Mortal Kombat has been brutally slaying its way into our hearts since its release in arcades back in 1992 with the original Mortal Kombat. In an age where violence in videogames was at a minimal, Mortal Kombat found a large arcade following due to its use of real life actors, over the top gore and secrets to unlock.
Many parents were up in arms about this new visceral form of entertainment that was gaining immense popularity amongst the arcade gaming community.
Liu Kang and Sub-zero square off in the original Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat soon found a place on home consoles with the original classic making its debut on the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo back in 1993. Many of us will recall entering in a code (ABACABB) on the Sega Genesis version in order to have blood enabled in the game; a feature that the Super Nintendo sorely lacked.
Mortal Kombat has since seen numerous sequels and has spanned across multiple medias including comic books, a web series, action figures and even two motion pictures.
Now, in 2015, many gamers eagerly await the tenth installment of this famous bloody brawler, which is simply titled Mortal Kombat X.
With some successful fighting franchises such as Killer Instinct, Super Smash Bros and Street Fighter on the market, what can Mortal Kombat X do to stand out among its peers and reclaim the king of the fighters throne?
Give us a good story
One of Mortal Kombat’s obvious strengths is its story. Of course, Mortal Kombat has never had the most deep, complex narratives in gaming but it has always been entertaining enough to keep us interested.
In Mortal Kombat, the fate of Earthrealm is constantly in the balance as we defend ourselves in a sacred tournament against evil warlords from other realms who wish to claim our world as their own. Earth puts forth its most skilled warriors in the hope of ending this evil threat and keeping our world at peace. This story has been the common thread throughout each installment of the series.
With 2011’s Mortal Kombat, we saw a retelling of the original three games narratives as well as the game offering new twists that saw many of our favourite fighters meet their untimely death.
The slate has seemed to be wiped clean so to speak, offering a chance for new fresh faces to enter the mix. Coincide that with the supposed death of the series long time end boss Shao Kahn, and it will be interesting to see where developer Netherrealm Studios takes us next.
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Create memorable characters
Mortal Kombat has seen its share of fighters come and go over the years. Some being welcome additions to the franchise and others that were just plain ridiculous (I’m looking at you Hsu Hao) Nonetheless, none have been as instantly recognizable as the series long time staples, Scorpion and Sub Zero.
Long gone are the days of simply changing the color palette of a ninja and giving them a new name. What has made these characters so memorable are their move sets which incorporate the elements of fire and ice alongside their intriguing back story. The character’s long time revenge-fuelled feud is what really makes these two bitter rivals truly stand out.
What we do know about Mortal Kombat X’s new additions to the roster is very little. Creative director and co-creator Ed Boon divulged that Mortal Kombat X’s story will span from the end of the last game to 25 years into the future, leaving room for fresh faces like Cassie Cage, who is the offspring of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade and the menacing Kotal Kahn, who may have a connection to the late Outworld emperor Shao Khan. These characters show promise for the franchise as they push the series forward while still having roots in the Mortal Kombat lore.
Give the fans what they want
What do the fans of Mortal Kombat want? A great fighter that skilled tournament players can be challenged with, as well as the game being accessible enough to appeal to newcomers of the series.
Combine that with the over-the-top fatalities that the series is famous for and why not throw in some next gen friendships while they’re at it? We won’t mind.
From what we’ve seen so far with Mortal Kombat X, it has kept us wanting more. Netherrealm Studios has a good platform to build from considering the great success of its two recent releases- 2011’s Mortal Kombat and 2013’s release of Injustice Gods Among Us.
Mortal Kombat X can work off both these great titles while borrowing features such as interactive backgrounds and character specific intros.
Netherealm Studios has also introduced character variations in Mortal Kombat X, where each fighter has three versions of him or herself. It will definitely be interesting to see how this plays out as players now can pick and choose which variation of character best suits their play-style. Each style has its own set of moves that may bode well against another character’s specific variation.
For all these reasons, Mortal Kombat X is definitely shaping up to be one of 2015’s most anticipated titles. Will the game bring enough to the table to once again become the best in its genre? We are eagerly waiting to find out if Mortal Kombat X can perform a fatality on the competition.
What excites you most about Mortal Kombat X?
Sound off in the comments below.