We've been chomping at the bit to get our hands on a proper preview version of Mortal Kombat: Deception since we got our first look at the game's trailer earlier this year. Our exposure to the game before E3 and during E3 only served to pique our interests even more. Thankfully, we've managed to get our hands on work-in-progress versions of the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions of the game, and we've spent a good chunk of time with both to find out how the game is coming together (and also recorded plenty of fights for your viewing pleasure). Hopefully it won't come as a tremendous shock when we say that the game's coming along "pretty freaking good," especially given the positive direction that development's been going in.

Deception gets bloodier every time we see it--and it's pretty darn fun, too. Click "Stream for Free" for higher resolution.

Our versions of Mortal Kombat: Deception were both fully loaded, and they let us check out the intro cinemas so that we could explore the grips of modes that each game is going to offer. The first thing you'll see when the game loads up is an intro cinema that brings you up to speed on what's been going on since the last game. You'll discover that, unsurprisingly, Shang Tsung and Quan Chi really can't get along. However, their broken alliance is reforged when a new menace arrives in Outworld to remind folks that despite the fact that they can't get along, they better learn quickly if they want to survive against a foe that can kill them all. (Truly a lesson for life.)

As with 2002's Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, you'll want to create a profile before you dive into the game. You'll simply choose a name, an icon, and a code to tie to your save file, and then you'll head out to explore the game's modes. The main menu will offer kombat, chess kombat, puzzle kombat, konquest, Xbox Live (or simply MK Online for the PS2), the krypt, content, profiles, and options to choose from. Kombat is the classic MK-style fighting that will send you up a ladder of fighters on your way to a nasty end boss. The mode will let you pick arcade, versus, and practice fights. Chess kombat is the Archon-style mode wherein you'll create a team of characters and then fight against the CPU or a human opponent in a chesslike game. Puzzle kombat is the Super Puzzle Fighter-esque puzzle game that lets you pick from an assortment of superdeformed characters from the main game to pit against an opponent. Konquest is the game's adventure-style mode that blends the standard fighting gameplay with a training mode and a free-roaming, RPG-style structure.

We've covered the puzzle and chess modes before, and aside from some visual tweaks, these modes haven't changed too dramatically in terms of gameplay. Kombat and konquest, however, have taken proper shape in this latest version of the game. Kombat will follow the same structure as the arcade incarnations of the game, so it will send you on a tear through a horde of foes, culminating in a fight against a character who's cut from the mold that's known as Midway's patented "Most Hateful Boss Ever."

You'll find 12 fighters initially selectable, along with another 12 to unlock. The first batch of fighters will be made up of old-schoolers Scorpion, Mileena, Baraka, and Sub-Zero. The roster is lent a nice blast from the past with the inclusion of Kabal, Ermac, and Nightwolf. Bo'Rai Cho returns from Deadly Alliance to wield his mighty vomit attacks. The last four members of the roster, Ashrah, Dairou, Kobra, and Darrius, are newcomers who round out the cast by featuring unique handling. While we've seen a good chunk of the rest of the roster, it will include some surprises that are sure to please longtime fans.

The new combat additions, such as extra juggling and new fight indicators, have made the fighting engine even more impressive.

The fighting system has shaped up well. Although the base for combat is the system seen in Deadly Alliance, the new tweaks--such as a more juggle-friendly combo system and the fight-state indicators that inform you when you can and can't be hit or when you're setting yourself up for an instant death via some of the game's interactive backgrounds--are all working well. Players familiar with Deadly Alliance will find a collection of new fighting styles, though things like style-branch combos and such are still present. All in all, the game plays roughly the same as Deadly Alliance, but you'll notice that the juggles and other little tweaks here and there make the game feel a bit more like some of the older, 2D MK games.

Konquest is still taking shape and offers a mix of third-person adventuring, combat, and mission-based events. You'll play as a young boy named Shujinko who will encounter many Mortal Kombat characters throughout his adventure. You'll start out in a small town, learning the basics from Bo'Rai Cho, but you'll eventually embark on a quest that takes you through the various realms of the Mortal Kombat universe.