All the little details are what make
MK Special Forces a game I would recommend playing as a rental. The fighting combos are fun to try and pull-off, and nailing them in sequence recharges your “special move” meter. Weapons have a cool “scope” mode that looks a lot like
Syphon Filter, and there’s even the little “Head Shot” indicator when you line up a good one with the Sniper Rifle. Jax doesn’t jump or do any fancy moves, but the controls are really about fighting and using weapons. When something requires interaction, you simply press a button. This lets you play with computers and even move blocks around like Lara. Of course, Jax is in touch with his trusty communications woman, who is secretly in love with him. She forwards information on new items, as well as hints for getting through a level. After a boss fight is complete, she contacts you with details on the next mission, and lets you save your progress. Save points seem too far apart, but it doesn’t take long to replay a level. Balancing fighting by hand and using weapons is easy to learn, and the analog control felt tight.
I love that so much went into the features for Mortal Kombat Special Forces, but I just wish Midway put the same kind of time into designing levels, tuning enemy A.I., and writing a deeper story than “Go git ‘em!!” I think anyone would have a blast with this over a weekend, and for the diehard MK fans, it’s probably a must buy. With action/adventure games like MGS and Syphon Filter out there, not to mention “top-down” fighting games like Gekido and Fighting Force, MK Special Forces ends up as a light distraction for the disposable-income crowd. It coulda been a contender!