I sincerely find Sheeva attractive.

Baraka's been my favorite character in the series since I first saw him in the arcade version of MK2 way back in the day. I loved his stance, his shoulders thumping up and down like he had to control himself for a moment before lunging at someone.

I dug his black eyes, his blades, I also loved the fact that it almost looked like he was smiling this huge, sinister grin, with those knife-like teeth. I also loved suckering people in with the blade fury. His blade stab fatality in MK2 was also sick.

I dunno, I don't really like any of the other "monster" characters in MK, yet Baraka's been a favorite of mine since he was first introduced. I actually love what they've done with him in this game. He's brutal, he's got more lunging moves, more defensive moves, and while his distance game is weak, to me that has to be by design, as a character like that wouldn't sit back and hurl projectiles.

So yeah, I really think that this game did him justice, gave him some fun moves to use etc. He's in my top 5 for sure.

As for Sheeva? I kinda dig her too. Never thought much of her before, to be honest, and while I kinda wish they would've put more in to her attire and her special moves, I think she works on the hole. She's not my least favorite in this game, but she's nowhere near the top. That's not a bad thing though, as there are a lot of characters I enjoy using in this game.

These are my two least favorite characters. They always have been. However I do like them more than Quan Chi. I HATE Quan Chi!

He's so stupid looking and annoying.

I would disagree! Baraka is just awesome full stop.

I allso used Sheeva to get the Hidden Jade fight trophy and the Arcade Master trophy!

This is the only true statement in this thread. Sheeva is no "slower" or harder to play than any of the other characters. I'd say Sub Zero is slower than she is, and he's loved by everyone. Her role in story mode was marginal, to say the least, but so was Reptile's, and he's still popular.

The real problem with Sheeva, and the reason she's universally hated, is she is BUTT. ASS. UGLY. No one wants to play as an ugly bald female character. It's a simple fact. If NRS would have just given her some hair that covered the sides of her head, she would be much higher in the rankings. Instead, they used the same concept for her as they did 16 years ago, which made her the worst character back then too. Surprise surprise, she's hated again.

I could have told them, to make Stryker popular, ditch the fatass cop trying to be cool look, and make him more like an action star. They figured that one out on their own. Good. I could have also told them, to make Sheeva popular, ditch the horse-faced bald-headed look, and give her a face that's actually attractive. No one listens to me though. Maybe they just don't want Sheeva to be popular.

As for Baraka, I'd say it's partly because he's butt ass ugly too, and also that his role in story mode was just as bad as Sheeva's, and he had super-weak gameplay before the patch. I've still seen more Barakas online though than Sheevas.

I love that Sheeva is an edgier female in fact I wish that she was covered up a little more because then we would have a female character that looks like shes in a fight instead of a beauty contest.

However I still find the woman sexy. My beautiful 4armed woman <3

Why does Sheeva need to be pretty to be liked? It's a fighting game, not America's next top model.


They made a concerted effort to make her more feminine and pretty, which is fine, but it shouldn't be a requirement for her to be pretty to gain fans.


I agree with Zero, I just wish she wore more clothes, something like her MK Annihilation film look, it's a nice interpretation of her original costume, but it's tasteful and looked great, will find a picture in a sec.

In fact give Sheeva some tatoos and piercings and make her kind of like a suicide girl or something.

I...hate...that...red...bikini.

I agree, aside from the jewel and black flame designs, it is very much lacking. She had a costume that was similar to the MK2 female ninjas in that movie, just in red and she looked great in it and since the female ninjas don't use that look in their updated looks, it could be her own or her Armageddon with some tweaks. Would be interesting, nose piercing would be pretty dope. Deck her out with some more jewelry and maybe some war trophies on her body.

I think thats the biggest problem with Sheeva. NRS needs to have her be a legit tough girl type. However they keep dressing her all skimpy and such. A woman with Sheeva's background and values would not dress like that, she is a member of warrior people. I could dig it if she wore a robe or something like females in spartan culture did, or something to that effect, but no proud warrior goes to battle in a swim suit.

In short Sheeva's problem is actually the she isnt tough enough. The kind of person that would play as Sheeva would be probably a tomboy or very butch woman, that is Sheeva's market, and thats cool. The problem is that they still dress her like a sex symbol and that puts off her target audience.

The number one reason why I liked her Armageddon armor. I could actually take her serious.

THIS is the coolest look for Sheeva yet. I think she looked too tame in this MK. In MKA, she looked like a beautiful monster, a strong warrior, a barbaric queen! I wish they would go back to this look.

Sheeva is pretty awesome:



Her limited role in storymode was better and cooler than others like Reptile (huge disappointment) and even Mileena (terrible, terrible retcon).

I don't understand why she's being "hated so much". I have a feeling its just her "weak"/difficult gameplay more than anything, because she looks pretty badass in this game (despite the uninspired costume).

Now, my main issue with her and Baraka (another favorite of mine just because he has a special place in my heart) is that both have been extremely limited storywise. They both have potential to be so much more than they are constantly portrayed to be.

Sheeva did accomplish a bit of this in this new game (we got a nice insight into her feelings, attitude, personality, and even heart), but, Baraka is still stuck as the punch bag.

I don't hate either of the two and I find them more refreshing and interesting then some of the well known overused ninjas.



Except for the big hands and feet...me too.

I think Sheeva is doing just fine... if more people would give her that chance.

I'll agree, though, her 2nd Player outfit FAR surpasses her generic red bikini (and her Armageddon look would suffice on her more slender frame).


But I also believe she can be very attractive in the right light. In fact, she can be downright alluring, feminine, and beautiful in various circumstances.


Of course, that extends to... other interests (Johnny, that's your cue):


But I'd like to see her in something more... elegant or badass, one or the other.


In the end, though, she has a great set of moves, plays amazingly well in the right hands (i.e. MY hands), has IMO the best ending in the game (go Australia!), survives the massacre of everyone just peachy-keen, and impressed me like she never has before.

I give her four thumbs up.

I dislike Baraka mostly because he hasn't done anything other than being Mr lackey. Same thing for Reptile. But Baraka has been popular in the past.

I love Sheeva, but I suspect a lot of her problems with popularity lies in that she is unusual in Gaming. A women who is muscular. There has only really been Jane from Fighting Vipers and thats about it. And she needs something that isn't a bikini for crying out loud.

People dont like that. People also dont like "grappling" characters (See Rock in Soul Calibur IV) Jax isn't that popular as well.

In short

Baraka probably because he is awkward to play as.
Sheeva probably because she is unusual and awkward to play as.

I do hope they both stay though and at least have some roster continuity. To be honest I hope they all stay. And I hope Sindel farts out Shang Tsung at some point. And Shao Kahn comes down and kicks Quan Chi and Shinnok square in the crotch.

Garlador, did you make those or find them, because I would like MOAR

In my eyes, she still sucks, but nice pics. Well, everyone is free with there opinions

Both are pretty difficult to get good with.

only reason i can think of.

Sheeva is actually easy to use just very diferent.

4 is everything lol. Its an awesome poke and anti air,

If they spam projectiles close, use ex throw for 22%

if they spam projectiles far use stomp or ground pound.

Once you put them on the ground your options are limitless for keeping there.

You can trade projectiles and beat anyone.

You get a mix up after every stomp and you can put them back on the ground.

Your anti-wake up game in nuts.

Sheeva has plenty of tools, she just cant be spammed. You have to... you know... understand what your doing.

You are not alone in you fondness for Sheeva. She's been pathetically underutilized in this game...

baraka is a great character. no question about it. anyone who says otherwise ought to be reminded that he was playable in both Shaolin Monks (which had 8 playable characters) and MKvsDC (which had 10 playable mk characters). he's right up there in popularity with scorpion, sub-zero, raiden, sonya, kitana, etc. hell, even reptile wasnt in MKvsDC.

unfortunately, his gameplay this time around is terrible, simply cant understand how nobody at nrs at any point just stopped for a second and thought "hell, baraka sucks!" he is also screwed over in story mode where he plays as a punching bag. not even a cool punching bag, like reptile or ermac, just a retarded monster punching bag.

oh, and sheeva just goddamn sucks.

Sheeva is aesthetically unpleasing to behold. Hence, people stay away. Which is a shame, as others have stated - she's awesome.

The same likely applies to Baraka to a leser extent; his trickiness of use and word getting around that he was awful probably did not help.

Being a great character doesn't have crap to do with popularity and vice verse.

There's a lot of shitty characters who are popular and a lot of great ones who are not, especially in MK.

Well, just look at Stryker. He was considered one of the strongest, top-tier fighters of MK3, but he was just unpopular, while every candy-colored ninja was popular regardless of how they played (or even if they were a straight-up clone like Classic Smoke).