A technically satisfying new generation MK game but too many concessions have been made for DC heroes to fit in
The Bad: Uneven difficulty, fatalities are just bland, broken trophy requirements may require multiple accomplishments, DC and MK do not mix at all
Mortal Kombat vs DC Heroes is the first game of the franchise on HD. Though it doesn't bring any ground breaking mechanics, it provides some satisfying innovations to the series, all inspired in super powers brought in by the DC universe. The problem with the DC universe and its new features is that it also took away what's the series is best known for, remorseless and bloody executions.
It doesn't differ much from previous Mortal Kombat titles. The konquest mode has been replaced by a story mode, where one has to play with 9 characters from each universe until the final showdown with the big and bad dude. It's not a bad story in itself - the DC point of view is actually amusing to follow - but there's no killing, ever. You can't even properly finish an opponent with a fatality. It's okay to see Superman or Green Lantern leaving a breathing opponent on the ground but Scorpion? Shang Tsung? Unlikely.
The environment traps have been replaced with bloodless counterparts. When you toss an opponent at a wall, you both have to mash all buttons to increase or decrease a 13% base damage bar. So, if you throw you opponent at a wall and press the buttons like a maniac, you can bring the damage up to 25% of his life bar. If he manages to make you look bad at button mashing, you might end up doing no damage at all.
Another change worthy of notice happens when you throw an enemy out of the battle area. In previous MK games, your opponent would land in a lower platform and take damage. In MK vs DC, you dive in with him and can punch and kick him in the air by pressing any attack button. Your opponent can also select an attack button to defend and if he manages to it the same button you did, he switches position with you. Oh yeah, now you're the one that will fall first and take all the damage dealt during the fall - even the punches you landed on him - when you hit the ground.
It's an interesting feature and fits perfectly in a super power game but I don't think it's a good thing to have in mortal kombat, specially due to the removal of deadly traps and their bloody animations.
The fatality moves, something which Mortal Kombat has always been known for, are bland, have almost no blood and in some cases aren't even called fatalities because there's no killing. I'm aware that it fits the DC Universe pretty well but it breaks the expectations of Mortal kombat fans.
It's not a hard game, though the difficulty is uneven and AI opponents that rely on combos can be a real pain to beat, even in early levels. Also, the kombo challenges are insanely difficult even with the help of videos and guides. It's possible for a beginner to finish the game on normal but I very much doubt he'll finish a single kombo challenge.
Playing on line is not smooth due to lag and some issues when trying to connect to the servers but with patience and respecting the game indication of latency given for every player, you may actually fight without mad spell casting and punch spamming until one of the contenders unexpectedly dies on the other side of the screen.
It's a good mortal kombat game with some minor twists but if it had not mixed up with DC and remained true to its bloody origins, it would've been much, much better.