Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is a game that delivers on quantity but falters heavily on quality, particularly when it comes to the storyline and character handling. No other game in the Mortal Kombat series matches Armageddon's massive roster, featuring every character from the franchise up to that point. It's an impressive feat that undeniably makes the game a fan favorite when it comes to sheer variety. However, this is where the praise ends for many, as the game's lore, stories, and character development feel like a massive step back, especially after the brilliant Mortal Kombat: Deception.
The narrative in Armageddon is nothing short of chaotic. After releasing what many consider the best Mortal Kombat game in history, Deception, Armageddon comes along with a story that seems disjointed and, in many cases, nonsensical. The lore feels rushed, and several characters are thrown into situations that simply don't fit their established arcs. One of the biggest disappointments is how Armageddon treats Kira, a character who had a promising debut in Deception. In Armageddon, she is handled in the worst possible way, becoming a shadow of her former self. Her moveset is altered and worsened, making her fighting style less enjoyable and much less unique.
What's even more baffling is Kira's role-or lack thereof-in the Konquest mode. She doesn't even get to fight, leaving Kobra, who is clearly a less skilled fighter, to handle Taven alone. How does that make sense? Kira had so much more potential, but her involvement is cut short in favor of lesser characters. This disconnect extends to her ending, which feels completely out of place. Kira's fate in her own ending is lackluster, while Kobra's ending oddly gives her a better outcome. It's frustrating when you compare this to Deception, where the Black Dragon characters like Kobra, Kabal, and Kira all had endings that aligned perfectly with each other and felt coherent.
The fatality system in Armageddon is another sore point. The custom fatalities, while novel, are a step down from the brutal, creative finishers Mortal Kombat fans have come to expect. It feels like the developers prioritized quantity over quality here, and it shows.
On a positive note, Armageddon introduced features like the Kreate-A-Fighter mode, which is still one of the best customization tools the series has ever seen. But no amount of customization can save the lore from being an absolute mess.
In conclusion, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon is a game that excels in terms of roster size and features but fails miserably when it comes to the story and character treatment. Kira, in particular, suffers the most, becoming a watered-down version of herself with an unfulfilling arc. After the success of Deception, it's hard not to wonder how this game's lore turned out so disastrously. The reset of the timeline, while necessary after the mess Armageddon made, doesn't erase the frustration fans felt when this game was released.
