MDK

About

MDK is a single player shooter game with comedy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Shiny Entertainment and was released on September 17, 2009. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

MDK is a 3rd person action/shooter game in which the objective is to basically shoot everything that moves in six massive cities, each with their own sublevels. Because the world is being invaded by aliens, it is up to you and your sidekick Bones to stop the invasion and single handedly save Earth. In order to do so, you must make good use of your special suit, which allows you to do all kinds of …

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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78%

Audience ScoreBased on 342 reviews

graphics14 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

MDK is a classic third-person shooter with unique gameplay mechanics and a humorous tone that still resonates with players today.
The game features creative level designs and a memorable soundtrack, making it a nostalgic experience for many who played it in the 90s.
With the right patches, MDK can run well on modern systems, allowing new players to enjoy this underrated gem.

The Steam version of MDK is plagued with technical issues, requiring players to download fan-made patches to make it playable.
Controls are outdated and can be frustrating, making it difficult for new players to adapt without significant remapping.
The game is very short, with a lack of replay value and missing content compared to the original release, such as cutscenes.

graphics
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
73%
5%
The graphics of this game, released in 1997, are generally considered dated but still hold a certain charm, reflecting the limitations of the time. While some players appreciate the unique character and artistic style, including colorful and gothic designs, others note significant graphical issues and glitches that can hinder gameplay. Overall, the visuals are seen as a nostalgic element that doesn't detract from the enjoyable gameplay experience.
- “Around its release (1997) when 3D graphics were still emerging, it's remarkable how good this game looks.”
- “The graphics were awesome back then and they have aged in a decent manner; everything looks sharp and edgy.”
- “Graphically, the game ranges from being really colorful to having almost gothic H.R. Giger-esque designs, especially with the main protagonist.”
- “The graphics for... well, I don't know what's supposed to be there, because it just looks like a big empty space that I can't move around in, right on the first level.”
- “Graphic glitches and bugs make this game unplayable.”
- “The downside is the patch you need to download before the game runs properly with Windows 10 without all the graphics glitches; one I got was from Alyxx, and even then my game breaks down near the end of level 3 despite several re-installations and game replays using different save files.”
music
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
45%
10%
The music in the game is widely praised for its exceptional quality, with many reviewers highlighting the work of composer Tommy Tallarico, who blends orchestral and synthesizer elements to create a whimsical and immersive soundtrack. While the soundtrack significantly enhances the game's atmosphere, some players express disappointment over missing tracks in the Steam version compared to the original PlayStation release. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing to the game's lasting appeal and enjoyment.
- “The soundtrack is incredible.”
- “One of the best games I've ever played, with hands down the best music.”
- “The music is also stellar and composed by Tommy Tallarico, who obviously took a lot of influence from Danny Elfman in his score for the game, using a lot of synthesizers mixed with rich orchestral sounds and themes.”
- “My only gripe with this game is that the soundtrack isn't complete or they scrapped some songs from some of the levels compared to the PlayStation version.”
- “What I don't understand is why the Steam version of this game lacks the ending escape sequence movie clip followed by this French music video.”
- “After you defeat the final boss, the game just abruptly ends, no awesome song and cutscene.”
gameplay
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
36%
7%
The gameplay is widely praised for its fun, varied mechanics and innovative design, particularly in the context of a third-person shooter that introduced unique elements like sniper zooming. While some players note the game's age and outdated mechanics, many find the experience enjoyable and engaging, complemented by a strong soundtrack and humorous elements. Overall, the gameplay remains a highlight, with critics and players alike considering it a classic that still holds up today.
- “The gameplay is fun and varied; the atmosphere is gloomy and scary, but at the same time, it also has hilarious and comedic parts.”
- “Mdk received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the gameplay, the level design, the sardonic sense of humor, the game's technical accomplishments, and, in particular, the use of sniper mode.”
- “It's rather short, but the uniqueness of every level coupled with the surreal yet beautiful environments and high-tension gameplay makes this a classic.”
- “One of my childhood games is not bad, it's a goddamn classic but unplayable because of the ancient mechanics, and you also need to find a fan patch if you really want to play.”
- “Music is badass and the gameplay is still as slick as ever... at least, once you map strafing and item use, which aren't mapped to a controller straight away.”
- “Gameplay-wise, we have a 3rd person shooter with just one weapon (your arm-mounted chaingun, which can be upgraded temporarily to a super chaingun by means of a pickup), some very fun items, and a fairly basic but enjoyable enemy roster.”
humor
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in MDK is widely praised for its goofy, sardonic, and often absurd qualities, reminiscent of the creators' previous works like Earthworm Jim. Players enjoy the blend of dark humor and slapstick elements, such as exaggerated enemy reactions and whimsical sound effects, which contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere amidst the game's action. Overall, the comedic aspects enhance the gameplay experience, making it a nostalgic and entertaining title for fans of quirky platformers.
- “The gameplay is fun and varied, the atmosphere is gloomy and scary, but at the same time it also has hilarious and comedic parts.”
- “For example, you have campy 'chomp' sounds when you pick up health (apple for +10hp or a roast chicken for +50hp), enemies make very exaggerated and silly pain sounds, the boss designs are also very cartoony and hilariously deformed, and my favorite moment is when the four-legged canine gets transmutated into a weird dog-seal hybrid at the very last stage of the final boss fight.”
- “The humor in this game was crafted by Shiny, the creators of two of the funniest games ever (Earthworm Jim and Earthworm Jim 2). This game feels more like a proper sequel to Earthworm Jim 2 than Earthworm Jim 3D ever did. Even though it's silly humor, it's so out of sight that it will make you laugh, and even if it doesn't, you'll feel relaxed during the whole experience since the setting is such a joke.”
story
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
65%
12%
The game's story revolves around Kurt Hectic, a janitor tasked with saving Earth from an alien invasion led by massive mining vehicles called "minecrawlers." While the narrative features dark humor and a simple premise, it is criticized for being weak and lacking depth, with many players noting its brevity and minimal characterization. Despite these shortcomings, the engaging gameplay and humorous elements provide an entertaining experience, even if the story feels almost non-existent.
- “The game tells the story of Kurt Hectic, a janitor who reluctantly must attempt to save Earth from an alien invasion of gigantic strip mining city-sized vehicles named 'minecrawlers'.”
- “Although aged in several aspects, MDK provides a simple story yet with great humor along a nonstop gameplay.”
- “Great story riddled with dark humor.”
- “The most oft-repeated criticisms were that the game was too short and the story was weak.”
- “Since there are no secrets or collectibles, there is also very little replay value other than maybe completing it on hard; the short length also means the story is practically non-existent.”
- “It has briefings, announcing 'giant mine-crawlers' comically attacking tiny inconsequential British villages (most likely the developers' home locations), but aside from that, anything approaching characterization or plot is non-existent.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The atmosphere of the game is described as a compelling blend of gloom and humor, creating a unique experience that is both scary and comedic. The immersive quality is enhanced by effective sound design and background music, which contribute significantly to the overall ambiance during gameplay. Reviewers consistently highlight the game's ability to balance its eerie elements with moments of levity, resulting in a captivating and varied atmosphere.
- “The gameplay is fun and varied; the atmosphere is gloomy and scary, but at the same time, it also has hilarious and comedic parts.”
- “The sound tones coupled with the fitting background music set an immersive combat atmosphere.”
- “Amazing atmosphere, specific sense of humor, and playability.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is severely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and graphic glitches that render it nearly unplayable. The Steam version was released in a broken state, necessitating fan patches and file modifications just to function, yet even these solutions do not fully resolve the issues, leading to crashes and persistent instability.
- “If I was just rating the game, I'd mash the 'yes' button as hard as I could, but unfortunately the Steam version was released very broken, requiring hunting down fan patches and modifying game files to even work. Even then, it's still really buggy.”
- “Graphic glitches and bugs make this game unplayable.”
- “The downside is the patch you need to download before the game runs properly with Windows 10 without all the graphics glitches. One I got was from Alyxx, and even then my game breaks down near the end of level 3 despite several re-installations and game replays using different save files.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization is notably lacking without a fan-made patch, which addresses significant performance issues and texture loading problems on modern systems. Users recommend installing this community patch to enhance gameplay and support widescreen resolutions.
- “Just remember to find and install the fan-made patch as it fixes textures not loading and performance issues on modern systems.”
- “Performance-wise, it has trouble without a patch, but luckily there's a very good community patch available (link: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=159519491) that solves most of the issues in the game, including widescreen.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game offers minimal replayability due to the absence of secrets or collectibles, with the primary incentive being to complete it on a harder difficulty. Additionally, its short length contributes to a lack of depth in the story, further diminishing replay value.
- “Since there are no secrets or collectibles, there is also very little replay value other than maybe completing it on hard; the short length also means the story is practically non-existent.”