MK franchise surprise: a side-scrolling beat'em up with Kung Lao and Liu Kang in the Mortal Kombat universe. The Streets of Rage approach in the MK universe with bloody combos is successful. An original and enjoyable title taking the franchise off the beaten path.
Your verdict
Category
Beat-'Em-Up2 players16+
Co-op
Description
A Midway beat'em up spin-off released in 2005 (Germany, Europe, US) that transposes Mortal Kombat into a God of War-style format. Players take on Liu Kang or Kung Lao in cooperative duo, in a linear adventure centered on the conquest of Outworld. Scripted fatalities, split-screen co-op. A rare and successful experiment.
Mortal Kombat - Shaolin Monks review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
This spin-off reinvents Mortal Kombat as a God of War-style action-adventure. Gone the closed arena: Liu Kang and Kung Lao, playable as a duo, carve their way through Outworld's hordes in a linear adventure seen in wide shot. The art direction unfolds vast environments crossed one after another, and stages scripted fatalities, spectacular chains of killing drawn from the series' lore and adapted to a progression brawler.
Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks, a two-player action spin-off that revisits the saga's universe as a gory brawler rather than a fighting game, become a quiet favorite for its tone and co-op. Still accessible, its interest lies in this status as a singular offshoot within a huge franchise and the nostalgia of a two-player experience rather than scarcity. A likeable piece for Mortal Kombat fans bent on completeness.
Better with friends
A dark beat-'em-up drawn from a cult fighting universe, where two warriors clear hordes side by side with plenty of gory finishers. The cooperation shines in team combos and synchronized executions, turning the carnage into a brutal ballet of shared glee. Bloody and cathartic, it chains waves and hilarious fatalities you restart together to ask for more.
Is Mortal Kombat - Shaolin Monks still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2005 on PS2, Midway's project takes the bold gamble of moving the Mortal Kombat universe into a third person brawler rather than a classic fighting game. Playing Liu Kang or Kung Lao across arenas riddled with traps and environmental fatalities offers a delightful catharsis, reinforced by local two player co-op. The combo system and the gore finishers stay faithful to the bloody spirit of the series. The camera and the repetition weigh a little. A flavourful spin off, recommended for Mortal Kombat fans and for lovers of cooperative brawling who want the franchise gore in a fresh shape.
