Such original games are no longer made. MDK is a cult game for a reason
MDK was a title that tried something new instead of following a familiar path. Shiny Entertainment's game surprised with its diversity and original concepts.
Shiny Entertainment is a development studio that probably doesn't need to be introduced to any gamer interested in the history of video games. The team made history with their iconic projects that became cult classics. One of them was MDK, a shooter game packed with so many different features that you could create several different games based on them. Let's recall how Shiny Entertainment sealed its high position in the industry.
Shooter, but not only
Since I mentioned right at the beginning that MDK was diverse to the point of exaggeration, let's start talking about this game with the gameplay ideas that sprouted in the minds of the devs at Shiny Entertainment. Every mission in MDK started with entering the atmosphere. The main character, Kurt Hectic, was jumping from space long before Felix Baumgartner became famous for a similar feat. Unlike his "successor," the main character had to avoid radar detection. If he was detected, missiles would be launched at him, and he had to dodge them in order to land safely.
Upon reaching land, our protagonist went into proper action. Even though its main focus was on fighting opponents, Kurt had more tricks up his sleeve. He had the chance to show off his stunts on snowboards, avoiding obstacles, taking out opponents, and even flying a plane.
Nevertheless, the fight was really important in MDK. Of course, Hectic didn't approach it empty-handed. Kurt wore special armor that protected him from the heat of entering the atmosphere and from bullets.
Two guns in one and a big zoom
The jumpsuit was also a weapon, as it was integrated with a machine gun. The protagonist could remove the gun and attach it to the helmet at any moment, transforming it into a sniper rifle. And this was not just any sniper rifle, but one that had a hundred-fold zoom. What's interesting is that such a number can still impress today, and MDK was also one of the first games to offer such a feature.
Another thing is that thanks to the sniper rifle, Kurt didn't have to engage in direct combat, taking out enemies from a safe distance. However, that wasn't too easy, as aiming with a sniper rifle blocked movement, making him vulnerable to bullets.
"Bullet Cams," which deserve a separate mention, tracked our shots, showing up close how they hit the targets and the damage they caused. On top of all that, you could load the sniper rifle with different types of ammo, from self-guided to mortar rounds.
Rest of the pieces
Of course, there is more to Kurt's gear. The parachute on his suit also came in handy on the ground when he had to make a long jump, fall from a great height, or use air vents to go up. The protagonist also had original explosive charges on his forearm. The most interesting was... well, the "most interesting bomb in the world," around which enemies gathered, and Hectic could then remotely detonate it, sending them to the other side. Moreover, the main character had a pocket-sized bomb that could call in an airstrike on a specific area, as well as a small (actually, the "smallest in the world") nuke.
War of the Worlds
So as you can see, there was always something to do in MDK. Even though the gameplay was the main focus in Shiny Entertainment's title, the production had a pretty interesting story to tell, spiced up with a specific sense of humor.
Kurt Hectic wasn't a superhero; in fact, he wasn't even a hero. He's just a janitor who found himself in the (in)appropriate place at the (in)appropriate time. Earth was attacked by aliens, and their huge ships started plundering its natural resources while their crews suppressed any resistance from humans. When the destruction of the planet seemed to be only a matter of time, the eccentric Dr. Fluke Hawkins, a robot, Bones, a six-legged dog, Max, and Kurt stood in the way of the invaders.
Infiltration and neutralization of individual spacecraft were the main themes of subsequent missions in MDK. Kurt's main goal was to reach the pilot's cabin (and leave behind a pile of space corpses and sometimes a few puzzles) and get rid of the alien at the controls. This wasn't the end of the mission; Hectic still had to escape from the energy stream, into which he ended up along with the spaceship.
What was after MDK?
MDK was released on personal computers and the first PlayStation in 1997. The game received a very warm reception from both players and reviewers. Among the first group, it quickly gained a cult following, and the latter group rated it highly, especially the PC version, which had an average rating of 89/100 according to GameRankings.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, developers... well, not this time. After the launch of MDK, the studio behind it, Shiny Entertainment, moved on to other projects; moreover, some of its developers left to establish Planet Moon Studios and make games such as Armed & Dangerous.
However, this doesn't mean that the franchise had no future, as the legacy of Shiny Entertainment was taken over by... BioWare, which delivered MDK 2. Although the sequel was released in 2000 for PC (in 2001 for PS2, and in 2011 for Nintendo Wii) and wasn't as innovative as the first installment, it still maintained a high level of quality.
As for Shiny Entertainment, after the release of this title, the studio delivered a number of projects, among which Sacrifice are taking the lead.
How to play MDK today?
MDK for personal computers is available on both Steam and GOG, where it costs $9.99. Although the H.R. Giger-inspired artwork has aged, its unique design, combined with diverse gameplay, makes you turn a blind eye to its shortcomings.
What does MDK mean?
Finally, a word about what the title of the game means. Well... for a long time it wasn't officially known. Some claimed that it stood for "Murder, Death, Kill," while others said it was "Mission: Deliver Kindness" (according to the game manual). Others argued that the title referred to the main characters, Max, Doctor Hawkins, and Kurt. Other suggested options for this acronym over the years include "Mother's Day Kisses" and "My Dear Knight." It was only in 2011 that one of the developers of MDK, Nick Bruty, revealed that the official abbreviation of MDK is actually "Murder, Death, Kill."
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