There's no denying the popularity of the Mortal Kombat series, often hailed as one of the fighting genres biggest players, and with several embarrassingly lame movies behind it (a sure sign of a good game) creators Ed Boon and John Tobias look set to inject new life into the lagging horse. The outstanding Soul Calibre set the notch of quality for beat-'em-ups higher than its ever been, so can this old format, that relies almost purely upon its unrivalled level of gratuitous violence really compete in today's market? The signs are all pointing to destination yes, and with some neat new innovations under its belt, Mortal Kombat is all set for an immortal comeback.

The gameplay consists of a mixture of old skool hand to hand/shin sweeping/chin smashing uppercut carnage and more intricate, less brutal weapon based combat. Those looking for variety in fighting styles will have their desires wholly quenched, included are many of the better known Martial arts, as well as less orthodox methods of combat, among them the “drunken fists”. Those familiar with the feel of the earlier games may feel somewhat alienated; a conscious effort has been made to distance this latest incarnation from its predecessors. The layer of pure trash has been well and truly cut from Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, gone are the multicoloured masked ninjas, in their places stand 23 characters both new and old, each with their own ideas about how to kick the living hell out of the others. All attempts to make this game child friendly have gone (quite thankfully I must add) out of the window, with the most extreme fatalities ever seen in a video game. I have a feeling there will be cries to have this game banned when it graces our shelves on Valentines Day.

Hmmm, ironic that they should choose to release this game on Valentines Day, considering the purpose of the organ so often associated with this day is to pump blood around our bodies. The red stuff will (as you are probably expecting) be making an appearance in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, and in quantities copious. Don't expect anything less than an 18 certificate, with blood squirting, splashing and generally gushing all over the floor and walls at every opportunity. We've all experienced the delightful chime and lowering of the lights when you pull off the correct button combination, proceeded by a hugely satisfying sequence, usually involving the loser having a bit of his or her body pulled off by the victor. And it's wonderful to see this in full 3D. I know it sounds macabre, but if you don't like it you shouldn't really be playing it in the first place.

Were you under the impression that Super Smash Brothers: Melee has a huge catalogue of unlockable extras? You sir, are mistaken. Included within the “Krypt” (the creators really ought to turn their spell checkers on) is an impressive, nay, an astonishing array of treats, totalling 667(!) for those who are insane enough to go through the game for long enough. Goodies include new arenas, artwork and other things I daren't give away. This game will claim hours of your life, you can bet that much. The AI, like most Mortal Kombat games, is extremely unforgiving, and on harder difficulties the computer-controlled characters will really give your arse a bruising. Fans of the series at its prime won't be disappointed; neither will casual fight fans. Gaming rarely ascends to the plain of enjoyment Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance resides upon; this is one I'm certainly looking forward to.