It's great, especially in a series where the same guy wins all the time and nobody stays dead between games. Kang stayed dead until the time was reset, then killed again. I do wish writers and game devs would actually commit to keeping characters dead more.
@@EndoScorpion it was such an outta their mind idea but it was so good and worked out so well that in the reboot they reused the idea! They also added onto the idea by making them revenants.
@@WinterBoots15 The heroes who died in Deadly Alliance were revenants in Deception. And at least that arc went some where and was concluded. Unlike in the NRS era. Dark Raiden also used Liu Kang's soulless body as a thrall (a revenant). The Midway era did it, and did it way better. The NRS era didn't add anything new or interesting to it, and most of the revenants were forgotten about, only showing up once or twice to get beaten up by the player. Heck, making Kang the ruler of Netherrealm was probably stolen from Noob Saibot's Deception arc, where he wanted to become ruler.
Jax's alternative design actually makes sense in this cannon/timeline since he still has his natural arms underneath the metal ones. So he can remove them if he'd want to
@charleshastings7260 Hes basically doing Jaqui's thing before she existed. Its also the reason why his metal arms can always look so different whenever theyre depicted....even though that reason stopped making sense once MK9 came out.
Makes him much much cooler. The new one is on some fan fiction stuff with his arms. I remember him having fake arms was something literally most kids made up at 8. They usually come up with the head canon that he ripped off his own arms. Man have the writing fallen.
Cooking With Scorpion is one of the best things to unlock in the Krypt, not to mention the game having the Adema Music Video (Immortal is still a fucking bop!) Deadly Alliance is underrated as fuck. Hell the whole 3D era is underutilized nowadays.
1. This mean we gotta wait 2 years for a Deception analysis? 2. I really don't see how people can look at the 3D era vs. Netherrealm and honestly think Netherrealm is better when it's obvious the devs cared WAY more in the 3D era
I wasn’t a fan of the gameplay, but this era is my favorite when it comes to the lore. I think the 3D era has such a bad wrap because it introduced so many lame characters and the fatalities are some of the weakest in the series. But with that being said, I really respect the crew for putting so much effort into the lore and I personally love the new gamemodes. Chess, puzzle, kart, and conquest mode are all lots of fun!
People want gameplay first in their games. Street Fighter IV showed them decent fighting game play, and there were plenty of fighting kusoge already. That said, NetherRealm DOES need to get its act together with storytelling methods.
It’s nice to hear you speak about the things you like about an MK game. I came in around the MKX critique and so I got all of that plus all of MK11. I’ve revisited this video a couple of times now. Hopefully we see something like this for Deception and/or Armageddon
We gonna have to wait a few years for that one mate lol. I love to hear him talk positive bout mk too…. He definitely does a good job positively showing the 3D era of MK… often looked back on with disdain… at least from what I’ve seen.
I remember my brother and I playing MK1 and 2 on Sega Mega Drive, and we had a PC copy of Trilogy. I only rented MK4 and was quite disappointed with it at the time. But I distinctly remember my brother getting me Deadly Alliance for my birthday - and this is when I really fell in love with the series. I really dove deep into the lore and the characters. The 3D era is where MK peaked in terms of story. And the costumes were amazing, some of them still stand up at the the best in the franchise. Deadly Alliance not only cemented my love for the series, but also my love for Scorpion too. Prior to this; I'd play mostly as Johnny in Mk1-2, and Noob Saibot in Trilogy (he was so OP in that game). I love both of Scorpion's costumes in DA. His Hapkido style, and that swaying of his stance is forever burnt into my memory. Friends and family would rage-quit when I played as Scorpion because I would dominate. Even Moloch struggled. If I ever got stuck on Moloch with another character - I'd whip out Scorpion to kick his butt. Ironic considering Scorp's canon ending in this game. This has to be Raiden's besr costume too. To this day I still wish we got a proper conclusion to his Dark arc. I'd happily forget about all this timeline crap and just pick up from MK Armageddon or even Deception. I say Deception because I feel that Midway's need to include all the characters from the series hindered the story. While it was great to see some characters come back, some could've easily been forgotten or stayed dead. Still, I liked Taven and would love to see him return. Hsu Hao is no way near as bad as people say he is. I actually liked the dynamic between the two dragon clans and the OWIA. And the fact Hsu Hao destroyed the OWIA's means to travel between the realms put a massive delay on the heroes getting to Outworld, giving the Deadly Alliance enough time to amass their army. I mean, wasn't Li Mei the last soul to be (almost) put into the Dragon King army (with Bo Rai Cho saving her at the last second). Imagine the heroes got there a lot sooner: They could've regrouped with Cyrax and Kenshi; Sub Zero wouldn't be galavanting off with Frost elsewhere; Scorpion might not have needed to sneak in underground; Li Mei's souls wouldn't have been tainted by almost getting put into a skeleton body / forming a connection with Onaga; and Bo Rai Cho would've stuck around to help in the fight. Significantly strengthening the Forces of Light. I'm probably reaching a bit, but I still feel Hsu had a bigger effect on the story than people give credit for, and like other characters who got a second chance / expanded upon; there is potential there to make something better out of Hsu. Mavado can f off though! XD Never liked that guy!
The problems with Hsu Hao is his outfit is goofy, he's kinda like a shirtless Nazi even his initials are HH. And he only had 2 special moves, other than that he's a redeemable character
Outside from Armaggedon, both Deadly Alliance and Deception are my favorite Mortal Kombat stories (they are for the franchise what IW and Endgame were for MCU). Not only they expand the mythology with new characters but the idea of killing Liu Kang was bold move and gave chance to other characters, specially Kitana and Sindel to develop, rather than just pulling a "Death/Return of Superman" and bringing Liu Kang back for the final fight because of "protagonist armor"
@@AllTerrainNewfieJRY Same. I see the both games as the IW and Endgame of the MK universe: One story ends in cliffhanger with heroes being defeated and and the second show their rise from the ashes. My only complain with Deception is that, I wish it had story mode showing what happened after Shujinko was betrayed with him teaming up with the other heroes to defeat Onaga.
As someone who always played the 3d Era games as a kid but never understood the story, I'm glad your videos have made me appreciate this Era more than the netherrealm Era games
You talking positively about Quan Chi almost feels like character development. Interesting, Mr. 4th. Edit: Props for calling out the fan base for dunking on Hsu Hao. Really is refreshing seeing him be defended
I'm glad you mentioned how memorable the music was in Deadly Alliance. The Netherealm Studio MK games have not captured the musical prowess the earlier games achieved.
Deadly Alliance is Probably the Most Underrated Game in the Franchise,like the Sonic Franchise I Love when a Team of Game Producers Experiment New Things,I Love the Music and The Roster of Characters are Really Good with Interesting Designs and Characters,to this Day as A Artist that Drawn 300+ Characters,the 3D Era Characters can Work on Modern Times.
Both this one and mk4. Why mk4? Bcuz it’s the first 3d game for mk and bcuz of thst it gets hate and yet still it’s playable and the music was amazing the darkness of the feel and vibe of the story and backgrounds were dead on and it just felt like a game in the works for a long time. I used to hate it myself in comparison to mk3 and mk2 but that’s honestly not even a bad thing bcuz mk2-3 were and still are considered some of the best mk games ever so it just suffered from not living up to what mk2/3 delivered however mk4 was still good in its own right. Shinnok would’ve been fine as a final boss had he just been given the double life bar shao Kahn was and double attack power it would’ve been the same. Deadly alliance seemed boring as heck at the time. To me if mk4 was a step down from mk2-3 then deadly alliance was a step down from mk4 and I say this in terms of the fun level and a lot has to do with the overall feel of the game. Looking back the game is very good if it’s not compared to say mk2-3 or the newer great mk games the graphic improvement was perhaps the biggest thing deadly alliance impressed me with. I think the music is what had me underwhelmed honestly. I think if this was music for like a practice mode or left as such it would’ve been fine but for the main gameplay it seemed alor slower and just off from the intense fast paced dark mk4 music. I can still enjoy deadly alliance todsy more than before perhaps but again I’m js what I felt it lacked which the music is what killed it the most for me honestly. Story development and lore for not only this game but for unraveling the lore of past and future games this game was probably the best. Deadly alliance was a break from the intensity that was the buildup of mk1-4 but honestly the graphics you can tell they put everything into it and I feel like deception and Armageddon both were not as good on graphics
@@codafett I hardly think nostalgia killed OR saved MK. Rather, I can appreciate each era for what it is and even get how they can all fit together. The idea of a Keeper of Time allows EVERYTHING to be canon while still having there be structure. Basically having MK's self-awareness be seriously core to its lore. As for Sindel in case that's a sticking point with you, there are signs she's possessed, specifically in Jade's arcade ending in MK9 and Sindel's own MK11 gameplay. That all said, the 3D era could've used one more game before Armageddon instead of MK vs. DCU in order to have a full set of meat on its bones even if the core gameplay still wouldn't've been hot, said gameplay DID need fixing as even from a casual standpoint fighting kusoge were getting tiresome, and having one character win all their fights each chapter is indeed hamstringing the reboot era's (and Injustice's) storytelling.
I’ve always imagined what a modern take on that opening would be like. Just thinking of Shang Tsung saying in Liu Kang’s ear before he snaps his neck “three times you’ve bested me in kombat and three times you failed to finish me. Now Liu Kang, your soul is mine”
I love MKDA so much I'd fuck it. It did so many things right and made me fall in love with the series all over again. Also, the Sarna Ruins kinda have story relevance, it's supposed to be the outside of the Lost Tomb where Quan finds Onaga's army.
Appreciate you talking about DA. It's a nice change of pace from talking about games you dislike or outright hate. I'm hyped to hear your thoughts on Deception and Armageddon when those videos drop.
I miss when games didn't need to be dumbed down to be simple for a wider audience, the lore prior to NRS's version was way more interesting to me and only made me want more.
Every time I see the Krypt in any MK game or the old adventure modes it always just kinda makes me wish we'd get a straight up RPG/Adventure game in the MK world even if it's just kind of a dark souls clone or batman arkham clone gameplay wise I Think it'd be great for exploring the world
@@glassofwater281 I think they went way too hard in an Alligator-looking direction. Really looks like the Gatorclaws from Fallout 4 rather than Reptile honestly.
@@GenMaj_Knight Yeah I agree. When he switched forms my first thought was Godzilla. But I do think it's cool he goes from smaller and swift to a brutish monster
No joke my favorite thing about DA are the extras like concept art and various other things you unlock in the Krypt. But I absolutely love the Making Of video which to this day I'll watch and never get tired of it. The cheese fries always make me hungry lol.
Ok, so unpopular opinion here… Deadly Alliance is actually my favorite of the 3D era games. With it being the first true 3D MK game, and one of the first games I owned on the PS2, it was a breath of fresh air from the cheesiness of MK3 and 4. Sure, Deception was objectively a better game mechanics wise, but DA (at least in my honest opinion), looked better, and even sounded better.
One of the reasons MK2 is so beloved is that it completely nailed the aesthetic of sinister oriental mysticism. It's bright and colorful, yet oozing with style, atmosphere, and dark Chinese sorcerous shit. The series didn't really hit that golden ratio again until MKDA. Deception went almost a little too dark with its muted brown-gray color palette and the borderline experimental soundtrack, so it took me a little while to warm up to it, but now I like it almost as much. Wish at some point another MK game makes me feel the same way those two do. ._.
@@NucleaRaptor MK II is my overall favorite title in the series. You hit the nail on the head with this, and my first exposure to MK II was the SNES port (which ended up being my favorite version that I still own to this day). Everything about this game was perfect to me as a fighter 😊
When deadly alliance came out my parents wouldn’t let me get it due to the violence but a kid in my neighborhood had it. I have such fond memories of going over to his place every weekend to play through it. This and deception holds very fond memories to me. I really hope you’ll do a video like this for deception and Armageddon in the future
The first Mortal Kombat game I ever played. Still holds a soft spot in my heart to this day. I don't care if people don't like the 3d era, I enjoyed it back then and still like it now.
The midway era was the golden age of MK. After Warner acquired the IP it just doesn’t feel the same, it feels like they don’t understand what made the games great.
Story-wise, absolutely. The gameplay was kinda garbage though (especially in comparison to other 3D fighters at the time), and the less said about its character additions (be it Drahmin, Kobra, or goddamn Hsu Hao), the better.
I used to play MKDA as a kid, probably either MKT or this is my first MK game; The Midway MK series will always be canon to my heart. I can't wait for MK Deception analysis.
Liu Kang’s death broke my fucking heart when I first saw that cutscene as a youngin’ and it also scared the shit out of me. Deadly Alliance is my favorite MK despite my favorite character being dead and unplayable.
Two things I never get tired of: 1. The4thSnake shitting on the NRS era of MK 2. The4thSnake propping up the 3D era of MK We absolutely need a Deception video.
@@SilkyLew Yes, the older MKs were basic trash standard gameplay-wise, but inoffensively so (gratuitous gore aside), and we're talking STORY here. THAT's what captivated The4thSnake. Old MKs may be kusoge, but they're GOOD kusoge.
These games had a cool aesthetic and some nice bonus content but they played like trash. There’s a reason a tournament scene didn’t exist for this era of mk.
@@DougDongo I neither know (nor care) about the tournament scene, but they were head and shoulders above any previous MK entry as singleplayer games - there was no cheating bullshit AI and thus you could actually (shock gasp) try and use your character's full arsenal rather than figuring out the one way to cheese the shitty AI. I replayed UMK3 recently and cheesing the shitty AI was the only way to win.
10:25 - 11:05 This is one of the reasons I enjoy SoulCalibur VI’s story. Every character has their own tale to tell, some not even related to the main plot at all such as Talim’s, and it really helps the world feel bigger and more alive. I wish modern MK had this approach tbh, even if I do enjoy watching the cinematic, if only for dumb fun to turn my brain off to.
My first real foray into MK was this game, and looking back it was amazing. Armageddon was the one i played the most, but all the of the 3d era games are GOATed
Deadly Alliance has always been my favorite of the mk games, sure its got some flaws but its always been my go to mk game in terms of both story and characters.
1:28 i think only hsu hao's fatality did something like that where it wasnt achieved by just shrinking the model's head or appendages, so i'd like to think that wasnt as much of a factor to model detail. the universal bloody stumps wouldnt be introduced until deception so yes, hsu hao of all people has the most gory fatality in the game
I was saddened after giving away my old Xbox years ago when my 360 couldn't run my copy of DA, until I decided to get another one for PS2. The intro, presentation, music, everything just bled that timeless MK atmosphere, and nostalgia smacked me hard in the gut. If I'm honest, the 3D era was never my favorite in terms of gameplay, but when everything else was so badass and memorable, I couldn't help but remember why I loved this game so much, and had a grand old time with this and Deception, just like the good old days. This game and Deception really are the Tekken 4 equivalent of the series, and looking back they all were such badass games. Great retrospective mate, and cheers to DA!
I know it's not his full rope dart, but Scorpion does use his kunai more like a knife, in one of his MK2 Fatalities to slit his opponents throat before cutting them in half across the abdomen. Shaolin Monks had a variation of this too.
Fucking hell.. this comment couldn't have been any more true now considering the reveal of Reina in Tekken 8 Yeah man just give Heihachi yet another unknown-until-now bastard child, don't forget to make it a young woman because the series also can't bring itself to have a female character that has visibly aged! I love this series but god are these two points my biggest pet peeves with it
Played DA myself earlier this month and had an absolute blast playing it, didn't give the game much appreciation in the past as for me it was just that MK game that Deception and Armageddon built up on but the revisit made me question my younger self why I didn't spend more time with it. Absolute banger of a video, Snake! 3D era needs the love, hope other games will get this kind of analysis too.
Yes! Someone who likes Reptile's design in this, I always liked the idea of his devolution into his more primal state cool. I was familiar with the series back then but didn't follow the plot until I was gifted Deadly Alliance and was floored with how much content was jammed in.
The 3D Era of MK was the peak of Fighting Game storytelling. Kai and Fujin should have been in the roster of Deadly Alliance instead of Raiden however.
The lore and design of characters and stages were incredible in the 3d era. It was the most fun mortal Kombat had ever been. Killing liu Kang in the intro was mind blasting. Also, the intro for deadly alliance, deception and Shaolin monks are 3 of the best intros to a game I've ever seen. I think the only intro that surpasses them is the intro to onimusha 3.
MKDA is where people put heart and creativuty into a game MK NR trilogy is when a soulles corporate entity takes over PLUS : LIKE/SHARE THIS VIDEO!! WE NEED MKD AND MKA REVIEWS
I really wish NRS would give the 3D Era games one last chance and just remaster them already. Sadly after seeing how they clearly didn’t do shit for the 30th anniversary I’m doubting it at this point.
Would be really cool to see a 3D Trilogy that mergers all three games (including the GBA version so we get all content) that polishes up the graphics, gives better fatalities and improves gameplay of not only the core game itself but the Konquest modes as well. I remember seeing videos in the Armageddon Krypt of early Konquest Mode where Taven had a bow and could actually attack stealthily, that'd be cool if that was added back in and there was more to do in both Konquest modes.
I would honestly argue that this is some of the best stuff that the 4th snake has ever created and I want to see more content like this, so great job snake.
During the Liao dynasty(the Khitan Empire) there was a ruler named Shengzong 982 - 1031 and when I heard the lecturer pronounce his name, I thought he said Shang Tsung. And then I thought, the 4th Snake needs to know about this(cuz you use to do a history series). And while I'm certain it's just coincidence, I thought you might vaguely care
That might ironically be where Shang Tsung’s name came from. Good eye. I’m actually learning about Chinese History now so this is a good fact for me to learn.
Got this game on a rainy black friday. My first black friday buy. I was fourteen at the time. Me and my brother would play this constantly coming off playing MK4 with many others in the past. Man what a game changer for sure. And never once did I know of all the extra content it still had after opening up some of the Krypts for characters and outfits. I just unlocked a bare minimum and just enjoyed playing with my Bro. He wasn't even mad about Liu Kang dying or Scorpion "dying" in his ending. We were more surprised and intrigued about it than disheartened. Favorite characters to play were Li Mei, Sub Zero, Kung Lao, Sonya Blade, and Kenshi.
@@richardw1043 Nah Armageddon is still a good game, and a good game product. With a lot of game inside of the purchase. Similar to how SF6 looks to be a good game overall rather than just a good fighting game. It stands well in it's own right and is part of the best trilogy.
Mortal kombat deadly alliance along with deception were the two 3D era games to me that started to go deeper with story and characters. It took the world more seriously compare mk games now it becomes more humor. Yes mk 1-3 were comedic at times but 3D era is what helped mk get more serious with the characters and lore. also I felt it was more open and creativity, I mean the the character select music were the BEST 🎉
I confess, even as an MK fan since 97ish, I played Deadly Alliance and Deception for the 1st time only in 2020. didn't have any consoles in 2000s, and my old PC couldn't run the emulator well. but when I finally played DA, especially after seeing (from afar, ain't touching it) what a disaster MK11 was, I was blown away. It was dark, cool, complex... I still go back to DA more than to Deception, there's something really tactical about its gameplay that's missing in Deception imo. I didn't really like how you had to complete all the conquest stuff for the story bits, as it could take quite a while (the game refused to register some tricky combos, like with Cyrax). but the story was so interesting, so intricate. it really showed the potential MK universe had. oh, and people who hate Hsu Hao can get f'ed, the guy hit like a truck and was one of the stronger characters in the game.
Thank you for making this video 4thsnake. MK Deadly Alliance was actually my 1st fighting game, I was about 5 or 6 years old and my Dad bought it for himself and bought ATV Off Road Fury 2 for me. But after seeing him play he let me join in because he didn't know anyone else to play with, he definitely wasn't much of a gamer (lol MK never scared me as a kid and he noticed that, so it was cool kinda ) And ever since then, the 3D era of Mortal Kombat was a way for me, my Dad, and eventually my older sister to kinda bond with each other. While most families where playing Uno and Monopoly, we where playing whatever the newest MK on PS2 that was out during that era (our Mom was "Meh" about it because we would mostly play with Dad) I still remember passing the controller in Konquest mode for Deadly Alliance and Deception (P.S Deception was our favorite too, we loved all the different realms, we actually got stuck training with Sub-Zero then Kenshi later 😮💨) All this to say I definitely understand where you're coming from when you say " I don't know why people like to hate on the 3D era of Mortal Kombat" I thought that was the best/innovated time for MK too. It wasn't until I met gamers who played Tekken (like that series too) and Street Fighter (don't care for that series) that I realized the hate. I think it got all that hate for being different and not wildly fast or way simplified like the older MK. But either way I enjoyed the video, most of your other Kontent ( talkin about Tekken) and hope it "makes numbers" so you can make a Deception video too
My most favorite game in the series, even ahead of MKX, and one of the best, IMO. Amazing art style, amazing soundtrack, good gameplay, superb bonus content. And, of course, one of the best, if not the best story in a fighting game, where every single substory is part of the whole narrative. Deception attempted to replicate this, but to no avail, I feel.
Excellent analysis! So refreshing to finally watch your video properly dedicated to one of 3D MK and take a ride through DA and this atmospheric Era. Eagerly waiting for next videos on the 3D era (even if means waiting for the 20th anniversary of each one LOL)
I loved DA, it's what got me hooked on MK. Don't even want to think how many hours I sunk into it. Also i like the old deception/DA crypts more than the recent ones, once the coolness factor wears off it just becomes tedious to find items I want to.
Even knowing everything that it's inside the game, it's very cool to hear someone's saying it. MK Deception is also my favourite, but I have a lot of love to Deadly Alliance. The memories of playing it with my cousin will be forever buried inside me. Gread video, thank you.
Deception was my first MK but this game is up in the favorites for me too. I really don’t understand what’s so hard about bringing these games back on modern hardware with just simple re-releases. I’m no dev but I’m sure Neatherrelm is just content with making the increasingly disappointing modern entries today, same with volition, and many others I don’t care about anymore. It’s nice to hear genuine enjoyment in that voice of yours after years of the MK critiques which I constantly revisit, no game is without its flaws but it’s really nice to hear a good perspective on it
Bless you Snake, fans needed such a video. Not many Middle Era Games reviews to begin with, i love those so much myself... Will be pleased to see more about my beloved Deception and pretty fun with its roster and customization Armageddon c: Even though i started with classic games, i never liked them that much outside of violence and being one of my first fighting games. But hoo boi, when i got to play Middle Era games... I was in love, got really into the fandom too. My emotions are so mixed right now with Netherrealm Era. I don't _hate_ them, but they do so much wrong in my eyes. Pain.
Deadly Alliance was my first MK, I was young and would play it with my parents and my cousins when they came over. I loved Hsu Hao, can't explain why but he was one of my three favorite fighters to use(others being Cyrax and Reptile who I still love to this day), so seeing the hate for him always upset me a bit. Movado too, I loved his gimmick. I remember exploring the crypt, I remember using the game guide that came with the game to find things in the crypt and I seem to recall the game guide having Kung Lao's fatality listed in it. It was tradition for me as a kid to stay up on Christmas Eve and try to beat a game I'd previously struggled with, and beating Moloch on Deadly Alliance for the first time is a great Christmas memory.
I've always loved watching your MK content, but this has now become my favorite video of yours. The 3D era of MK will always hold a special place in my heart, much more so than the current games, and hearing you talk about all the positives that seem to be lost on the community the newer games built up is incredibly satisfying. I really hope we'll get to see you talk about Deception and Armageddon in the future
It's a shame about all the history revision that happened after MK9 dropped. Suddenly the 3D games were bad or stupid didn't play well. Which is all nonsense considering Deadly Alliance saved the franchise.
This was the first PS2 game I ever saw, at least 20 years ago. Some adults were playing it outside (they had small businesses like that back in the day) and they let me and my friend play for a bit since they were done. I was only used to PS1 back then and my mind was just blown. Used to play this all the time, along with Deception and Trilogy. Still remember watching Adema's music video and cooking with Scorpion when I bought my own PS2. Those times were just golden.
I honestly feel like instead of trying to feel like a movie, the mk stories going forward could be more episodic. Where we can have interconnected web stories but also the cinematic story. DA while not perfect was a genuinely fun entry that I fondly look back on.
That's what they did for Injustice, having an ongoing web comic prequel alongside the games. That would be a good idea for MK stuff going forward. And it doesn't have to be prequel content either.
The bigger thing wrong with Li Mei's Baji Quan stance is why the fuck is she kicking, Baji Quan is far more about being squared up against your opponent and pummeling them with your elbows, knees, and shoulders. That's like its defining feature, how did they get that wrong
31:35 THANK YOU. I’m still so pissed that Frost in mk11 has red blood and a human skeleton. THEY LITERALLY MADE AN ENTIRE ENDOSKELETON FOR TERMINATOR, but Jax and Frost who are long time important fighters in MK get no such treatment
Even though Deception and Armageddon are better than deadly alliance, deadly alliance still holds a special place in my heart and I had great memories growing up playing it, Happy 20th Anniversary MKDA
This game was INSANE when it dropped; it was at the start of my freshman year of high school, and my buddy rented it for the PS2. We were OBSESSED. I ended up getting the GameCube version that Christmas, and I still have fond memories of playing for hours and hours and hours on end. This as my game winter 2002 into 2003!
Very wonderful video, hit my nostalgia extremely hard. Had only recently found your channel I think about 2-3 years ago, but been loving your takes on MK as a whole, and learning new things I have never known about. Was difficult to pause the video at times due to how engaged it had me! Outstanding work 4thSnake!
I never grew up with a 3D games as a kid but your videos inspired me to play them and they are awesome and I wish more people would play them instead of the new games
This is honestly one my all time favorites of your videos, and this game is the start of the best Era of Mortal Kombat Story because outside of a few elements they really figured out the lore the best in this trilogy of games starting with this game and these games make the original 4 better by default.
The game is bittersweet for me. I had played MK 2 and later MK4 at friend's house and was familiar with the MK movie and bits of the cartoon. I wasn't a hardcore fan, just a gamer kid, but I knew the status quo of characters (with my favourite being Liu Kang). MK wasn't really an "adult" game to me back then because, despite the blood, it was just what I considered lighthearted fun with good guys and bad guys. That was until Deadly Alliance came around and changed the way I viewed the series. I remember my dad renting it for me and after watching the rather grim intro movie, I was shaken to my core and I wasn't at all prepared for such huge story changes, particularly the death of Liu Kang. I remember not even being motivated to play the ladder or story modes because I was left so gutted by the intro. My enthusiasm was just gone. Granted, I was still a bit too young to be MK's target audience so I should've known better, but for a while MKDA put me off MK games and left a sour taste in my mouth. I eventually came around once Deception was released and enjoyed that game far more than any MK game prior. Deadly Alliance however I still avoided due to the mostly bad memories and the bleaker tone but once I got to my late teens/early 20s I had a curious and nostalgic urge to revisit it (I was heavily into MK9 by then). I don't think the game holds up too well gameplay wise (none of the 3D era games truly do) but I can appreciate it's unique aspects more as an adult than I could growing up. The music is still fantasitc and I do agree that the extra features like the Krypt and fighting style system, environmental fatalities, they were all super memorable. I still maintain that some of the changes were a bit too extreme and some ideas were half baked but I can appreciate that it tried to be something different. Also, Allan Stagg (RIP) is possibly my favourite Raiden voice. It's just so iconic to me and it's a shame he never got to do any more.
Thank you some much for this video. I'm am sick of every MK "fan" saying that the 3D era was horrible and that the NRS era is flawless. DA and Deception are probably some of my favorite games. I love how experimental Midway was in this era. We got cool mini games like Puzzle and Chess Kombat. I love that there was bigger approach to the story and lore of the games with Konquest Mode. And while most of the new characters may of not been great we still got some that are still beloved today like: Keneshi, Havik, Nitara and oh course Onaga who is leagues more memorable than Kronkia as a villian. The only valid criticism I'll accept is that the game's graphics had aged poorly. However IMO as long as a games are fun to play I feel like graphics shouldn't matter that much .
Just checked this out after sleeping on the initial upload and I gotta say, you did great with this one. I'm almost embarrassed to admit MK11 was my first dip into Mortal Kombat but it's the reason why I was interested to see what people had to say about it which is how I found your channel. And I love your big reviews on the mainline games! This one in particular made me feel oddly nostalgic despite never touching it and it only makes me more eager to try other games in the series outside of the modern NRS ones. Normally I don't comment but genuinely, amazing work. If you do make a Deception video, I promise I won't take 6 months to watch it. lmao
Watching the intro of this game as a teenager and seeing Lu Kang die and soul being devoured was pretty shocking but showed the brutality of MK and that anything could happen
Hey Snake, that was really cool of you to give Adema a shout out by saying they’re still around and to bring em back for the next game, even include new footage of their performance. Small thing, but they’re my favorite band and I discovered them through Deadly Alliance, so this game holds a very special place in my heart. Might even be my favorite MK. Wish it was available for virtual consoles
I have played all the games since the beginning and followed the story. It was the reveal that Noob was Sub-Zero from MK 1 in Deception that blew my mind and made me go back and really study the lore of the series and have become a fervent follower since then. Since it was Deception that mind fucked me it has become my favourite in the series but the story has fallen Since that game.which made DA fall to the way side for me. You have now reinvigorated my love for it and now I shall go back to it and unlock everything
I get that some people think of Kung Lao as a lesser Liu Kang. It was his moment to shine. To step up and show everyone what he’s made of and he lost. Not really fair to him though. Pretty much all of the heroes lost. They killed the golden boy himself in the intro, albeit a bit of sneakiness and surprise was involved but they straight up bodied Raiden too. Shao Kahn might’ve avoided an L there but he didn’t directly confront them and left town. He knew better. Clearly the sorcerers at the top of their games and the height of their powers was kind of a big deal.
watching this video really brought me back to that era of games from the 2000's that had really weird 3D models and areas that stood on the backbone of their art style. games like this one, Devil May Cry, the Ghost Rider PS2 game, Gauntlet Dark Legacy, and so many others. it's a big nostalgia trip. and seeing how this was my first MK game, i just had to watch it.
Character Select theme still goes hard 20years later! Killing the hero was so crazy at the time no main hero and more focus on story this game was badass really felt chaotic with the main hero and villain dead it was up to you who stepped up
"Immortal" by Adema was my jam during early High School. Glad I'm not the only one who enjoyed it. My first MK may have been MK 2 but 4, Deception and Deadly Alliance are my favorites growing up.
I never played it personally, but I love this game. It remains one of the best MK games ever made. I think there's a lot to be said about how much better this game is as a storytelling device despite not actually having cutscenes. What a shocking revelation: You can tell a good story without putting a lot of money into it.
Liu Kang being killed still one of the most biggest moments in video game history showed Midway would cross the line in the MK stories.
It's great, especially in a series where the same guy wins all the time and nobody stays dead between games. Kang stayed dead until the time was reset, then killed again. I do wish writers and game devs would actually commit to keeping characters dead more.
Shocked the shit outta my young ass. I blamed mortal kombat annihilation and mythology for them killing Liu Kang lol
@@EndoScorpion it was such an outta their mind idea but it was so good and worked out so well that in the reboot they reused the idea! They also added onto the idea by making them revenants.
@@WinterBoots15 The heroes who died in Deadly Alliance were revenants in Deception. And at least that arc went some where and was concluded. Unlike in the NRS era.
Dark Raiden also used Liu Kang's soulless body as a thrall (a revenant). The Midway era did it, and did it way better. The NRS era didn't add anything new or interesting to it, and most of the revenants were forgotten about, only showing up once or twice to get beaten up by the player.
Heck, making Kang the ruler of Netherrealm was probably stolen from Noob Saibot's Deception arc, where he wanted to become ruler.
I was pissed back in '02, not gonna lie lol. Loved the game though. Kung lao was a good alternative
Loved how DA nailed the dark and mystical feeling of MK. And the large amount of lore you could uncover was great.
It was amazing and the Krypt helped explains more with the characters ❤
And now it's just GI Joe.
@@dr.feelgoodmalusphillips2475 yes! I want them to go back to martial arts/asian lore. It became to military like
True mate! Also kinda sad Deception outshined Deadly Alliance, but I loved both nonetheless.
@@drwho9319I think MK 11 had a good mix.
It's unrealistic to think that Earthrealm would get invaded and that no military would get involved.
This was the Mortal Kombat game that made me start seriously paying attention to the story. I loved this game back in the day.
Same!
Same. I began with the original cabinet in a 7/11, but it was Deadly Alliance when I even noticed a story lol
YES and deception ❤
I felt Armageddon is when they started to go less serious with the theme to me
Jax's alternative design actually makes sense in this cannon/timeline since he still has his natural arms underneath the metal ones. So he can remove them if he'd want to
The original cyber arms were more like strength enhancers. As well as metal shielding. It can be taken off like gloves 🧤
@charleshastings7260 Hes basically doing Jaqui's thing before she existed. Its also the reason why his metal arms can always look so different whenever theyre depicted....even though that reason stopped making sense once MK9 came out.
@@Ninetails2000I propose you can just assume that the technology in his arms got updated between each game
Makes him much much cooler. The new one is on some fan fiction stuff with his arms. I remember him having fake arms was something literally most kids made up at 8. They usually come up with the head canon that he ripped off his own arms. Man have the writing fallen.
Cooking With Scorpion is one of the best things to unlock in the Krypt, not to mention the game having the Adema Music Video (Immortal is still a fucking bop!) Deadly Alliance is underrated as fuck. Hell the whole 3D era is underutilized nowadays.
Absolutely agree!
My roommates and I still play this game and deception on weekends. Such a great game and one of my absolute favorites.
Not all heroes wear capes.
@@The4thSnake absolutely. My buds and I will be waiting for a Deception video, its our favorite game. Many runs of Konquest.
Deception, shouldn't monks, umk3 and Armageddon is all I cared about. Newer ones were mk9 and mkx
Wish I had friends like that lol
Deception is way better for me, but DA set the path
1. This mean we gotta wait 2 years for a Deception analysis?
2. I really don't see how people can look at the 3D era vs. Netherrealm and honestly think Netherrealm is better when it's obvious the devs cared WAY more in the 3D era
I wasn’t a fan of the gameplay, but this era is my favorite when it comes to the lore.
I think the 3D era has such a bad wrap because it introduced so many lame characters and the fatalities are some of the weakest in the series.
But with that being said, I really respect the crew for putting so much effort into the lore and I personally love the new gamemodes. Chess, puzzle, kart, and conquest mode are all lots of fun!
People want gameplay first in their games. Street Fighter IV showed them decent fighting game play, and there were plenty of fighting kusoge already. That said, NetherRealm DOES need to get its act together with storytelling methods.
well have a deception analysis b4 a new m=mk game
I definitely agree with the second point...too bad im 19 and i didn't grow up with midway MK games
I definitely agree with the second point...too bad im 19 and i didn't grow up with midway MK games
It’s nice to hear you speak about the things you like about an MK game. I came in around the MKX critique and so I got all of that plus all of MK11. I’ve revisited this video a couple of times now. Hopefully we see something like this for Deception and/or Armageddon
We gonna have to wait a few years for that one mate lol. I love to hear him talk positive bout mk too…. He definitely does a good job positively showing the 3D era of MK… often looked back on with disdain… at least from what I’ve seen.
I remember my brother and I playing MK1 and 2 on Sega Mega Drive, and we had a PC copy of Trilogy. I only rented MK4 and was quite disappointed with it at the time.
But I distinctly remember my brother getting me Deadly Alliance for my birthday - and this is when I really fell in love with the series. I really dove deep into the lore and the characters. The 3D era is where MK peaked in terms of story. And the costumes were amazing, some of them still stand up at the the best in the franchise.
Deadly Alliance not only cemented my love for the series, but also my love for Scorpion too. Prior to this; I'd play mostly as Johnny in Mk1-2, and Noob Saibot in Trilogy (he was so OP in that game). I love both of Scorpion's costumes in DA. His Hapkido style, and that swaying of his stance is forever burnt into my memory. Friends and family would rage-quit when I played as Scorpion because I would dominate. Even Moloch struggled. If I ever got stuck on Moloch with another character - I'd whip out Scorpion to kick his butt. Ironic considering Scorp's canon ending in this game.
This has to be Raiden's besr costume too. To this day I still wish we got a proper conclusion to his Dark arc. I'd happily forget about all this timeline crap and just pick up from MK Armageddon or even Deception. I say Deception because I feel that Midway's need to include all the characters from the series hindered the story. While it was great to see some characters come back, some could've easily been forgotten or stayed dead. Still, I liked Taven and would love to see him return.
Hsu Hao is no way near as bad as people say he is. I actually liked the dynamic between the two dragon clans and the OWIA. And the fact Hsu Hao destroyed the OWIA's means to travel between the realms put a massive delay on the heroes getting to Outworld, giving the Deadly Alliance enough time to amass their army. I mean, wasn't Li Mei the last soul to be (almost) put into the Dragon King army (with Bo Rai Cho saving her at the last second). Imagine the heroes got there a lot sooner: They could've regrouped with Cyrax and Kenshi; Sub Zero wouldn't be galavanting off with Frost elsewhere; Scorpion might not have needed to sneak in underground; Li Mei's souls wouldn't have been tainted by almost getting put into a skeleton body / forming a connection with Onaga; and Bo Rai Cho would've stuck around to help in the fight. Significantly strengthening the Forces of Light. I'm probably reaching a bit, but I still feel Hsu had a bigger effect on the story than people give credit for, and like other characters who got a second chance / expanded upon; there is potential there to make something better out of Hsu.
Mavado can f off though! XD
Never liked that guy!
The problems with Hsu Hao is his outfit is goofy, he's kinda like a shirtless Nazi even his initials are HH. And he only had 2 special moves, other than that he's a redeemable character
Outside from Armaggedon, both Deadly Alliance and Deception are my favorite Mortal Kombat stories (they are for the franchise what IW and Endgame were for MCU). Not only they expand the mythology with new characters but the idea of killing Liu Kang was bold move and gave chance to other characters, specially Kitana and Sindel to develop, rather than just pulling a "Death/Return of Superman" and bringing Liu Kang back for the final fight because of "protagonist armor"
Mortal Kombat Deception is my favourite of these 3D era Mortal Kombat games. Deadly Aliance is great too though.
@@AllTerrainNewfieJRY Same. I see the both games as the IW and Endgame of the MK universe: One story ends in cliffhanger with heroes being defeated and and the second show their rise from the ashes.
My only complain with Deception is that, I wish it had story mode showing what happened after Shujinko was betrayed with him teaming up with the other heroes to defeat Onaga.
As someone who always played the 3d Era games as a kid but never understood the story, I'm glad your videos have made me appreciate this Era more than the netherrealm Era games
I gotta admit. The Deadly Alliance sounds more like a pro wrestling tag team. really. imagine it. "On the way to the ring. The Deadly Alliance!"
You talking positively about Quan Chi almost feels like character development. Interesting, Mr. 4th.
Edit: Props for calling out the fan base for dunking on Hsu Hao. Really is refreshing seeing him be defended
I'm glad you mentioned how memorable the music was in Deadly Alliance. The Netherealm Studio MK games have not captured the musical prowess the earlier games achieved.
Honestly one of the biggest sins NRS committed was not bringing back any of the the songs from the 3D era or remixing them.
Deadly Alliance is Probably the Most Underrated Game in the Franchise,like the Sonic Franchise I Love when a Team of Game Producers Experiment New Things,I Love the Music and The Roster of Characters are Really Good with Interesting Designs and Characters,to this Day as A Artist that Drawn 300+ Characters,the 3D Era Characters can Work on Modern Times.
Both this one and mk4. Why mk4? Bcuz it’s the first 3d game for mk and bcuz of thst it gets hate and yet still it’s playable and the music was amazing the darkness of the feel and vibe of the story and backgrounds were dead on and it just felt like a game in the works for a long time. I used to hate it myself in comparison to mk3 and mk2 but that’s honestly not even a bad thing bcuz mk2-3 were and still are considered some of the best mk games ever so it just suffered from not living up to what mk2/3 delivered however mk4 was still good in its own right. Shinnok would’ve been fine as a final boss had he just been given the double life bar shao Kahn was and double attack power it would’ve been the same. Deadly alliance seemed boring as heck at the time. To me if mk4 was a step down from mk2-3 then deadly alliance was a step down from mk4 and I say this in terms of the fun level and a lot has to do with the overall feel of the game. Looking back the game is very good if it’s not compared to say mk2-3 or the newer great mk games the graphic improvement was perhaps the biggest thing deadly alliance impressed me with. I think the music is what had me underwhelmed honestly. I think if this was music for like a practice mode or left as such it would’ve been fine but for the main gameplay it seemed alor slower and just off from the intense fast paced dark mk4 music. I can still enjoy deadly alliance todsy more than before perhaps but again I’m js what I felt it lacked which the music is what killed it the most for me honestly. Story development and lore for not only this game but for unraveling the lore of past and future games this game was probably the best. Deadly alliance was a break from the intensity that was the buildup of mk1-4 but honestly the graphics you can tell they put everything into it and I feel like deception and Armageddon both were not as good on graphics
DA was never underrated. When it came out it was consideres a massive improvement from MK4.
I wouldn't consider it underrated when Deception is objectively better.
The 3d era was amazing. Shame that people will never see it for what it really was.
The nostalgia crowd won and we've all seen what happens when a series refuses to let itself grow or evolve in a natural way.
Nostalgia can be toxic.
@@Jahlil.W I'm outright GLARING that way.
@@codafett I hardly think nostalgia killed OR saved MK. Rather, I can appreciate each era for what it is and even get how they can all fit together. The idea of a Keeper of Time allows EVERYTHING to be canon while still having there be structure. Basically having MK's self-awareness be seriously core to its lore. As for Sindel in case that's a sticking point with you, there are signs she's possessed, specifically in Jade's arcade ending in MK9 and Sindel's own MK11 gameplay.
That all said, the 3D era could've used one more game before Armageddon instead of MK vs. DCU in order to have a full set of meat on its bones even if the core gameplay still wouldn't've been hot, said gameplay DID need fixing as even from a casual standpoint fighting kusoge were getting tiresome, and having one character win all their fights each chapter is indeed hamstringing the reboot era's (and Injustice's) storytelling.
Ehh these costumes were 2000s cringey & new characters were just meh 🫤 .
This video alone shows me all over again how much story, passion, and character in general went into this and Deception. I miss MK games like this.
DA and deception were absolutely amazing the best stories in Mk as well.
I’ve always imagined what a modern take on that opening would be like. Just thinking of Shang Tsung saying in Liu Kang’s ear before he snaps his neck “three times you’ve bested me in kombat and three times you failed to finish me. Now Liu Kang, your soul is mine”
I love MKDA so much I'd fuck it. It did so many things right and made me fall in love with the series all over again.
Also, the Sarna Ruins kinda have story relevance, it's supposed to be the outside of the Lost Tomb where Quan finds Onaga's army.
Appreciate you talking about DA. It's a nice change of pace from talking about games you dislike or outright hate. I'm hyped to hear your thoughts on Deception and Armageddon when those videos drop.
I miss when games didn't need to be dumbed down to be simple for a wider audience, the lore prior to NRS's version was way more interesting to me and only made me want more.
Every time I see the Krypt in any MK game or the old adventure modes it always just kinda makes me wish we'd get a straight up RPG/Adventure game in the MK world even if it's just kind of a dark souls clone or batman arkham clone gameplay wise
I Think it'd be great for exploring the world
An Arkham or Dark Souls clone would be boring as fuck. An MK game with Shenmue or Yakuza gameplay would be way more interesting.
MKDA Reptile was my favorite design overall. Made him feel like he fit into Outworld rather than just being a green clad dude.
Agreed, this design and MK9 are my favorite designs
@Orobas That outfit is great
How do you like the new MK1 Reptile's forms?
@@glassofwater281 I think they went way too hard in an Alligator-looking direction. Really looks like the Gatorclaws from Fallout 4 rather than Reptile honestly.
@@GenMaj_Knight Yeah I agree. When he switched forms my first thought was Godzilla. But I do think it's cool he goes from smaller and swift to a brutish monster
No joke my favorite thing about DA are the extras like concept art and various other things you unlock in the Krypt.
But I absolutely love the Making Of video which to this day I'll watch and never get tired of it. The cheese fries always make me hungry lol.
Funny enough, my first Mortal Kombat game was Deadly Alliance,
I remember playing that game, and the 3D era as a whole with my family all the time
Ok, so unpopular opinion here…
Deadly Alliance is actually my favorite of the 3D era games. With it being the first true 3D MK game, and one of the first games I owned on the PS2, it was a breath of fresh air from the cheesiness of MK3 and 4. Sure, Deception was objectively a better game mechanics wise, but DA (at least in my honest opinion), looked better, and even sounded better.
One of the reasons MK2 is so beloved is that it completely nailed the aesthetic of sinister oriental mysticism. It's bright and colorful, yet oozing with style, atmosphere, and dark Chinese sorcerous shit. The series didn't really hit that golden ratio again until MKDA. Deception went almost a little too dark with its muted brown-gray color palette and the borderline experimental soundtrack, so it took me a little while to warm up to it, but now I like it almost as much.
Wish at some point another MK game makes me feel the same way those two do. ._.
@@NucleaRaptor MK II is my overall favorite title in the series. You hit the nail on the head with this, and my first exposure to MK II was the SNES port (which ended up being my favorite version that I still own to this day). Everything about this game was perfect to me as a fighter 😊
Can't wait to see if there's going to be a Deception 20th Anniversary Analysis this year.👀
When deadly alliance came out my parents wouldn’t let me get it due to the violence but a kid in my neighborhood had it. I have such fond memories of going over to his place every weekend to play through it. This and deception holds very fond memories to me. I really hope you’ll do a video like this for deception and Armageddon in the future
The first Mortal Kombat game I ever played. Still holds a soft spot in my heart to this day. I don't care if people don't like the 3d era, I enjoyed it back then and still like it now.
The 3d MK games was what got the MK franchise back on its feat after that abomination of that MK Annihilation movie.
2:18 this right here is why you're the best channel ever XD
When 4thSnake does an anniversary better than the MK devs themselves lmao
The midway era was the golden age of MK. After Warner acquired the IP it just doesn’t feel the same, it feels like they don’t understand what made the games great.
Ed boon and everyone else dont control nothing anymore
Story-wise, absolutely. The gameplay was kinda garbage though (especially in comparison to other 3D fighters at the time), and the less said about its character additions (be it Drahmin, Kobra, or goddamn Hsu Hao), the better.
@@JennyTheNerdBatIt was competing with the best fighting games ever made back then. Deception plays well.
I used to play MKDA as a kid, probably either MKT or this is my first MK game; The Midway MK series will always be canon to my heart. I can't wait for MK Deception analysis.
Liu Kang’s death broke my fucking heart when I first saw that cutscene as a youngin’ and it also scared the shit out of me. Deadly Alliance is my favorite MK despite my favorite character being dead and unplayable.
Two things I never get tired of:
1. The4thSnake shitting on the NRS era of MK
2. The4thSnake propping up the 3D era of MK
We absolutely need a Deception video.
These 3D games are trash. When your mini games are better than the core game, you have a problem. They're fun to laugh at though.
@@SilkyLew Uh-huh. Sure.
@@SilkyLew Yes, the older MKs were basic trash standard gameplay-wise, but inoffensively so (gratuitous gore aside), and we're talking STORY here. THAT's what captivated The4thSnake. Old MKs may be kusoge, but they're GOOD kusoge.
These games had a cool aesthetic and some nice bonus content but they played like trash. There’s a reason a tournament scene didn’t exist for this era of mk.
@@DougDongo I neither know (nor care) about the tournament scene, but they were head and shoulders above any previous MK entry as singleplayer games - there was no cheating bullshit AI and thus you could actually (shock gasp) try and use your character's full arsenal rather than figuring out the one way to cheese the shitty AI. I replayed UMK3 recently and cheesing the shitty AI was the only way to win.
10:25 - 11:05 This is one of the reasons I enjoy SoulCalibur VI’s story. Every character has their own tale to tell, some not even related to the main plot at all such as Talim’s, and it really helps the world feel bigger and more alive. I wish modern MK had this approach tbh, even if I do enjoy watching the cinematic, if only for dumb fun to turn my brain off to.
My first real foray into MK was this game, and looking back it was amazing.
Armageddon was the one i played the most, but all the of the 3d era games are GOATed
I remember that stupid yet hilarious fatality with Quan Chi where he stretches his opponent's neck up.
Deadly Alliance has always been my favorite of the mk games, sure its got some flaws but its always been my go to mk game in terms of both story and characters.
I'd kill for "Ultimate Edition" remasters of the 3D games with all content from every edition.
Cooking with Scorpion is still the best part of MKDA
Learn about Chopping, Meat 🍖 Tenderizing, Cake 🎂 Decorating and Chopping!!! Lol
CHOPPING!!!
That and the music video.
1:28 i think only hsu hao's fatality did something like that where it wasnt achieved by just shrinking the model's head or appendages, so i'd like to think that wasnt as much of a factor to model detail. the universal bloody stumps wouldnt be introduced until deception
so yes, hsu hao of all people has the most gory fatality in the game
I was saddened after giving away my old Xbox years ago when my 360 couldn't run my copy of DA, until I decided to get another one for PS2. The intro, presentation, music, everything just bled that timeless MK atmosphere, and nostalgia smacked me hard in the gut. If I'm honest, the 3D era was never my favorite in terms of gameplay, but when everything else was so badass and memorable, I couldn't help but remember why I loved this game so much, and had a grand old time with this and Deception, just like the good old days.
This game and Deception really are the Tekken 4 equivalent of the series, and looking back they all were such badass games. Great retrospective mate, and cheers to DA!
Tekken 4 and DA
I know it's not his full rope dart, but Scorpion does use his kunai more like a knife, in one of his MK2 Fatalities to slit his opponents throat before cutting them in half across the abdomen. Shaolin Monks had a variation of this too.
Tekken has a similar problem with making nearly everyone connected to the Mishimas instead of doing their own thing and it frustrates me.
Fucking hell.. this comment couldn't have been any more true now considering the reveal of Reina in Tekken 8
Yeah man just give Heihachi yet another unknown-until-now bastard child, don't forget to make it a young woman because the series also can't bring itself to have a female character that has visibly aged!
I love this series but god are these two points my biggest pet peeves with it
Played DA myself earlier this month and had an absolute blast playing it, didn't give the game much appreciation in the past as for me it was just that MK game that Deception and Armageddon built up on but the revisit made me question my younger self why I didn't spend more time with it. Absolute banger of a video, Snake! 3D era needs the love, hope other games will get this kind of analysis too.
Yes! Someone who likes Reptile's design in this, I always liked the idea of his devolution into his more primal state cool. I was familiar with the series back then but didn't follow the plot until I was gifted Deadly Alliance and was floored with how much content was jammed in.
The 3D Era of MK was the peak of Fighting Game storytelling.
Kai and Fujin should have been in the roster of Deadly Alliance instead of Raiden however.
The lore and design of characters and stages were incredible in the 3d era. It was the most fun mortal Kombat had ever been. Killing liu Kang in the intro was mind blasting.
Also, the intro for deadly alliance, deception and Shaolin monks are 3 of the best intros to a game I've ever seen. I think the only intro that surpasses them is the intro to onimusha 3.
Waiting for the MK:Deception 20th year anniversary
MKDA is where people put heart and creativuty into a game
MK NR trilogy is when a soulles corporate entity takes over
PLUS : LIKE/SHARE THIS VIDEO!!
WE NEED MKD AND MKA REVIEWS
I really wish NRS would give the 3D Era games one last chance and just remaster them already. Sadly after seeing how they clearly didn’t do shit for the 30th anniversary I’m doubting it at this point.
Would be really cool to see a 3D Trilogy that mergers all three games (including the GBA version so we get all content) that polishes up the graphics, gives better fatalities and improves gameplay of not only the core game itself but the Konquest modes as well. I remember seeing videos in the Armageddon Krypt of early Konquest Mode where Taven had a bow and could actually attack stealthily, that'd be cool if that was added back in and there was more to do in both Konquest modes.
I would honestly argue that this is some of the best stuff that the 4th snake has ever created and I want to see more content like this, so great job snake.
He really gave a positive review of the game!
It’s so refreshing hearing you talk about an MK game that you like 👍
I especially appreciate how he doesn't dunk on Hsu Hao and Mavado just to be cool.
During the Liao dynasty(the Khitan Empire) there was a ruler named Shengzong 982 - 1031 and when I heard the lecturer pronounce his name, I thought he said Shang Tsung. And then I thought, the 4th Snake needs to know about this(cuz you use to do a history series). And while I'm certain it's just coincidence, I thought you might vaguely care
lol
That might ironically be where Shang Tsung’s name came from. Good eye. I’m actually learning about Chinese History now so this is a good fact for me to learn.
@@The4thSnake you've got several bots impersonation bots in the comments please ban it.
@@zaymac117 I need to know where they are first.
ok
Got this game on a rainy black friday. My first black friday buy. I was fourteen at the time. Me and my brother would play this constantly coming off playing MK4 with many others in the past. Man what a game changer for sure. And never once did I know of all the extra content it still had after opening up some of the Krypts for characters and outfits. I just unlocked a bare minimum and just enjoyed playing with my Bro. He wasn't even mad about Liu Kang dying or Scorpion "dying" in his ending. We were more surprised and intrigued about it than disheartened. Favorite characters to play were Li Mei, Sub Zero, Kung Lao, Sonya Blade, and Kenshi.
20 years ago today, the start of MK’s best trilogy was released!
I'd say Armageddon lacked and slumped in comparison to the Deception and DA games still way better then netherrealms plotline in future entries
Ok fine, leave out Armageddon and include Shaolin monks. Best trilogy.
@@richardw1043 Armageddon is still fun and fine tho
@@richardw1043 Nah Armageddon is still a good game, and a good game product. With a lot of game inside of the purchase. Similar to how SF6 looks to be a good game overall rather than just a good fighting game.
It stands well in it's own right and is part of the best trilogy.
@@Lucy2Juicy Ye, I really like KAF and the universal parry, also some stuff from DA is there
I love “Deadly Alliance” it was super fun to play, it also introduced me to the band Adema
Mortal kombat deadly alliance along with deception were the two 3D era games to me that started to go deeper with story and characters. It took the world more seriously compare mk games now it becomes more humor. Yes mk 1-3 were comedic at times but 3D era is what helped mk get more serious with the characters and lore. also I felt it was more open and creativity, I mean the the character select music were the BEST 🎉
I confess, even as an MK fan since 97ish, I played Deadly Alliance and Deception for the 1st time only in 2020. didn't have any consoles in 2000s, and my old PC couldn't run the emulator well.
but when I finally played DA, especially after seeing (from afar, ain't touching it) what a disaster MK11 was, I was blown away. It was dark, cool, complex... I still go back to DA more than to Deception, there's something really tactical about its gameplay that's missing in Deception imo.
I didn't really like how you had to complete all the conquest stuff for the story bits, as it could take quite a while (the game refused to register some tricky combos, like with Cyrax). but the story was so interesting, so intricate. it really showed the potential MK universe had.
oh, and people who hate Hsu Hao can get f'ed, the guy hit like a truck and was one of the stronger characters in the game.
Thank you for making this video 4thsnake. MK Deadly Alliance was actually my 1st fighting game, I was about 5 or 6 years old and my Dad bought it for himself and bought ATV Off Road Fury 2 for me. But after seeing him play he let me join in because he didn't know anyone else to play with, he definitely wasn't much of a gamer (lol MK never scared me as a kid and he noticed that, so it was cool kinda ) And ever since then, the 3D era of Mortal Kombat was a way for me, my Dad, and eventually my older sister to kinda bond with each other. While most families where playing Uno and Monopoly, we where playing whatever the newest MK on PS2 that was out during that era (our Mom was "Meh" about it because we would mostly play with Dad) I still remember passing the controller in Konquest mode for Deadly Alliance and Deception (P.S Deception was our favorite too, we loved all the different realms, we actually got stuck training with Sub-Zero then Kenshi later 😮💨) All this to say I definitely understand where you're coming from when you say " I don't know why people like to hate on the 3D era of Mortal Kombat" I thought that was the best/innovated time for MK too. It wasn't until I met gamers who played Tekken (like that series too) and Street Fighter (don't care for that series) that I realized the hate. I think it got all that hate for being different and not wildly fast or way simplified like the older MK. But either way I enjoyed the video, most of your other Kontent ( talkin about Tekken) and hope it "makes numbers" so you can make a Deception video too
My most favorite game in the series, even ahead of MKX, and one of the best, IMO.
Amazing art style, amazing soundtrack, good gameplay, superb bonus content.
And, of course, one of the best, if not the best story in a fighting game, where every single substory is part of the whole narrative. Deception attempted to replicate this, but to no avail, I feel.
Excellent analysis! So refreshing to finally watch your video properly dedicated to one of 3D MK and take a ride through DA and this atmospheric Era. Eagerly waiting for next videos on the 3D era (even if means waiting for the 20th anniversary of each one LOL)
I loved DA, it's what got me hooked on MK. Don't even want to think how many hours I sunk into it.
Also i like the old deception/DA crypts more than the recent ones, once the coolness factor wears off it just becomes tedious to find items I want to.
Even knowing everything that it's inside the game, it's very cool to hear someone's saying it.
MK Deception is also my favourite, but I have a lot of love to Deadly Alliance. The memories of playing it with my cousin will be forever buried inside me.
Gread video, thank you.
Cooking with Scorpion was my favorite bizarre thing in the game.
Deception was my first MK but this game is up in the favorites for me too. I really don’t understand what’s so hard about bringing these games back on modern hardware with just simple re-releases.
I’m no dev but I’m sure Neatherrelm is just content with making the increasingly disappointing modern entries today, same with volition, and many others I don’t care about anymore.
It’s nice to hear genuine enjoyment in that voice of yours after years of the MK critiques which I constantly revisit, no game is without its flaws but it’s really nice to hear a good perspective on it
Bless you Snake, fans needed such a video. Not many Middle Era Games reviews to begin with, i love those so much myself... Will be pleased to see more about my beloved Deception and pretty fun with its roster and customization Armageddon c:
Even though i started with classic games, i never liked them that much outside of violence and being one of my first fighting games. But hoo boi, when i got to play Middle Era games... I was in love, got really into the fandom too.
My emotions are so mixed right now with Netherrealm Era. I don't _hate_ them, but they do so much wrong in my eyes. Pain.
Deadly Alliance was my first MK, I was young and would play it with my parents and my cousins when they came over. I loved Hsu Hao, can't explain why but he was one of my three favorite fighters to use(others being Cyrax and Reptile who I still love to this day), so seeing the hate for him always upset me a bit. Movado too, I loved his gimmick. I remember exploring the crypt, I remember using the game guide that came with the game to find things in the crypt and I seem to recall the game guide having Kung Lao's fatality listed in it. It was tradition for me as a kid to stay up on Christmas Eve and try to beat a game I'd previously struggled with, and beating Moloch on Deadly Alliance for the first time is a great Christmas memory.
I've always loved watching your MK content, but this has now become my favorite video of yours. The 3D era of MK will always hold a special place in my heart, much more so than the current games, and hearing you talk about all the positives that seem to be lost on the community the newer games built up is incredibly satisfying. I really hope we'll get to see you talk about Deception and Armageddon in the future
It's a shame about all the history revision that happened after MK9 dropped. Suddenly the 3D games were bad or stupid didn't play well. Which is all nonsense considering Deadly Alliance saved the franchise.
This was the first PS2 game I ever saw, at least 20 years ago. Some adults were playing it outside (they had small businesses like that back in the day) and they let me and my friend play for a bit since they were done. I was only used to PS1 back then and my mind was just blown. Used to play this all the time, along with Deception and Trilogy. Still remember watching Adema's music video and cooking with Scorpion when I bought my own PS2. Those times were just golden.
I honestly feel like instead of trying to feel like a movie, the mk stories going forward could be more episodic. Where we can have interconnected web stories but also the cinematic story. DA while not perfect was a genuinely fun entry that I fondly look back on.
That's what they did for Injustice, having an ongoing web comic prequel alongside the games. That would be a good idea for MK stuff going forward. And it doesn't have to be prequel content either.
The bigger thing wrong with Li Mei's Baji Quan stance is why the fuck is she kicking, Baji Quan is far more about being squared up against your opponent and pummeling them with your elbows, knees, and shoulders. That's like its defining feature, how did they get that wrong
31:35 THANK YOU. I’m still so pissed that Frost in mk11 has red blood and a human skeleton. THEY LITERALLY MADE AN ENTIRE ENDOSKELETON FOR TERMINATOR, but Jax and Frost who are long time important fighters in MK get no such treatment
Even though Deception and Armageddon are better than deadly alliance, deadly alliance still holds a special place in my heart and I had great memories growing up playing it, Happy 20th Anniversary MKDA
This game was INSANE when it dropped; it was at the start of my freshman year of high school, and my buddy rented it for the PS2. We were OBSESSED. I ended up getting the GameCube version that Christmas, and I still have fond memories of playing for hours and hours and hours on end. This as my game winter 2002 into 2003!
Very wonderful video, hit my nostalgia extremely hard. Had only recently found your channel I think about 2-3 years ago, but been loving your takes on MK as a whole, and learning new things I have never known about. Was difficult to pause the video at times due to how engaged it had me! Outstanding work 4thSnake!
I never grew up with a 3D games as a kid but your videos inspired me to play them and they are awesome and I wish more people would play them instead of the new games
DA's mechanics in particular are the most interesting of the 3d titles despite KAF and the universal parry(formerly DA's parry) being my favourites
Thats an awesome plot this game has thanks for making me aware of this. This was an epic video to watch. Also the heart the devs put into this game.
This is honestly one my all time favorites of your videos, and this game is the start of the best Era of Mortal Kombat Story because outside of a few elements they really figured out the lore the best in this trilogy of games starting with this game and these games make the original 4 better by default.
30:41 You pronouncing "Ba ji quan" properly was the most satisfying thing I've ever heard.
The game is bittersweet for me. I had played MK 2 and later MK4 at friend's house and was familiar with the MK movie and bits of the cartoon. I wasn't a hardcore fan, just a gamer kid, but I knew the status quo of characters (with my favourite being Liu Kang). MK wasn't really an "adult" game to me back then because, despite the blood, it was just what I considered lighthearted fun with good guys and bad guys. That was until Deadly Alliance came around and changed the way I viewed the series.
I remember my dad renting it for me and after watching the rather grim intro movie, I was shaken to my core and I wasn't at all prepared for such huge story changes, particularly the death of Liu Kang. I remember not even being motivated to play the ladder or story modes because I was left so gutted by the intro. My enthusiasm was just gone. Granted, I was still a bit too young to be MK's target audience so I should've known better, but for a while MKDA put me off MK games and left a sour taste in my mouth. I eventually came around once Deception was released and enjoyed that game far more than any MK game prior. Deadly Alliance however I still avoided due to the mostly bad memories and the bleaker tone but once I got to my late teens/early 20s I had a curious and nostalgic urge to revisit it (I was heavily into MK9 by then). I don't think the game holds up too well gameplay wise (none of the 3D era games truly do) but I can appreciate it's unique aspects more as an adult than I could growing up. The music is still fantasitc and I do agree that the extra features like the Krypt and fighting style system, environmental fatalities, they were all super memorable. I still maintain that some of the changes were a bit too extreme and some ideas were half baked but I can appreciate that it tried to be something different.
Also, Allan Stagg (RIP) is possibly my favourite Raiden voice. It's just so iconic to me and it's a shame he never got to do any more.
Thank you some much for this video. I'm am sick of every MK "fan" saying that the 3D era was horrible and that the NRS era is flawless. DA and Deception are probably some of my favorite games. I love how experimental Midway was in this era. We got cool mini games like Puzzle and Chess Kombat. I love that there was bigger approach to the story and lore of the games with Konquest Mode. And while most of the new characters may of not been great we still got some that are still beloved today like: Keneshi, Havik, Nitara and oh course Onaga who is leagues more memorable than Kronkia as a villian. The only valid criticism I'll accept is that the game's graphics had aged poorly. However IMO as long as a games are fun to play I feel like graphics shouldn't matter that much .
Just checked this out after sleeping on the initial upload and I gotta say, you did great with this one. I'm almost embarrassed to admit MK11 was my first dip into Mortal Kombat but it's the reason why I was interested to see what people had to say about it which is how I found your channel. And I love your big reviews on the mainline games! This one in particular made me feel oddly nostalgic despite never touching it and it only makes me more eager to try other games in the series outside of the modern NRS ones. Normally I don't comment but genuinely, amazing work. If you do make a Deception video, I promise I won't take 6 months to watch it. lmao
Watching the intro of this game as a teenager and seeing Lu Kang die and soul being devoured was pretty shocking but showed the brutality of MK and that anything could happen
Hey Snake, that was really cool of you to give Adema a shout out by saying they’re still around and to bring em back for the next game, even include new footage of their performance. Small thing, but they’re my favorite band and I discovered them through Deadly Alliance, so this game holds a very special place in my heart. Might even be my favorite MK. Wish it was available for virtual consoles
You are top 2 mortal kombat related channels im glad i found this channel
40 minute long video about one of the best MK games of all time? WE EATING TODAY
the 3d era plotline were THE BEST.
MKX Outworld conflict had a lot of potential too.
I have played all the games since the beginning and followed the story. It was the reveal that Noob was Sub-Zero from MK 1 in Deception that blew my mind and made me go back and really study the lore of the series and have become a fervent follower since then. Since it was Deception that mind fucked me it has become my favourite in the series but the story has fallen Since that game.which made DA fall to the way side for me. You have now reinvigorated my love for it and now I shall go back to it and unlock everything
I get that some people think of Kung Lao as a lesser Liu Kang. It was his moment to shine. To step up and show everyone what he’s made of and he lost.
Not really fair to him though. Pretty much all of the heroes lost. They killed the golden boy himself in the intro, albeit a bit of sneakiness and surprise was involved but they straight up bodied Raiden too. Shao Kahn might’ve avoided an L there but he didn’t directly confront them and left town. He knew better. Clearly the sorcerers at the top of their games and the height of their powers was kind of a big deal.
watching this video really brought me back to that era of games from the 2000's that had really weird 3D models and areas that stood on the backbone of their art style. games like this one, Devil May Cry, the Ghost Rider PS2 game, Gauntlet Dark Legacy, and so many others. it's a big nostalgia trip. and seeing how this was my first MK game, i just had to watch it.
Character Select theme still goes hard 20years later! Killing the hero was so crazy at the time no main hero and more focus on story this game was badass really felt chaotic with the main hero and villain dead it was up to you who stepped up
"Immortal" by Adema was my jam during early High School.
Glad I'm not the only one who enjoyed it.
My first MK may have been MK 2 but 4, Deception and Deadly Alliance are my favorites growing up.
This video really reminded me how much life MK has lost.
I remembered the crypt...er..Krypt. It was fun unlocking all the secrets.
I never played it personally, but I love this game. It remains one of the best MK games ever made. I think there's a lot to be said about how much better this game is as a storytelling device despite not actually having cutscenes. What a shocking revelation: You can tell a good story without putting a lot of money into it.
The 3D era will always be my favorite. Say what you want about Armageddon, but Deception and Deadly Alliance are perfect.