Title: "Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe"
Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 (reviewed)
Studio: Midway
Rated: T for Teen
Score: 8 of 10

THE REVIEW

Game play: From the arcade to the movie and home theater, the Mortal Kombat franchise has been a constant in the mix of fighting games. The genre has seen its share of innovation and imitation, and developers are constantly trying to put a new spin on a old concept: mash buttons faster and better than your opponent.

Adding superheroes to a perhaps tired league of to-the-death fighters (how are they not all dead by now?) seems like nothing more than a fresh coat of paint on an old vehicle. But it turns out that Batman is more than bat ears and a cowl. The presence of "the world's greatest detective" along with Flash, Superman and Captain Marvel (Shazam!) all bring a deeper mythology and deeper characters than the old gaming franchise delivers on its own. Characterization sounds silly for a fighting game, but care has been given to make not only the surprisingly good story mode strong on character, but the fighting techniques of Green Lantern or Wonder Woman are character appropriate. So when they face MK's LiuKang or Jax, it feels like more than just another pair of random fighters.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but MK owes much of its success to its character's abilities to rip the spines out of opponents in popular and often controversial fatalities. While it isn't a stretch to think of Lex Luthor doing that, Superman isn't going to, and, as a result, this is a tamer game. The MK characters (and DC villains) still have fatality moves, but they are less graphic, and the DC characters have "heroic brutality" moves instead. It is still bone crunching, but some MK fans might feel disappointed that there aren't dying wails or frozen intestines falling about. But solid game play and instant DC mythology trump over-the-top fatalities. There are still nonfatal finishing moves, just not decapitations or flayings. Those who wish to memorize button sequences can have at it. The rest of us can make due with YouTube compilations of past MK death scenes.

The heart of the game is still player vs. player, and the presentation and game play are slick. The online play is, of course, better than waiting your turn at the arcade, and both the matchmaking system and play worked smoothly. And after getting humbled by a 12-year-old, there is no walk of shame out of the arcade. The DC heroes inject a lot of personality and fun, particularly Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel. But it is the fighting character of the Joker that is most brilliantly executed.