We finally managed to get our hands on the latest incarnation of the bloody fighting game saga created by Ed Boon and his team on the occasion of the closed Beta which took place these days. The proposed Mortal Kombat 11 build offered 2 game modes and 5 characters to choose from, needless to say that we have thoroughly stripped the title and all the content offered during the test dates.
If you are curious to acquire more general information about it Mortal Kombat 11, you can read ours preview, as here we will focus on the more technical mechanics of the wonderful title NetherRealm.
The beta offered us a confrontation with the AI, engaging in a climb of the classic tower in a sequence of 5 battles with various selectable difficulties it's a Online-only multiplayer mode with a random opponent.
We accused the absence of the training mode or the possibility of clashing with a friend offline or online, which did not allow us to be able to calmly analyze the move-set and data frame of this interesting build of Mortal Kombat 11 (as he had proposed to example the beta of SoulCalibur VI): a more in-depth analysis about the balances should therefore be postponed in the review.
Strategic movements
The first detail that leapt to the eye during the reveal of the gameplay of the title was certainly related to lack of a running option and in general the decreased movement speed compared to the tenth chapter: pad in hand we had the pleasure of noting, however, that the neutral game phase of Mortal Kombat 11 is the result of a mixture of experiences gained in parallel with the Injustice saga, even though they are really very distant series.
The where the most evident problems of Injustice 2 were related to a marked component of zoning - able to bring all characters to their knees with no valid movement options or unable to tit for tat - and Mortal Kombat X was rather skinny in the zoning phase - preferring gameplay almost entirely made up of continuous close-range assaults - in Mortal Kombat 11 we can happily assert that the guys from NetherRealm Studios have finally put their judgment.
Kombo and Meter
We are faced with a rhythmic action with reasoned rhythms, where there is room for everyone: the Kombattenti are able to relate to the enemy in the preferred way, at medium, short or long distance. At least this applies to the characters tested during the beta: Scorpion, Skarlet, Baraka, Kabal and Jade. Of course we could not expect the eleventh chapter of the saga to distort title features such as the iconic but often contested chip damage (i.e. the damage inflicted despite the parry, able to mitigate only partially the damage) or the parry by pressing a specific button.
It is also based on the philosophy of a reasoned balancing of all aspects the Kombo system, technically less demanding than we would have expected, as well as the input windows of the special moves commands can be adjusted as desired.
The imposition of an intelligent pace of play is evident when we consider the presence of the offensive and defensive meter bars in cooldown, a revolutionary element in the history of the fighting game genre, which offers additional options in time windows completely unrelated to the player's performance.
The offensive meter can be used to power up a special move, which trivially translates in most cases to the possibility of lengthening the string of the kombo in progress and therefore maximizing damage, or it can be used together with a defensive meter bar to carry out an attack on the rise. The defensive meter gives us the opportunity to escape from an ongoing juggle, in case both defensive bars are available. This option does not translate into an actual Kombo Breaker, as proposed in the tenth chapter, but embodies a real deterrence on the opponent's string possibilities.
Fatal kicks and perfect saves
Despite the revolution in resource management, Mortal Kombat 11 is not alien to the dynamics that rage in modern fighting games, thus implementing two elements already seen and used by its competitors: we are talking about the perfect parade and the Fatal Blow. Fatal Blow is a super move option with armor already seen in a similar way in Tekken 7: once the player sees their life bar drop below 30% they will have access to this powerful option. Here too the calm balance that characterizes the entire production intervenes to mitigate the effects of the Fatal Blow, which will in fact be available (if successfully launched) only once per game, otherwise it will become available on a regular basis even during the course of the round itself.
The perfect save could be the key dynamic of the title, able to break the strings and reverse the pressure or cancel the chip damage of the projectiles. Unfortunately, having not had a VS mode available and above all the time necessary to properly experience the accessibility of this tool and master it properly, we can do nothing but describe its potential without going further, well aware of the incredible opportunities it could bring, representing the only potential element of Skill Gap between players.
The pitfalls of scenarios
The internships available were able to reflect the aesthetics of the saga in an impeccable way, but above all they perpetrated the tradition of interactive elements offered by the scenario. Their positioning is truly tactical and the amount of elements is sipped, adding spice to the on-screen positioning of the fighters and offering alternative options to the more classic corner pressure advantage.
Awesome customization
Cosmetic items and equipment stats come directly from Injustice 2 quite similarly but during our test the relative statistics were (thankfully) disabled, as they will be during competitive games. The fact remains that the aesthetic personalization of the characters offered is really pleasant and that if the costumes are in generous quantities as seen on Injustice, there will be really mouth-watering.
In Mortal Kombat 11, personalization is not just limited to aesthetics and the beta offered us a really crazy customization option, which if implemented properly could revolutionize the fighting game genre itself. Each character has access to a good dose of special skills and additional tools and 3 slots to bring these options into battle: it will be up to the player to select the additional specials they prefer, experiment with new sets and create the best loadout depending on the opponent that will go to face.
The mechanics are similar to what we saw in the tenth chapter, where for each Kombattente there were three variants to choose from, with the huge difference of having full control over our character's abilities. While some of the most effective special abilities occupy two slots, this opportunity for customization if well balanced could really lift the pre-match strategy to another level - we want to believe in it with all our heart. even if we fear that a destination of almost obligatory choices may soon form able to kill the creativity of the individual (at least in a competitive environment).
Aesthetically, the rendering of the animations seems to have made great strides, many of the movements of the characters are fluid and pleasant, even if the more attentive eye will not fail to notice some trace of the woodiness that has characterized the series for a long time.
Regarding net-code performance and network stability, during what should have been a stress test of the game servers, we can cry out to the miracle. The sagging, danceable infrastructure is a legacy of the past that this noble heir has shrugged off, boasting an enviable stability.
Our test of Mortal Kombat 11 has delighted us, Ed Boon and the NetherRealm guys have created a jewel with a thousand facets, surprisingly calm and moderate that does not exceed in any respect, able to offer a valid meeting point between the neophyte and the veteran. The test build offered us a witty phrasing of punches, with a light mechanical weight and great strategic value. See you soon in the review phase, having high expectations for the amount of content that this title promises.
► Mortal Kombat 11 is a fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Google Stadia, the video game was released on 23/04/2019
Version for PlayStation 5 from 17/11/2020
Version for Xbox Series X from 17/11/2020
Version for Google Stadia from 19/11/2019
Mortal Kombat 11 is a beautiful game that cannot be missing from your collection: we have decided to evaluate it with a 90%, if you are interested in learning more you can read the Mortal Kombat 11 Review
