The Mortal Kombat series recently had a 3-0 victory. And what a long and bloody journey it has been! With 11 mainline games across his six generations of consoles, he features between 75 and 80+ characters depending on how you count and where.
and now Mortal Kombat 1, seeks to open the floodgates of its rich and harrowing history while acting as a reset for Chapter One. This is a reintroduction of his entire IP, with a big twist to gameplay.
A cameo in the spotlight
The visuals are great and the core combat feels as tight as ever, but the cameo fighters are definitely the star of this show. Using a combination of directional input and his R1 button allows you to cameo to his partner to smash airborne enemies, juggle them, zap them from afar, throw them, perform combos with his breakers, and lethal attacks. You can even give
- But you have to be strategic. Cameo Fighters have a cooldown, so they can’t focus their attacks on enemies. These work best as a means of combo extension or as a way to build momentum on your opponent. If you’ve played Tekken Tag Tournament, you probably have a good idea of how cameo fighters fit into this mix.
- Cameo Fighter is a combination of two ideas. Early in the MK1’s development, the design team suggested adding unique modifiers to each fighter, such as giving Sonya a drone that could enhance her attack. “But it was unique to each character, and I kind of pushed back,” Boone explained. “I think we should all do things that we can all share.” Then there was the issue of his 2v2 tag team mode, which he hadn’t seen since 2011’s Mortal Kombat. “We loved it and a lot of people loved it,” explained Boone. “But it’s a feature that hasn’t been played much.” Introducing his fighter Cameo seems to address two different needs. “This simplification [activated] At the push of a button…that felt like the sweet spot for me. ”
- More cameos coming, all retro MK characters on the table for consideration. Boone said he expects MK1 to include 15 to 20 cameo fighters on day one, but more fighters are on the way. “There’s going to be some silly stuff after this,” Boone teased.
Ed Boone speaks
- Assumption. So is MK1 a reboot or a remake? “I think it could fall into the category of a reboot,” Boone explained, explaining that the NetherRealm team wanted to tell a completely new story while still including major existing characters. And 2019’s canonical conclusion to MK11 was the perfect jumping-off point as series mainstay-turned-fire-god Liu Kang takes control of the flow of time, effectively resetting the universe. “And obviously something goes wrong,” Boone said. As a result, we end up with some very familiar characters. very different situations.
- who is the villain? Boone confirmed that “many” classic Mortal Kombat villains will be returning in some form, but didn’t elaborate on who the big bad guys are. “Like the heroes, the villains are going to get off to very different starts…they will go down different paths and have different relationships with each other.” Expect to encounter some developments.
- new mode? Boone remained tight-lipped about the details of online play. However, he admitted that the team is working on a replacement for the Krypt mode seen in the last six MK games. “We’ve got a great new system,” Boone teased. “I would say this is not crypto.
- Benefits of the new generation. Boone has a lot to say about the PS5 generation. “Obviously crazy powerful.” But what is his greatest gratitude? Ultra-fast SSD. “I can load very detailed backgrounds that previously took a long time to upload.”
- Some fatalities are denied. Over the years, NetherRealm has established a sort of “death committee” that considers the pitch of the series’ iconic finishing move. Ideas come from within the company, but Boone has the final say. “Yes, there’s a line… A lot of what I’ve sent back is, ‘No, it’s just crossing the line.’ We’re not doing that.” I guess. But if you get over it enough, they’ll be fine. ”
- Boone is a little behind in the game. With just three months to go before the MK1 launches, Boon wants to catch up on the latest hits. “I’m definitely going to get Street Fighter 6. I’ve always been a fan,” Boone said. “I haven’t even had a chance to play God of War Ragnarok. I’ve never played Diablo, but I’m very interested in Diablo IV.”
That’s it… at least for now. Based on my 30 minute play session with him, MK1 is a game changer for the series in many ways. With just three months left, expect a flurry of announcements and reveals leading up to his September 19th launch on PS5.
