Introduction

Ah, the 1990s. A time of questionable fashion and graphics that somehow managed to look amazing at the time. Enter *Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero*, a title that promised to expand the famous fatality-flinging universe of the *Mortal Kombat* franchise into a rich and epic action-adventure. What did we end up with? A game that felt like it slipped out of an alternate dimension where bad controls and frustrating gameplay are the norm. Spoiler alert: It's not pretty.

Gameplay

Gameplay in *Mythologies* revolves around Sub-Zero navigating through a maze of poorly designed levels while battling enemies with all the finesse of a toddler trying to pick up a spoon for the first time. Players control our favorite ice thrower using four attack buttons, a block button, and a run button. Picture a fighting game morphed into an awkward side-scrolling platformer where you end up stuck in the proverbial mud more often than not. Special moves require 'ice power'-which seems appropriate, considering how frozen you will feel waiting for the game to register your buttons. Gain experience points to upgrade abilities, but do so while juggling a health meter that depletes faster than your will to continue playing.

Graphics

The graphics present a mixed bag-or more accurately, someone left a bag of mixed nuts in the sun. The game utilized Midway's digitized actors from the original *Mortal Kombat* games, resulting in character animations that look like they were shot during an impromptu living room rehearsal for a low-budget superhero film. The backgrounds, however, do sport some real-time 3D elements, giving you a tiny glimpse of what could have been. Cutscenes featuring live-action footage are like finding a relatively well-preserved fossil in a dumpster: surprising, but also raising some serious questions about your life choices.

Conclusion

In conclusion, *Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero* is kind of like that one ex that you can't forget. Sure, they had their moments-like some delightful characters and the odd fun mechanic-but the overwhelming frustration and bitterness leave a bad taste in your mouth. If you're an ardent *MK* fan ready to cringe while playing through possibly one of the worst experiences in the franchise, have at it! Otherwise, it's best to let Sub-Zero stay in the 90s, frozen in time, where bad games flow like cheap beer at a college party-abundant, regrettable, and ultimately an experience you think twice about reliving.

See Prices for Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero on PlayStation on Ebay