Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Midway
  • Release Date: Sep 16, 2005
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 41 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 41
  3. Negative: 0 out of 41
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  1. PALGN
    70
    It won’t win any game of the year awards, but for a piece of brainless action, you can’t really go wrong with Shaolin Monks.
  2. Computer Games Magazine
    70
    The generous slathering of nostalgia for the locations and characters of the old arcade games is a treat. [Dec p.93]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. GamesRadar+
    70
    If you love all things MK, you'll see Shaolin Monks as a special milestone in the franchise and a reward for your loyalty. Otherwise, it's just a fun brawling diversion with lots of gloopy blood and two unlockable characters. Either way, it's good stuff.
  5. GameSpy
    70
    The advantage is (once again no surprise) the Dual Shock controller. Instead of having to strain for the white and black buttons, fatalities and throws reside on the shoulder buttons, where they belong.
  6. Eurogamer
    70
    If there's a rhyme or reason to it, perhaps it's that the violence and gore are still satisfyingly novel, but that this time it's more show-and-tell than learn-and-apply.
  7. Gamer's Hell
    70
    Fans of the series will be satisfied by the amount of secrets and unlockable features in the game, but for the non-fans, this might be worth a rental instead of a purchase.
  8. Game Revolution
    67
    A fairly impressive beast. It might not be smart, polished or new, but it's wonderfully violent, varied and bloody. Plus, it’s proof that two heads are better than one.
  9. TotalGames.net
    65
    Despite there being a massive selection of attacks at your disposal, you won't use them, and after battling through your seventeenth batch of Oni bastards, you'll soon settle for the simplest and most effective means of disposal and trade any style for progress.
    All this publication's reviews
  10. G4 TV
    60
    Shaolin Monks' replay value could use a jump-start or two from Raiden’s fingertips. Despite an arcade port of Mortal Kombat II and a two-player versus mode, there’s simply not enough "kontent" to justify a purchase for most.
  11. games(TM)
    50
    It’s a non-offensive way to while away a few hours digging up the past, but the core gameplay doesn’t hold a candle to the title it’s so fondly remembering. [Nov 2005, p.108]
    All this publication's reviews

Awards & Rankings

61
#61 Best PS2 Game of 2005
17
#17 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2005
10
#10 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2005

User Reviews

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User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 210 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 185 out of 210
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 210
  3. Negative: 8 out of 210
  1. CastleGhost666
    Apr 24, 2011
    10
    A enjoyable co-op or single player adventure game! Mortal Kombat fans and casual gamers will love this,any other who says this is not goodA enjoyable co-op or single player adventure game! Mortal Kombat fans and casual gamers will love this,any other who says this is not good must be really,really a big die hard street fighter fan!… Full Review »
  2. Mkfan786
    Sep 19, 2008
    10
    This game is a Mortal Kombat game, but not ur usual style of MK gane. It's a change but still Mortal Kombat with plenty of classicThis game is a Mortal Kombat game, but not ur usual style of MK gane. It's a change but still Mortal Kombat with plenty of classic characters in there including Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sub Zero, Ermac, Human Smoke, Reptile, Noob Saibot, Sonya, Jax, Rayden, Shang Tsung, Shao Khan, Goro, Kintaro, Kitana, Mileena, Jade, Baraka, Johnny Cage and Kano. You can play as Scorpion and Sub Zero aswell as Kung Lao and Liu Kang, who each have about 10 fatalities each! Plus there is the new multality mode, allowing you to perform a fatality on multiple enemies at same time, and also a brutality mode. There is a vs mode with more playable characters to use, and there are plenty of hidden things to find and unlock including the full Mortal Kombat 2 game, and a superb hidden survival mode that pits you against all kinds of enemies and multiple bosses at the same time. There is also a ko op mode allowing 2 players to play on screen at once which doubles the fun you can have with this game. If you are like Mortal Kombat then this is an essential purchase for you, and even if you don't, this game is still very fun to play, especially in ko op mode with 2 players.… Full Review »
  3. DavidHoltzer
    Apr 24, 2019
    10
    One of the best fighting games.I loved the story and the various places, puzzles and enemies
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