MDK (short for “Murder, Death, Kill” or “Mission: Deliver Kindness” — the meaning is deliberately ambiguous) is a third-person action-shooter developed by Shiny Entertainment and published by Playmates Interactive in 1997.
Known for its innovative gameplay mechanics, surreal design, and technical prowess, MDK was a standout PC title of the late ’90s that blended fast-paced shooting with platforming and unique sniper mechanics.
The game follows Kurt Hectic, a janitor turned unlikely hero, who must don a special combat suit to stop alien mining operations that are destroying Earth’s cities.
He is aided by the eccentric scientist Dr. Fluke Hawkins and his six-legged robotic dog Max.
Each mission sends Kurt into giant mining cities descending from space, where he must eliminate alien threats and sabotage their operations.
MDK is especially notable for its distinctive blend of gameplay styles.
It features a fast third-person shooting core with agile movement, jumping, gliding via Kurt’s parachute, and using a unique built-in sniper helmet for long-range combat — one of the earliest implementations of a scoped sniper mechanic in video games.
Visually, the game was a technical achievement, running at high resolutions and frame rates on PCs of the time with software rendering, and later using 3D acceleration.
Its bizarre alien architecture, minimalist UI, and cinematic level transitions gave MDK a unique tone, balancing dark humor with sci-fi absurdity.
MDK received critical acclaim for its originality, smooth gameplay, and art direction.
Though it spawned a sequel (developed by a different studio), the original remains a cult favorite for its daring design and innovative approach to 3D action.
Technical Details:
- Developer: Shiny Entertainment
- Publisher: Playmates Interactive (PC), Interplay (PlayStation)
- Release Year: 1997
- Platform(s): PC (Windows), PlayStation, Mac OS
- Genre: Third-Person Shooter, Action
- Mode: Single-player
- Engine: Proprietary engine with advanced software rendering (early support for 3D acceleration)
- Graphics: 3D environments, high-res textures, sniper zoom functionality
- Camera: Third-person with dynamic zoom/sniper mode
- Input: Keyboard + mouse (PC), gamepad (PlayStation)