Since its (re) birth, NetherRealm Studios has proven itself over and over again to not only create quality titles, but to be able to produce sequels that are true to themselves and at the same time able to improve themselves with each chapter. We are obviously talking about Mortal Kombat e Injustice, the sagas that alternately every two years are carried out by the team led by Ed Boon.
After seeing The Reveal event, today we feel like saying that Mortal Kombat 11 is shaping up to be the most refined title in the Chicago studio.
The Damned
The title's story picks up after the events of Mortal Kombat X, and in particular ties directly to the final post credits scene. Raiden is now corrupted by Jinsei, totally changed from his once benevolent disposition: intolerant, ruthless and violent, after the numerous battles of the past the god of thunder has come to the conclusion that benevolence is wasted for those who intend to take over the Earthrealm , and then decides to wipe out anyone who threatens her. To make his furious conviction clear, the god delivers Shinnok's immortal head as a macabre warning to those who currently rule the Netherrealm: Liu Kang and Kitana, rendered undead by Quan Chi in the previous title.
Raiden is therefore visibly out of control and once again threatens to undermine the balance of history. At least that's what the new figure who enters the saga mythology declares, the goddess of time Kronka. Ed Boon has revealed that all of the events thus far, from the first Mortal Kombat to Raiden's recent degeneration, are the work of his machinations, although his purpose has not been revealed. The interesting feature of the events at stake is that the goddess of time will create situations in which the current versions of the various characters will have to deal with the selves of the past.
Below you will find the prologue video of the story shown on the occasion of The Reveal.
Choose your gear
After the Gear system seen in Injustice 2, it was plausible to expect some reverberation of this novelty also in Mortal Kombat 11. Speaking of the innovations introduced in the gameplay, Ed Boon stated that the Variant system for each character has been revived with the possibility to players to create and customize their own versions of fighters. This will be possible through a menu where we can customize the characters both at the aesthetic level with numerous variations of costumes, weapons and various equipment, even victory poses, but also by changing the set of skills available. Certainly, for the most important equipment, various bonuses and malus will be assigned in order to align the ratio of the character's characteristics to one's fighting style, or to particular needs such as facing a particular opponent.
In essence, NetherRealm seems to have merged two customization systems, that of the Variants of the fighters of Mortal Kombat X and that of the Gear of Injustice 2. The combinations of this dual customization possibility are promising to be really impressive.
New brutality
However, the customization system is not the only novelty introduced in the gameplay. Unlike the previous title, where we had only one extra three-level bar to manage attack, defense and super moves, in Mortal Kombat 11 there are two bars placed in the lower corners of the screen: the one dedicated to the attack that allows us to access offensive options and the bar dedicated to defensive options. The novelty that seems to bring a real revolution to the Mortal Kombat combat system is represented by the recharge time of these bars, which with a specific cooldown will precisely rhythm the offensive and defensive options during the clash, going to force specific attitudes during the course of the round. In many stocks, the philosophy of using the bar applies as soon as the filling of the indicator does not allow further accumulation, experiencing the lack of additional accumulation as waste. Unfortunately, the lack of time and material available precludes this type of speculation.
The special techniques called Fatal Blow instead they are now available when the energy drops to 30% (similar to Tekken 7). Unlike other fighting games, if a Fatal Blow misses the target it will not be lost forever, but can be performed again after a cool-down time; the opponent in the lead must therefore always be careful. Another new feature is the so-called Flawless Block, which is a perfectly timed parade that will open a window in which to counterattack.
Mortal Kombat X, thanks to its XL patch, benefited from the correction of most of the title's flaws, while Injustice 2 inexplicably insisted on the most critical errors presented by X. To cite an example, the mechanic of invincibility on rise has been removed by the guys of NetherRealm in the XL version, offering access to it through the use of a bar, while Injustice 2 has perpetrated the open road and then corrected on Mortal Kombat X. Mortal Kombat 11 for its part, seems to continue the path traced by the XL, proposing a new version of the pace of the game, slower, more reasoned and less frenetic. Racing is totally eliminated from the game options, its place is focused on the mechanics of the sprint.
Although a superficial reading of the change may lead one to think that bullet play is the main beneficiary of the removal of the stroke, the intervention of the dash cancel, or the opportunity to be able to cancel the shot in progress, could be a much more effective option. to overcome zoning. The advent of the dash cancel mechanics, together with the cooldown of the bars bodes well about the balance of the title: it seems that Ed Boon and his team have learned from the mistakes of the past and listened to the opinions of competitive realities, packaging something really innovative compared to the current landscape.
In addition, to improve the reading of the game, visual effects have been included to clarify the action on screen, both in the event of a parry and in the case of a hit. Noticeable improvement, which wipes out the uncertainty about hit confirmations. Our only doubt concerns the chip damage, or block damage, which in NetherRealm titles has the potential to kill. In injustice, 2 characters like Aquaman had the option to accumulate bar through zoning and then enhance special moves (in his case the trident shots), managing to inflict good damage even in the event of an opponent's parry. During the gameplay shown we watched Baraka deal great block damage through his special moves and we're really curious to see if Ed Boon and his team will scale that too.
Fresh meat
The roster screen was shown during The Reveal, although only seven characters were available for selection. It is however possible to see that there is room for a total of about 25 fighters, although knowing NetherRealm one can expect a prolonged expansion over time even after the game's release. As for the combat stages, we noticed 17 spaces, which seem to us a fair number.
As is now customary, even from this new chapter we can expect the return of classic characters from the series, among which we also report Liu Kang e Kung Lao which although absent in the various presentation videos are visible in some cutscene clips. Kronika will obviously be the main boss, and for the first time in Mortal Kombat history that role is played by a female character.
However, the goddess of time is not the only newcomer. During the presentation event it was presented Geras, a fighter who appears to rely on both temporal and sand-manipulating powers, with which he creates various objects to fight, similar to Sub-Zero with ice and Skarlet with blood.
Also as regards the graphics sector, it seems that a further step forward has been made compared to the previous chapter, already impressive in its own right. Especially on the occasion of the special techniques we can see a truly impressive visual quality. Even the animations, one of the thorns in the side of the series, seem to have undergone a further improvement over Mortal Kombat X and Injustice 2.
The fights also seem even more harsh and merciless: broken and perforated limbs, compromised organs and blood rivers will delight fans of the series who will know not to worry too much about the absurdity of seeing two people still standing after suffering unspeakable trauma. Not to mention the inevitable Fatalities! In addition to the classic special techniques, each character will have at least one weapon available, and their use seems more important this time than in the past.
Historical elements, interesting news and a lot of violence. Everything seems to be in its place to give us what could be the best Mortal Kombat ever, and the impression is that NetherRealm wants to field a compendium of all the ideas and experiences gained in this generation. We just have to wait for the release of the game in just over three months.
► 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
