to the roster though). I once again went with the original Arcade version as I enjoyed the experience with the previous games in this collection.
With Arcade mode, you can now choose a route of your choice which consists of Novice, Warrior and Master and each route (or "tower" as many would call it) adds additional fights. For this playthrough I selected the Novice route. In terms of new gameplay mechanics, one notable feature is running which allows you and your opponent to quickly get back to you which I never managed to ultilise very well with my gameplay skills because the opponent would always strike back when you get close to them. The game also included new finisher moves like Friendship, Animality and Babality. Friendship is like a light-hearted way of defeating your opponent, Animality is Fatalities but with animals, and Babality is turning your opponent into a baby which adds to the game's humour.
For my playthrough of this version of the game, I found the difficulty a lot more tolerable compared to Mortal Kombat II which was good so I didn't need to adjust the settings this time around. I also checked out different characters, including newcomers like Sektor, Nightwolf, Sheeva and Kabal, everytime I lose a battle to change up the combat.
Then I checked out the first updated release Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 that released later in 1995, which according to the developers was made to support the Arcade scene whilst consoles were just about to receive the original.
One of the biggest changes here is an increased roster, so fan favourites Kitana and Scorpion come back alongside Reptile and Mileena. Ermac was originally a name used to check data on the Arcade machines became a myth in the community so the developers turned it into reality by making a character for this release as well. Classic Sub-Zero also makes a return, as in this instalment he's presented differently so you almost wouldn't recognise him without the iconic costume.
There are additional gameplay modes and stage variety to add more content to the mix. The developers also adjusted the AI and modified character move sets. In the Arcade mode, I switched it up and went with the Masters difficulty, though the second tallest tower of the four available, so I was up against a lot of foes that were pretty tough to defeat as they will wreck you especially if you make mistakes or don't block quickly enough. On these tougher difficulties there's also the Endurance stages where you have to fight more than one opponent without losing a round. It got to the point where I had to settle with Scorpion to manage some situations.
Also included in the Legacy Kollection is the WaveNet version, which was considered by many fans in the community to be lost media as it was made for the WaveNet device that allowed people to play against other players online throughout the world. This version also has additional adjustments, including a playable Noob Saibot, so it's considered the latest version for the Arcades. I didn't play this version to the end of the Arcade mode but it's great to see this is now accessible again.
Next we have the second updated release Mortal Kombat Trilogy from 1996. This one was released for the original PlayStation as well as the Nintendo 64, but the version available in this collection is the PlayStation one. Developed by Avalanche Studios with Midway, this is a pretty interesting version because the newer technology (CDs with PlayStation for example), provided developers with more space that they can use to expand the content even further.
This meant that they were not only able to expand the roster to include pretty much everyone from the previous games and versions, including the likes of playable bosses like Goro and Shao Kun plus others like Johnny Cage, they could also utilise assets from the first two games as well which fits in with naming the collection Mortal Kombat Trilogy.
There's a few adjustments to the content. An Aggression mechanic that fills up which upon succession, boosts the players attack and speed during combat. There's also a new fatality type called Brutality which is a hefty combo move to accomplish. In the arcade mode I went with the Warrior difficulty and mostly played with the newer character additions. Goro can't do fatalities but his punches do some decent damage though he's useless against Shao Kun so I switched to a different character like Kano to get through his attacks.
Overall Mortal Kombat 3 was a pretty solid game in general and each update adds more value to the mix. If I had to pick and choose which version to go for I would probably stick with Mortal Kombat Trilogy mainly because there's an expanded roster and more options and content available to keep you going.
Then we move onto the next mainline instalment with Mortal Kombat 4 from 1997, which is also the franchise's first entry into the 3D scene. I didn't know what to expect going in because this is probably the one I knew the least of the ones going in considering I don't see anyone talk about this game. The version that we have available in the collection is the original Arcade Version 3 release and while this game has been ported onto the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 we don't have the console versions here (likely due to emulation challenges).
The biggest difference here is that everything is in 3D models including the characters which makes the game more modern for its time. Since we're no longer in a 2D type environment, the characters can now step back and forth from any angle if you use the correct prompt. The maps include familiar locations which have all been remodelled into 3D as well which look good. The character designs themselves I suppose you could say have less detail as they're not as realistic as previous games but they look good enough considering its on newer specs.
Surprisingly I had a solid time with the gameplay. It's still utilising the same control system with low and high kicks and low and high punches, plus the special moves and finishers you can pull off at the end of the two round setup. There's also a few new additions namely with each character now owning a weapon of their own that you can enable during combat and there are sometimes objects within the arena that you can use to throw against your opponents too. Other than that we have new animation related to specific moves including one where you can break your opponent's leg and they make a sound which is rather entertaining to see, especially if it ends up being the finisher move for the match.
The story includes 3D cutscenes as well as voice-over work which are intriguing to see, and when you finish the Arcade mode, each character will have their own unique cutscene like Scorpion discovering who killed his family as an example. I'm in a minority when I say that I really liked Mortal Kombat 4 and had a good time with it. The difficulty was surprisingly balanced and not as hectic as the earlier games so you can get through most of the battles without too much struggle. Some characters may not be as good against one opponent as the others but all you can do is either get better with the current character you're playing or switch to a different one that better suits your style.
Next I decided to play the spin-offs. I did try out the Game Boy Advance versions that we have in the collection but I decided they weren't for me and didn't count them for any game completion. The developers produced two spin-offs for the original PlayStation and both received pretty mixed to negative reviews due to various factors, but thanks to this collection these issues may be manageable this time around.
The first spin-off in the collection, Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, was released first in 1997 and it's an interesting design choice by Midway because they were blending 2D artwork with 3D backgrounds, so it's similar to Tomba! in its design aesthetic. The game also ultilises live-action FMV cutscenes which were honestly pretty decent even though these aren't professional actors, but adds a fun charm and dedication. But more importantly is the game any good? Well to put it bluntly... it's a bitch.
This is a very difficult game and it does not hold your hand at all. With no instructions, the game assumes you already know the controls as they're almost identical to Sub-Zero's move set in the mainline series but the sole difference here is that you have to manually reposition him to which direction you are facing, whether it be left or right which does mess you up in combat. Now the good news with the Legacy Kollection version is that there's an optional toggle to use the Right Analog Sticks for that which I enabled and it's pretty effective. You can also use Left Analog Stick to move around but I mainly used the D-Pad because the combos work better.
The enemy variety was pretty low and sometimes they respawn which can be annoying especially in the final level, and the traps are pretty amusing which can lead to a lot of hilarious insta-death moments. Now if you were playing this on the original hardware, you'll be raging a lot which is why this Legacy Kollection alone makes the experience more tolerable thanks to the rewind feature which I had to abuse a lot. Surprisingly I didn't end up with a game over as I was able to receive more lives during my progression (and the collection also has a toggle for infinite lives which I didn't enable).
The story was fine and the game took a couple of hours to complete, but would I recommend this spin-off? I would say no. While the Legacy Kollection makes the game more playable and tolerable, I found the combat to be sluggish and the AI can be annoying to where it will easily counter/block your attacks especially during boss fights. While you do have items and special moves to help support your progression, it's not aged well overall.
Next we have the second spin-off in the collection, Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, released in 2000. This is also another interesting addition to the franchise because it actually does feel like a separate game but with the Mortal Kombat characters and move set. The camera stood out the most as it's almost like a top-down type experience as you progress through the levels., and the combat is switched up to support a 3D environment plus you start off with basic attacks before you unlock more combo moves as you level up your character that can switch up the experience.
Another big surprise for me was the difficulty of the game, because the franchise in general was pretty difficult to progress and the previous spin-off was ruthless to an extent, but here it felt they were mirroring the difficulty you experience with other traditional action adventure games on the original PlayStation. When enemies attack you they don't knock of tons of your health which makes the journey so much more tolerable, and while you can use weapons it's not too crazy but you do get stun-locked at times which can put you in a bad position.
The boss fights were also fairly challenging but ironically you can stun lock them into position by constantly hitting the basic attacks so they can't get away which was honestly pretty entertaining and I only had to do that for around half of the fights. You also have tons of healing items, can pick up ammo for your weapons that you can use at any point (there's even a first-person view available for one of the buttons) and you can store as many items without any restrictions which the previous spin-off did have. I did ultilise the rewind feature from the Legacy Kollection but it was only for specific moments where I was caught off guard by enemies using weapons from a distance.
But the more important question is whether or not this is actually a good game or bad game. Personally I don't think this is a bad game at all. Yes the story was pretty basic, yes there are a lot of empty corridors and yes it feels rather dull in parts but honestly it's nowhere near as bad as it sounds. The graphics were pretty decent and the combat controls worked pretty well. The presentation also reminded me of Syphon Filter in a way but without the cel-shaded art style. The PlayStation CG cutscenes looked cool. The game overall was about under four hours long but you can crit-path the playthrough in about an hour from what I saw from folks who played the game non-stop. As a Mortal Kombat game I can see why fans were disappointed, but as a traditional action adventure game for the original PlayStation it's rather harmless.
With the games played, I also want to mention the other side of the game's content - the documentaries. If you aren't familiar with Digital Eclipse's recent works, they have put in a lot of effort in the behind-the-scenes, making-of and interviews as well as archiving and preserving classic promotional material, scans of the box art and designs to give you a proper look at the history of the games, and Mortal Kombat was no exception.
This collection does a brilliant job going over the origins of the franchise, the lead up to each game like different character poses to work with and new designs, and also includes various snippets and videos including advertisements that promote the games for the Arcades and the classic 28 minute making-of Midway made for Mortal Kombat 3. The documentary also explores the other areas of the franchise including the live-action 90s film and the Live tour they did.
While the documentary goes over many of the games in this collection, it does stop sometime after Mortal Kombat 4 so for example they don't delve into the history of Mortal Kombat: Special Forces too much or any games that came after, but they do a brief recap of what happens after. I suspect if this does super well, they're probably saving it for a second collection.
This documentary took about tons of hours to finish which was a lot, and they are optional, so you can just go straight into playing these games or start with the documentary it's entirely up to you on how you want to proceed with this collection. There's also online multiplayer which I didn't check out as I don't have a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
Overall, Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection was a very entertaining collection of classic fighting games and intriguing spin-offs. I had a solid time and according to my Nintendo Switch 2 I spent about 18-20 hours of playtime exploring all of the games that I had played and the documentary in this collection. While the Nintendo Switch 2 physical doesn't have Mortal Kombat 4 on the cart, I still think this version is a solid one to go for.
That's where the Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection comes in, which is a collection of games from the franchise thanks to a collaboration between NetherRealm Studios, Warner Bros, Atari and Digital Eclipse. The latter of which handled the emulation and preservation work to bring the various versions of the classic games for modern platforms.
This was also my first physical purchase for the Nintendo Switch 2, which is my chosen platform for retro video games especially of this graphic style. I played through most of the games in the collection for the first time and as they were released independently as their own games I also considered them as individual game completions in return. Now my completion for each game is solely based on reaching the end of the Arcade mode than pursuing different character endings as I'm more of a casual player with the franchise.
Starting off with the very first Mortal Kombat from 1992. I decided to go with the Arcade version which graphically looked the best and played the best across the versions I tried (and I did the same for the later games in the series). The gameplay is interesting as you fight with different stances and combos to ensure a greater chance of defeating your opponents and the AI is pretty solid for the most part. Whilst I struggled a lot, I managed to overcome the challenges once I got used to some of the attack moves, like having to kick them from beneath than just spamming punch because they will block you quite easily.
I tried different characters and for the most part the basic attack moves were pretty much identical, with the main differences other than their appearances being the combos. For example Liu Kang can perform a high kick and fireball while Sub-Zero can freeze people. The most challenging part of the arcade mode was fighting Goro because he would constantly knock off your health instantly so you had to rely on a different strategy to defeat him, so for me it was Liu Kang's high kicks which helped but it took numerous attempts. Shang Tsung was also a challenge but nowhere near as messy as Goro's. Overall despite having a small roster, the first Mortal Kombat was pretty good and graphically looked great with its artwork and sound design.
Then we move over to Mortal Kombat II from 1993. I did consider the SEGA Mega Drive and Super Nintendo versions but both of them were surprisingly difficult and from what I read online, the AI was absolutely ruthless and will instantly beat the living heck out of you right away. It was also the point where I had to modify the game settings to tone down the difficulty to the easiest one which I know is a sin for many hardcore fans but it was the only way for me to navigate through the game's hardcore difficulty.
The character roster is just bigger this time and the graphics have been updated, but the fatalities are the highlight with this sequel as it's more noticeable this time around. I tried different characters and many of them have their own special moves. I also tried Raiden and Kano which were both amusing, but the favourite for me was probably Katana with her move set which was pretty fun to control.
Because I did tweak the game's difficulty I did manage to make my way through to the end of Arcade mode, and while I can see why many loved this game when it was first released, the difficulty is what ruined it for me personally so if I had to choose between the first and second I would actually go with the first game. It will probably be a different vibe if you were going up against a human opponent though.
A few days later I eventually played Mortal Kombat 3 from 1995. This one was considered controversial by fans due to making a lot of changes to its mechanics whilst also removing a couple notable characters from its roster including Raiden, Johnny Cage, Kitana and Scorpion (Sonya and Kano do return to the roster though). I once again went with the original Arcade version as I enjoyed the experience with the previous games in this collection.
With Arcade mode, you can now choose a route of your choice which consists of Novice, Warrior and Master and each route (or "tower" as many would call it) adds additional fights. For this playthrough I selected the Novice route. In terms of new gameplay mechanics, one notable feature is running which allows you and your opponent to quickly get back to you which I never managed to ultilise very well with my gameplay skills because the opponent would always strike back when you get close to them. The game also included new finisher moves like Friendship, Animality and Babality. Friendship is like a light-hearted way of defeating your opponent, Animality is Fatalities but with animals, and Babality is turning your opponent into a baby which adds to the game's humour.
For my playthrough of this version of the game, I found the difficulty a lot more tolerable compared to Mortal Kombat II which was good so I didn't need to adjust the settings this time around. I also checked out different characters, including newcomers like Sektor, Nightwolf, Sheeva and Kabal, everytime I lose a battle to change up the combat.
Then I checked out the first updated release Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 that released later in 1995, which according to the developers was made to support the Arcade scene whilst consoles were just about to receive the original.
One of the biggest changes here is an increased roster, so fan favourites Kitana and Scorpion come back alongside Reptile and Mileena. Ermac was originally a name used to check data on the Arcade machines became a myth in the community so the developers turned it into reality by making a character for this release as well. Classic Sub-Zero also makes a return, as in this instalment he's presented differently so you almost wouldn't recognise him without the iconic costume.
There are additional gameplay modes and stage variety to add more content to the mix. The developers also adjusted the AI and modified character move sets. In the Arcade mode, I switched it up and went with the Masters difficulty, though the second tallest tower of the four available, so I was up against a lot of foes that were pretty tough to defeat as they will wreck you especially if you make mistakes or don't block quickly enough. On these tougher difficulties there's also the Endurance stages where you have to fight more than one opponent without losing a round. It got to the point where I had to settle with Scorpion to manage some situations.
Also included in the Legacy Kollection is the WaveNet version, which was considered by many fans in the community to be lost media as it was made for the WaveNet device that allowed people to play against other players online throughout the world. This version also has additional adjustments, including a playable Noob Saibot, so it's considered the latest version for the Arcades. I didn't play this version to the end of the Arcade mode but it's great to see this is now accessible again.
Next we have the second updated release Mortal Kombat Trilogy from 1996. This one was released for the original PlayStation as well as the Nintendo 64, but the version available in this collection is the PlayStation one. Developed by Avalanche Studios with Midway, this is a pretty interesting version because the newer technology (CDs with PlayStation for example), provided developers with more space that they can use to expand the content even further.
This meant that they were not only able to expand the roster to include pretty much everyone from the previous games and versions, including the likes of playable bosses like Goro and Shao Kun plus others like Johnny Cage, they could also utilise assets from the first two games as well which fits in with naming the collection Mortal Kombat Trilogy.
There's a few adjustments to the content. An Aggression mechanic that fills up which upon succession, boosts the players attack and speed during combat. There's also a new fatality type called Brutality which is a hefty combo move to accomplish. In the arcade mode I went with the Warrior difficulty and mostly played with the newer character additions. Goro can't do fatalities but his punches do some decent damage though he's useless against Shao Kun so I switched to a different character like Kano to get through his attacks.
Overall Mortal Kombat 3 was a pretty solid game in general and each update adds more value to the mix. If I had to pick and choose which version to go for I would probably stick with Mortal Kombat Trilogy mainly because there's an expanded roster and more options and content available to keep you going.
Then we move onto the next mainline instalment with Mortal Kombat 4 from 1997, which is also the franchise's first entry into the 3D scene. I didn't know what to expect going in because this is probably the one I knew the least of the ones going in considering I don't see anyone talk about this game. The version that we have available in the collection is the original Arcade Version 3 release and while this game has been ported onto the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 we don't have the console versions here (likely due to emulation challenges).
The biggest difference here is that everything is in 3D models including the characters which makes the game more modern for its time. Since we're no longer in a 2D type environment, the characters can now step back and forth from any angle if you use the correct prompt. The maps include familiar locations which have all been remodelled into 3D as well which look good. The character designs themselves I suppose you could say have less detail as they're not as realistic as previous games but they look good enough considering its on newer specs.
Surprisingly I had a solid time with the gameplay. It's still utilising the same control system with low and high kicks and low and high punches, plus the special moves and finishers you can pull off at the end of the two round setup. There's also a few new additions namely with each character now owning a weapon of their own that you can enable during combat and there are sometimes objects within the arena that you can use to throw against your opponents too. Other than that we have new animation related to specific moves including one where you can break your opponent's leg and they make a sound which is rather entertaining to see, especially if it ends up being the finisher move for the match.
The story includes 3D cutscenes as well as voice-over work which are intriguing to see, and when you finish the Arcade mode, each character will have their own unique cutscene like Scorpion discovering who killed his family as an example. I'm in a minority when I say that I really liked Mortal Kombat 4 and had a good time with it. The difficulty was surprisingly balanced and not as hectic as the earlier games so you can get through most of the battles without too much struggle. Some characters may not be as good against one opponent as the others but all you can do is either get better with the current character you're playing or switch to a different one that better suits your style.
Next I decided to play the spin-offs. I did try out the Game Boy Advance versions that we have in the collection but I decided they weren't for me and didn't count them for any game completion. The developers produced two spin-offs for the original PlayStation and both received pretty mixed to negative reviews due to various factors, but thanks to this collection these issues may be manageable this time around.
The first spin-off in the collection, Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, was released first in 1997 and it's an interesting design choice by Midway because they were blending 2D artwork with 3D backgrounds, so it's similar to Tomba! in its design aesthetic. The game also ultilises live-action FMV cutscenes which were honestly pretty decent even though these aren't professional actors, but adds a fun charm and dedication. But more importantly is the game any good? Well to put it bluntly... it's a bitch.
This is a very difficult game and it does not hold your hand at all. With no instructions, the game assumes you already know the controls as they're almost identical to Sub-Zero's move set in the mainline series but the sole difference here is that you have to manually reposition him to which direction you are facing, whether it be left or right which does mess you up in combat. Now the good news with the Legacy Kollection version is that there's an optional toggle to use the Right Analog Sticks for that which I enabled and it's pretty effective. You can also use Left Analog Stick to move around but I mainly used the D-Pad because the combos work better.
The enemy variety was pretty low and sometimes they respawn which can be annoying especially in the final level, and the traps are pretty amusing which can lead to a lot of hilarious insta-death moments. Now if you were playing this on the original hardware, you'll be raging a lot which is why this Legacy Kollection alone makes the experience more tolerable thanks to the rewind feature which I had to abuse a lot. Surprisingly I didn't end up with a game over as I was able to receive more lives during my progression (and the collection also has a toggle for infinite lives which I didn't enable).
The story was fine and the game took a couple of hours to complete, but would I recommend this spin-off? I would say no. While the Legacy Kollection makes the game more playable and tolerable, I found the combat to be sluggish and the AI can be annoying to where it will easily counter/block your attacks especially during boss fights. While you do have items and special moves to help support your progression, it's not aged well overall.
Next we have the second spin-off in the collection, Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, released in 2000. This is also another interesting addition to the franchise because it actually does feel like a separate game but with the Mortal Kombat characters and move set. The camera stood out the most as it's almost like a top-down type experience as you progress through the levels., and the combat is switched up to support a 3D environment plus you start off with basic attacks before you unlock more combo moves as you level up your character that can switch up the experience.
Another big surprise for me was the difficulty of the game, because the franchise in general was pretty difficult to progress and the previous spin-off was ruthless to an extent, but here it felt they were mirroring the difficulty you experience with other traditional action adventure games on the original PlayStation. When enemies attack you they don't knock of tons of your health which makes the journey so much more tolerable, and while you can use weapons it's not too crazy but you do get stun-locked at times which can put you in a bad position.
The boss fights were also fairly challenging but ironically you can stun lock them into position by constantly hitting the basic attacks so they can't get away which was honestly pretty entertaining and I only had to do that for around half of the fights. You also have tons of healing items, can pick up ammo for your weapons that you can use at any point (there's even a first-person view available for one of the buttons) and you can store as many items without any restrictions which the previous spin-off did have. I did ultilise the rewind feature from the Legacy Kollection but it was only for specific moments where I was caught off guard by enemies using weapons from a distance.
But the more important question is whether or not this is actually a good game or bad game. Personally I don't think this is a bad game at all. Yes the story was pretty basic, yes there are a lot of empty corridors and yes it feels rather dull in parts but honestly it's nowhere near as bad as it sounds. The graphics were pretty decent and the combat controls worked pretty well. The presentation also reminded me of Syphon Filter in a way but without the cel-shaded art style. The PlayStation CG cutscenes looked cool. The game overall was about under four hours long but you can crit-path the playthrough in about an hour from what I saw from folks who played the game non-stop. As a Mortal Kombat game I can see why fans were disappointed, but as a traditional action adventure game for the original PlayStation it's rather harmless.
With the games played, I also want to mention the other side of the game's content - the documentaries. If you aren't familiar with Digital Eclipse's recent works, they have put in a lot of effort in the behind-the-scenes, making-of and interviews as well as archiving and preserving classic promotional material, scans of the box art and designs to give you a proper look at the history of the games, and Mortal Kombat was no exception.
This collection does a brilliant job going over the origins of the franchise, the lead up to each game like different character poses to work with and new designs, and also includes various snippets and videos including advertisements that promote the games for the Arcades and the classic 28 minute making-of Midway made for Mortal Kombat 3. The documentary also explores the other areas of the franchise including the live-action 90s film and the Live tour they did.
While the documentary goes over many of the games in this collection, it does stop sometime after Mortal Kombat 4 so for example they don't delve into the history of Mortal Kombat: Special Forces too much or any games that came after, but they do a brief recap of what happens after. I suspect if this does super well, they're probably saving it for a second collection.
This documentary took about tons of hours to finish which was a lot, and they are optional, so you can just go straight into playing these games or start with the documentary it's entirely up to you on how you want to proceed with this collection. There's also online multiplayer which I didn't check out as I don't have a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
Overall, Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection was a very entertaining collection of classic fighting games and intriguing spin-offs. I had a solid time and according to my Nintendo Switch 2 I spent about 18-20 hours of playtime exploring all of the games that I had played and the documentary in this collection. While the Nintendo Switch 2 physical doesn't have Mortal Kombat 4 on the cart, I still think this version is a solid one to go for.
You probably noticed a jump in game completion numbers with this collection. I came to the decision that every individual game in a collection does count as separate game completions on the condition that they were released as their own product back in the day. I don't have to check out every title in a collection/compilation for my progression (for example I skipped Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World in the PS3 Chronicles collection and Resident Evil 0 in the Origins Collection).
The next game that I plan to play is also going to be a fighting game, one that features waifus and expensive outfits.
Just Passing Through
Titan
I played a bit of Tomb Raider today for the first time since it was originally released. It's free on the Epic Games store till May 28th alongside the first two sequels in the Remastered version