Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero

***Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero*** is a 1997 action-adventure game of the fighting game series *Mortal Kombat*. It is the first *Mortal Kombat* game to feature side-scrolling gameplay. It was released for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64. *Mythologies* is a prequel set prior to the events of the tournament in the original *Mortal Kombat*. The storyline centers on the warrior, Sub-Zero. He is asked to find an amulet by the sorcerer Quan Chi. The player controls Sub-Zero in multiple stages as he faces multiple enemies trying to eliminate him.

The PlayStation version features live-action cutscenes; the Nintendo 64 version of the game replaced the live-action cutscenes with still images of such, due to limited storage space on the cartridge. Criticism toward the game are directed at the poor transition from fighting games to an action-adventure genre. Some labeled it as the second worst *Mortal Kombat* game next to *Mortal Kombat: Special Forces*.

## Gameplay

Although *Mythologies* is classified as an action-adventure game, its play controls are very similar to the 2D *Mortal Kombat* fighting games. The player has four attack buttons, along with a block button and a run button like in *Mortal Kombat 3*. The player controls Sub-Zero as they would in a fighting game, including the use of command-based special moves, to fight enemies and venture through levels. A "turn" button is used to change the direction Sub-Zero is facing, while an "action" button is used to pick up or use items. The player also has access to a status screen which keeps tracks of the player's inventory, experience points, and special moves they gain during the game.

The player begins the game with a small health gauge and a limited number of extra lives. Over the course of the game's progression the player can gain experience points by performing combos against enemies, which are then used to increase their character's strength and gain access to special moves. An "ice meter" will appear after the player begins to acquire special moves. Special moves requires ice power in order to be performed. Health and ice power can be replenished by picking up items (although the ice meter will gradually replenish itself over time as well). The player will also need to retrieve key items. Passwords are used to keep track of the player's progress.

## Plot

The story is set before the events that took place in the original *Mortal Kombat* and follows the Lin Kuei assassin and thief Sub-Zero hired by the sorcerer Quan Chi to steal a map of elements from a Shaolin temple. Battling through the Shaolin monks who guarded the map, Sub-Zero faces his rival, Scorpion from the Shirai Ryu clan who was also hired by Quan Chi. Sub-Zero kills Scorpion and retrieves the map. Back at the headquarters of the Lin Kuei, Sub-Zero delivers the map to Quan Chi, who repays the Lin Kuei by eliminating all the members of the Shirai Ryu, the Lin Kuei's rival clan. Retaining the Lin Kuei's services, Quan Chi has Sub-Zero follow the map to the Temple of Elements, where an amulet of "sentimental value" was resting.[1]

Sub-Zero reaches the temple and went through its many challenges and obstacles, eliminating the gods of Wind, Earth, Water, and Fire that protected the amulet. Just as Sub-Zero reaches out for it, Quan Chi takes the amulet, saying that it was actually the source of power for a fallen Elder God named Shinnok. Quan Chi disappears through a portal, and the thunder god Raiden accuses Sub-Zero, ordering him to go to the Netherealm to retrieve the amulet.[2]

Sub-Zero is sent to the Netherealm but is trapped in the Prison of Souls by Quan Chi's guards. There, he is met by the undead spectre of his archnemsis, Scorpion, who blames Sub-Zero for the destruction of his clan and family. Sub-Zero once again kills Scorpion and escapes. He then fights Quan Chi's underlings: Kia, Sareena, and Jataaka. Retrieving their transportation crystals, he is able to get to Quan Chi's fortress. Sub-Zero defeats the three of them and goes to Quan Chi's room. The fight against Quan Chi either ends with Sub-Zero's victory or Sareena finishing Quan Chi. As Sareena pleads to escape from the Netherealm, she is killed by Shinnok. Sub-Zero steals the amulet from Shinnok and escapes through a portal created by Raiden, and delivers the amulet to the god.[3] Returning to the Lin Kuei headquarters, Sub-Zero is once again hired by another sorcerer named Shang Tsung to compete in a tournament called Mortal Kombat.

## Development

The making of *Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero* spanned about 14 months from start to finish, with news that the game was being worked on leaking to the press in the third quarter of 1996.[5] The main design team was located at Midway's Chicago offices and consisted of five artists, two programmers and a sound designer. The graphics in *Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero* were created using many different techniques. While Sub-Zero and many of the more humanoid characters were created using *Mortal Kombat*'s trademark of digitizing live actors, many of the more ominous enemies as well as all of the backgrounds were done in real time 3D. This combination supposedly provides for a more realistic look than has ever been achieved in the previous *Mortal Kombat* games. Another addition to the *Mortal Kombat* universe was to use detailed cinematic sequences to help tell the story while the player progresses through the game. This was done by combining live actors with digital elements. The actors were taped in front of a green screen, and then they were digitally combined with 3D backdrops. The actual video shoot for these sequences took about a week to complete. The crew was kept to a minimum and the entire process from taping to post-production work took about a month.[6]