Recent Mortal Kombat Series big hit 3-0. And what a long, bloody ride: Eleven main games across six console generations and between 75 and 80 characters or more, depending on how and where you want to count them.
And now Mortal War 1, is seeking to open the floodgates to that rich, bloody history while also serving as a reset of chapter one. This is a full IP re-introduction, with a major gameplay change.
Kameos in Spotlight
While the visuals look great and the core battles are as tight as ever, the Kameo fighters are easily the stars of this show. Using a combination of directional inputs and the R1 button, you can command your Kameo partner to hit enemies in the air, juggle them, knock them down from afar, throw them, perform a combo… even perform a fatal blow.
- But you need to be strategic. The Kameo fighter comes with a cooldown, so you can’t spam your opponent with the oncoming barrage of attacks. They work best as a combo expander or as a way to build momentum on your opponents — if you’ve played Tekken Card Tournaments, you know well how well Kameo fighters will fit in. this mixture.
- The Kameo fighter is a combination of two ideas. At the beginning of the MK1 development, the design team proposed adding unique modifiers to each fighter, such as giving Sonya a drone that could enhance attacks. hers. “But it’s character-specific. And I was pushed back,” Boon explained. “I think we should do something that people can share.” Then there’s the question of the 2v2 Card mode, not seen since Mortal Kombat in 2011. “We loved it, and a lot of people loved it,” explains Boon, “but it’s not a feature. ability to play a lot.” Enter the Kameo fighter, which seems to address two different needs. “This kind of simplification, [activated] with the push of a button… that feels like a sweet spot to me.”
- More Kameos coming soon and every classic MK character is on the table for review. Boon hopes that MK1 will include 15 to 20 Kameo fighters on day one, but more will be in the works. “We have some ridiculous characters coming out later,” Boon teased, “like, you know… how did they even remember that character?!”
Ed Boon says
- Premise. So is MK1 a reboot, remake? “I think it might be in the reboot category.” Boon explained that the team at NetherRealm wanted to include existing main characters but tell a whole new story. And the classic ending of 2019’s MK11 provides the perfect springboard, with fire god Liu Kang, the mainstay of the series, effectively controlling the timeline and resetting the universe. “And then, obviously,” said Boon, “something was wrong.” The result will be familiar characters that can be very, very different circumstances.
- Who is the antagonist? While Boon confirmed that “some” of the classic Mortal Kombat villains will return in some way, he wouldn’t specify who the big bad guys are. “Like with heroes, the villains will start off completely…they will follow different paths and have different relationships with each other.” If you’re well versed in the MK lore, you’ll run into some twists and turns.
- New mode? Boon remains tight-lipped about the details of online play. But he did confirm that the team is working to replace the Krypt mode seen in the previous six MK games. “We have a whole new system,” Boon teased. “I can tell you it’s not Krypt. But we will have a whole new system for unlocking.”
- New generation benefits. Boon appreciates many things about the PS5 generation – “it’s obviously incredibly powerful.” But his highest appreciation? Super fast SSD. “We are able to load these insanely detailed wallpapers that used to take a long time to upload.”
- Some deaths are NOT denied. Over the years, NetherRealm has formed a sort of “death committee” that weighs the pitches of the series’ iconic ending moves. Ideas came from all over the company, but Boon had the final say. “Yeah, there’s a line, you know… there’s been a lot of stuff that I’ve sent back and said, ‘no, that’s just crossing the line. We don’t do things like that.’ And then they will be disappointed. But enough to pass that they are good.
- Boon is a bit slower in his games. With MK1 just three months away from its debut, Boon is eager to catch up on some recent hits. “I’ll definitely get Street Fighter 6, I’ve always been a fan,” Boon said. “I haven’t even had a chance to play God of War Ragnarok yet. And I’ve never played Diablo, but I’m really curious about Diablo IV.”
That’s it… at least for now. Based on my 30-minute play session, the MK1 is a big change in the series in many ways. With just three months to go, expect a steady stream of announcements and revelations ahead of the September 19 launch on PS5.
