Mortal Kombat

GAME OF THE WEEK:18 cert, Warner Bros, Xbox (also PS3) ****

Along with

Street Fighter

, I have something of a soft spot for

Mortal Kombat

games. So the news that the franchise was returning was welcome. But would it live up to past titles?

The latest instalment is set mainly in the past. It begins with Raiden and Shao Kahn as the only two remaining fighters, following the events of Armageddon, with Shao Kahn about to defeat Raiden. Raiden sends a message to his past self, via his amulet, hoping to change the world's fate. Players are then taken back through the early MKera and its players, with a story that, while a little cheesy, hooks you in.

Long time fans will be pleased to see such fighters as Scorpion and Liu Kang make an appearance. Cyborg Smoke also features in the latest title, while the PS3 gets Kratos as an exclusive character. There's enough nostalgia factor to attract fans while giving newer players the chance to see some MKhistory.

As you'd expect, Mortal Kombatis suitable violent, with some amazing fatality scenes that are worth the effort. At times it pushes the boundaries of taste – ripping your opponents into little pieces features a lot, as does ripping out internal organs, and one player is forced to rip his own head off. So the squeamish should probably avoid the gorier fatality moves. But that's what MKhas always done best, rather than the cheesier cartoon violence of some franchises.

The control system has been tweaked, with the four buttons now controlling a limb each instead of the standard high and low attacks. This took getting used to (and a few panic button mashes did occur), but once you get the hang of it, it actually works better and faster than previous configurations.

One of the most welcome elements of this title was the return to 2D. It makes it feel more like a classic MKgame, but with graphics that far outstrip any past efforts.

A good retelling of the Mortal Kombatstory, and one fans shouldn't miss.