Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Midway
  • Release Date: Sep 16, 2005
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
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  1. SergioG.
    Jul 10, 2005
    10
    It's da bomb.
  2. NickJ.
    Oct 14, 2005
    10
    Amazing fighting and kombat God of War plus fatalities.
  3. NickdogS.
    Oct 22, 2005
    10
    1 of the best games since god of war, gtasa.
  4. CraigJr.
    Oct 4, 2005
    10
    Wow, its the best Mortal Kombat ever...anyone who thought MK2 was awesome will surely fall in love with this one. The Vs. mode is the best feature, it brings each background from MK2 to an intesely interactive 3D 'environment', upping the exotic factor of the old school backdrops to a really utilizable MK utopia. While the game is offstream the usual flow of the series as it is Wow, its the best Mortal Kombat ever...anyone who thought MK2 was awesome will surely fall in love with this one. The Vs. mode is the best feature, it brings each background from MK2 to an intesely interactive 3D 'environment', upping the exotic factor of the old school backdrops to a really utilizable MK utopia. While the game is offstream the usual flow of the series as it is a remake, it offers some of the deepest rush seen in the beat-'em-up genre, with gameplay depth far deeper than god of war and even Devil May Cry, and some of the most intense coloured lighting effects so far, its strange how little the difference between PS2 and Xbox versions is. No doubt Midway has out done itself this time. Making a fully functional adventure game in just one year, keeping the originality to its maximum and providing the most of the capabilities of the consoles, its just an artistic masterpiece. A sure to buy folks !… Expand
  5. LeeT.
    Sep 25, 2005
    10
    The last couple mortal kombats where crud. Shaolin monks is different to all the other MKs, lots to unlock, heaps of moves n fatalities and the co op mode is awesome.
  6. NicoleC.
    Feb 9, 2006
    10
    Love it love it love it
  7. FarooqA.
    Sep 24, 2005
    10
    From the games-industry point of view, this game lies in the category of "Blood Will Tell", filled with all possible stuff a person could get enjoyment from but just lacking the visual edge. Only the visual betterment got 'Ninja Gaiden' such a high industry rating, other-wise its just nearly as good as Sega's 'Shinobi'. MKSM delivers all the current-gen console From the games-industry point of view, this game lies in the category of "Blood Will Tell", filled with all possible stuff a person could get enjoyment from but just lacking the visual edge. Only the visual betterment got 'Ninja Gaiden' such a high industry rating, other-wise its just nearly as good as Sega's 'Shinobi'. MKSM delivers all the current-gen console specialities like a great number of instantaneous polygon feasta, totally new gameplay, great possibilities but definitely it loses the rank mark just due to graphical under-achievement. From the "Mortal Kombat" franchise point of view, this game simply rocks, MK has always been about a great story, in-depth scenerios, with a flawless story-line which seems to be very much worked upon in terms of continuity. It is so exotic that it lets the players feel theirselves deciding the out-comes of the lives of the ingame characters. One of the remarks of the series co-creator Mr. Ed Boon was that 'reality is boring, we have gone beyond reality', keeping the natural behaviour of the affairs natural, MK rises beyond reality and delivers that excellent world to live in that the purist Hong Kong cinema promised in the 80s. Tony Goskie's great art work just can't be forgotten once you have peeked at it. MK has always provided such a mystical, gothic and exotic locations in which any person who has respect for art and virtual reality in terms of aesthetics will surely die to go and reside. I myself kept playing the previous part of the series MK:Deception just for knowing which new stage will be unlocked, and this time around in MK:Shaolin Monks there are everywhere such beautiful sceneries to look at and get immersed..So the conclusion is that every body loves 'Wuxia' (if anybody is does not know the term, a great description is available at "en.wikipedia.com", just write in search "Wuxia" and you'll know), and if you really want to satisfy your thirst in an action adventure game for Wuxia, you're bound to play: For Japanese Wuxia :- "Blood Will Tell" For Chinese Wuxia:- "Mortal Kombat : Shaolin Monks".… Expand
  8. 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 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 SubThis 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.… Expand
  9. DavidA.
    Sep 29, 2005
    10
    Great game the best mortal combat game.
  10. FurqanF.
    Sep 29, 2005
    10
    Looking at the last two installments in the m.k. games by midway...it appears as if developers are taking an asian/oriental-focused turn which is nothing less than an excellent decision. The old man Shujinko from the previous installment in my opinion has been the coolest guy ever featured in a fighting game, he had such a deep personality that was further garnished by a complete game Looking at the last two installments in the m.k. games by midway...it appears as if developers are taking an asian/oriental-focused turn which is nothing less than an excellent decision. The old man Shujinko from the previous installment in my opinion has been the coolest guy ever featured in a fighting game, he had such a deep personality that was further garnished by a complete game mode done for him alone ("Konquest" that is). The whole mystic feel surrounding him gave waves of honour and dignity that you find largely incorporated by and from the philosophies of the two awesome diciplines of Chinese Kung-Fu-Buddhist traditions that are "Wudang" and "Shaolin"(Good study midway!). And within days (not weeks) of the launch of the last installment the anouncement of the next m.k. project was done and it was named "Mortal Kombat : Shaolin Monks"...WOW, the name alone stirred the m.k. fans because they were already starting to understand the authenticity, the m.k. brand had started to deliver since the start of this generation of gaming. Knowing the Shujinko/Chinese-Hero emphasized characterization in the last m.k. game and listening to the name of the next m.k. game being focused upon Shaolin Monks, it was already cleared that we are in for an excellent Kung-Fu movie ride that is nothing less than absolute fun. Now we have the game in our hands and it has tuned out to be one of the best m.k. games ever. With the unique art style of the midway's m.k. team and great talent incorporated from the paradox team, this game truly stands up to the expectations of the huge fan-base m.k. brand has gather over more than a decade. While this installment stays true to the fighting elements known accordingly throughout the history of the product(blood, weapons, projectiles, combos, fatalities and miscelleneous other -alities), it has succeeded in delivering the true charisma of the oriental folklore, myth and philosophy that games like(although very, very authentic content wise)Jade Empire and Dynasty Warriors fail to provide. Since the tale of the Mortal Kombat has always been quite keenly developed and deeply inter-linked, it grows quite complex to be apprehended by a new-comer to the series (a perfect candidate story for an RPG game,...maybe someday midway takes that step too) but the beauty of the whole scenerio is that if you take some time to understand it, you won't find any holes in there. It is very much mastered. M.K.:Shaolin Monks is the adventure remake of the original m.k. 2 that came out in 1993, and this time midway actually hired a storyline expert who can track the whole of the story with all its events intact, an effort not to be seen in development of any other fighting game titles... On the technical side, this game has the newly developed , first of its kind "Multi-Directional" fighting engine, more fatalities than in any other m.k. game ever, a long 16 hours gameplay and the unique, gracious soundtrack partially remade from the original m.k. 2 samples and partially fresh, wierd and catchy. If you are looking for some art-enriched and mystic interactive experience people, go grab a copy today, this one R.O.C.K.S. !… Expand
  11. 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 good must be really,really a big die hard street fighter fan!
  12. Kaprawiec
    Jun 23, 2015
    10
    I would love to see the remake/HD version of this title. I remember this as absolutely perfect beatem up title. I loved about everything in this game starting from AV, story and smooth fun gameplay. Easily one of the best MK title (right after MK2 and MK9).
  13. maestro_tim
    Sep 20, 2017
    10
    One of the best action games of its time. Shaolin Monks had and amazing plot to follow. The gameplay was so simple but so comfortable to play. The fights were astonishing, the level design was on top. Looking for the secrets on the levels was amazing. I still remember my satisfaction of unlocking Sub Zero and Scorpion as playable characters in the main campaign! Simply amazing
  14. weskergamer
    Jul 7, 2020
    10
    This is my favorite mk game ever, i really love how they implement the mk fighting games mechanics and the fatalities to this one. The characters, looks so good, better than in next games even in the new ones. Basically every character have more than 3 fatalities, and even tho is underwelming that scorpion and sub zero have liu and kung lao voices when you play with them in the story mode,This is my favorite mk game ever, i really love how they implement the mk fighting games mechanics and the fatalities to this one. The characters, looks so good, better than in next games even in the new ones. Basically every character have more than 3 fatalities, and even tho is underwelming that scorpion and sub zero have liu and kung lao voices when you play with them in the story mode, the truth is that i really dont care this game is awesome… Expand
  15. topman92
    Apr 10, 2018
    10
    This is one of my favorite games in which I'm ready to play constantly! It's very cool and awesome beat-em-up in the universe Mortal Kombat, impregnated with the atmosphere of the classic arcade game Mortal Kombat 2. 4 playable characters, lots of secrets, great soundtrack and steep fighting system make this game one of the best bet-em-up on consoles PS2 / XBOX. I really hope to see a aThis is one of my favorite games in which I'm ready to play constantly! It's very cool and awesome beat-em-up in the universe Mortal Kombat, impregnated with the atmosphere of the classic arcade game Mortal Kombat 2. 4 playable characters, lots of secrets, great soundtrack and steep fighting system make this game one of the best bet-em-up on consoles PS2 / XBOX. I really hope to see a a remake of this game on PC, PS4, HBOX ONE!… Expand
  16. aurora_borealis
    Nov 29, 2018
    10
    this game,was truly awesome. awesome game-play and levels and boss fights... that kind of feeling it gave us when we listened to the awesome soundtracks and so many hidden parts hidden in the environment, secret boss fights, characters and... they all combined together and made us feel that ancient "Mortal kombat" feeling. discovering the new places with awesome graphics were truly the best.
  17. Salah_Gharib
    Dec 29, 2018
    10
    I Think MKSM Is The Best MK Adventure Game Every Created I Finished It a lot Of Times And Still Want To Cause It's Give You The Choose To Travel Any Where And Makes MK World 3D With Movable Elements . The Soundtracks So Amazing Hope It's Have Remastered Edition Near Future
  18. DavidHoltzer
    Apr 24, 2019
    10
    One of the best fighting games.I loved the story and the various places, puzzles and enemies
  19. ryanzero777
    May 28, 2019
    10
    The best MORTAL KOMBAT!! so much better than the NEW MK11!! I LOVE THIS GAME
  20. Katade
    Dec 15, 2019
    10
    Melhor jogo para jogar com os amigos no PS2, pois tem um modo co-op da história que é sensacional.
  21. Bruterake
    May 5, 2020
    10
    PERFEITO!!! Melhores jogos de ps2 fácil, extremamente divertido um absurdo de jogo.
  22. TomyVercEty
    Dec 16, 2020
    10
    The truth is that it is a very good game and more so if you play it cooperatively with a friend, the fatalities that are easy to perform but very well done considering the time, without a doubt a jewel of ps2.
  23. SupahGualtah
    Jun 4, 2020
    10
    man this was hard but i loved it ! wanna get it for Xbox does it work on 360 or One ?
  24. DpChihuahua
    Jul 21, 2020
    10
    Best mk game ever... Amazing story, amazing versus mode and amazing everything! We need a sequel now
  25. Bola111190
    Apr 16, 2022
    10
    increible juego se disfruta mucho el coop y tambien te mete mucho en la historia de mk
  26. MSTFA71
    Feb 24, 2021
    10
    Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood
  27. VikiSetyah
    Aug 25, 2021
    10
    Best mortal Kombat until now. Great multiplayer action adventure games,memoraby cutscene also many combat mechanic in this games and great secret path
  28. davitolucena
    Apr 17, 2023
    10
    melhor jogo de MK ja lançado ate hoje queria muito um remake ou uma continuçao
  29. tututdyure
    Jan 3, 2022
    10
    This game is amazing and exciting. The story of Liu Kang and Kung lao is great. The gameplay is stunning.
  30. Bazifate50
    Apr 20, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. 1 of the best co-op adventure fighting beatem up action games! You play the story of mk2 in deep detail.Multalities, fatalities etc. Awesome gameplay mechanicss in action,fighting and acrobatics. Awesome set pieces,game pace and duration. ED BOON! I WANT A REMASTER OF THIS GAME PLEASE! ED BOON IF YOU READ THIS, PLEASE MAKE AGAIN THIS AWESOME GAME! I cant bother to review the game further. Its 10 and i liked everythinng on it. Despite the fact final bossess are very hard.… Expand
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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

Critic Reviews

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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
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
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  3. 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.
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