Mortal Kombat: Armageddon [PS2]

Nobody does gratuitous violence like Mortal Kombat. In its third current-gen iteration, Armageddon, we're led to believe the series which popularized fatalities is itself going to die out. While that's about as likely as the Rolling Stones finally putting their touring days behind them, this is in all probability the final MK on PS2 or Xbox. It definitely goes out with a splatter.

It could've just as well been called MK: Family Reunion, because the gang's all here. No other game inspires such shock and awe just by looking at the character select screen. The number of kombatants (around 60) is absolutely staggering -- and each one has a unique weapon and hand-to-hand fighting style to boot. Deciding whom to play may be the toughest part about Mortal Kombat: Armageddon.

The player creator doesn't make that choice any simpler. Armageddon gives you near-limitless options to customize your very own murderer. Many of the parts need to be purchased, but koins are easy to come by. Several distinguishing characteristics obviously have other fight-game stars in mind (Guile's flat-top and Paul Phoenix's high-top fade are quite evident). You can even assign attacks to every button, and pick your own special moves. It's incredibly deep, even if you can only save one concoction at a time.

Mortal Kombat, for all its popularity and controversy, has never been the best-playing fighting game on the market. The fact that other fighters like DOA and Tekken keep evolving isn't helping matters. It's like this series sits in its own little bubble, oblivious to its peers. Gameplay isn't very conducive to newbies or button-mashers, instead rewarding those who memorize combo strings. The revamped air attack system is also reserved for more experienced fighters. The game is still playable and the special moves are there, but its old-school approach is like a British redcoat trying to battle a Navy SEAL.