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As far as the fighting mechanic is concerned, the biggest change is the inclusion of indicator lights that show you what state your opponent is in. For instance, if an opponent launches an attack that misses, he may be open to a counter, and the lights will indicate that. By the same token, if you unleash a strong attack, your own fighter's light will show that, and give your opponent information on how to go about attacking you. While some fans may balk at this concept, it seems like it will add an interesting dynamic to each fight. Those well-versed in reading the indicators should do a lot better. And of course, there is always the option to turn the lights off completely.


Perhaps the biggest revelation of the day, however, was the inclusion of three new modes of gameplay: Konquest, MK Chess and Puzzle Kombat. The Konquest mode will greatly expand on the story mode that was included in Deadly Alliance, including tons of extra gameplay. The Konquest will play out like an RPG, where the character begins as a teenager and grows older as you play the mode.

Time is a huge factor in Konquest mode, as there will be specific events staged at specific times (as in a game like Animal Crossing), where if you are standing at a predetermined place at the right moment on the game clock, you will meet a person who will give you an exclusive unlockable tied to that place and time. This should come as good news to the collection fiends out there.

MK Chess is perhaps the most intriguing of the new modes, as it seeks to combine the MK aesthetic with the old school charm of Archon. In the presentation, that game was mentioned directly several times, and it appears the concept behind the mode is right on par with Archon's mix of strategy and action. For those unfamiliar with the game, it is essentially a form of chess, where players try to control the board and maneuver their pieces into power positions to be victorious. However, whenever two pieces meet on a square, there is combat—or in this case, Kombat—to determine who gets to keep that chunk of real estate, and who gets toppled. In this mode, you will have the ability to set a role for each of your fighters before going into battle, enhancing their abilities in strategic ways in order to ensure victory.

Another interesting addition to the already plump package is Puzzle Kombat, a Tetris-style puzzle game that is similar to the Super Puzzle Fighter series. In this mode, cartoonish MK characters hang out beneath each puzzle and contribute to the action as it feverishly unfolds above. The mini-MKs will each have their own Fatalities as well, so rest assured that the blood doesn't stop at the main game.



Both Puzzle Kombat and MK Chess will also support online play, in addition to the main head-to-head game. The PS2 version will go online thanks to GameSpy, and the Xbox game will, of course, use Xbox Live. This promises to be a huge element of gameplay, and we'll keep you posted as we get more information about exactly what the online experience will entail.

From what we've seen, Deception promises to be a huge upgrade to an already robust fighter. The teaser footage was awesome, and we can't wait to get our hands on all the new tweaks and game modes. Color us Anticipatory Red. Which of the 24 Mortal Kombat characters will be in the game? Which 14 will be available right off the bat? Keep your dial tuned to IGN for future updates, coming soon.
-- Chris Carle
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