Sup everyone, well I’ve had a lot more time to dig deep into the MK9 engine and now I’m ready to report with a full analysis. I know some of you will still pass up on this game or just might be uncertain of how it will play, hopefully this comprehensive report with enlighten some of you. In short it plays like a 2D Tekken with SF spacing, so keeping that in mind I’ll get into all the details and break it all down 1 by 1:
Footsies: Footsies don’t exist in MK9 due to the normal’s/special normal’s lacking quick start ups or range. There are a lot of specials in this game that move forward and hit quickly and these beat any normal’s/special normal every time. As a result footsies become risky and ultimately pointless.
Normal’s/Special normal’s: While normal’s/special normal’s can’t be applied into a footsies game, they function as zoning,tick throws,mix ups and frame trap tools just as well as any other 2D fighter.
Zoning: Controlling space is a very big aspect of MK9, and most of the specials in MK9 are designed as spacing tools. Its applied in same method you would apply zoning in a SF title, with the exception being that projectiles pass through each other as opposed to colliding.
Throws: Works nearly the same as SF4’s 2 button grab layout (LP+LK) with the only exception being in how you break them. In MK9 you perform a front grab and back grab by pressing either front or back as you throw. You break a forward grab by pressing LP and to break a back grab you press LK. As a result throws become a 50/50 mix up game in MK9 and work identical to what the soul caliber series uses for there throw system.
Offense: MK9 popularizes between either zoning or rushing down, and moving in on a opponent works in the same fashion as a SF title. However the biggest difference in MK9 lies with its offense and more specifically in how you apply it. Unlike most 2D fighters out there, you do not have a chain/link/rapid fire combo system. You also cannot confirm specials from crouching normal’s and special moves cannot be applied as offensive pressuring tools due to them all having terrible recovery on block. Instead you apply offense in the way of target combos and the mix up opportunities they present. In MK9 the block stun is huge and the reversal windows are small. As a result whenever you perform a target combo your left at massive frame advantage which gives you the opportunity for a number of offensive measures afterwards. This produces incredible momentum for whoever the aggressor is in the round since MK9 rewards a player narrowing the space and initiating a target combo string with a tremendous 50/50 game upon impact on the opponent.
Defense: While the games does have reversals and wake up moves, the majority of them have no invincibility on start up. Coupled with the strict reversal window timing and the fact that most wake up/reversal moves recover bad if whiffed or blocked (and no FADC to make them safe), reversals become situational and highly risky. Instead the best defense and option to reset a bad situation is to quite simply memorize the target combos and defend accordingly to the mix up that follow. It should also be noted that while zoning is extremely effective a mid/full screen it becomes useless at a range I like to call the?sweet spot?. When your just outside the range of your opponents longest reaching norma/special normal, your able to safely move on them without little to no resistance. This is due to the fact that in addition to normal’s/special normal’s being slow on start up, most specials lack invincibility on st art up which means they function essentially in the same manner as normal/specials do. As a result, controlling space from a defensive position at this range is nearly impossible and quite risky given the recovery on whiffs. AA’s soldemly work at this range and with the ability to cancel dashes, baiting for the opponent to move forward and punish doesn’t work. The only real effective strategy at this range is block and wait out the pressure or bait a jump in and dash underneath it to reset the position.
Damage: The game has high damage output by comparison to something like SF4. The game doesn’t have a come back mechanic but it still has incredible come back potential due to the high damaging combos and the momentum the aggressive opponent achieves upon getting in. Chip damage also occurs from every attack meaning every attack will eventually add up regardless if its blocked or not.
Speed: While not as fast as UMK3 or MVC3, its still a fast game. The pacing dulls a bit at mid/full screen which is usually where the zoning aspect comes into play, but once someone gets in the mix ups and pressure make the action very exciting and quick.
Bottom line, the game isn’t perfect and there are a few things Id like to see improved in the sequel but IMO its easily the best MK to date and one of the best fighters to come out in the last few years.
