Mortal Kombat is back with a bang. The legendary fighting game series is getting a reboot, titled Mortal Kombat 1, which promises to deliver a fresh and brutal take on the franchise. The game was officially announced last month, but today we got our first glimpse of its gameplay, characters, and fatalities in a stunning trailer that debuted at Summer Game Fest 2023.
A New Timeline
Mortal Kombat 1 is not a remake or a remaster of the original game, but rather a new story that follows the events of Mortal Kombat 11. In the previous game, Liu Kang defeated Kronika, the keeper of time, and became the new god of thunder and fire. He then decided to create a new timeline with the help of Raiden, who became a mortal.
However, things did not go as planned. A mysterious force interfered with Liu Kang’s attempt to rewrite history, creating a new timeline that is different from the original one. In this timeline, some characters are alive, some are dead, and some have changed allegiances.
Mortal Kombat 1’s Gameplay
Mortal Kombat 1 also introduces some new features and mechanics to the gameplay. The trailer showcases the game’s stunning graphics, fluid animations, and realistic physics. The game runs on Unreal Engine 5 and supports ray tracing, 4K resolution, and 60 frames per second.
One of the most noticeable changes is the addition of assist gameplay. This feature allows players to call in other characters to help them in battle. For example, we see Johnny Cage summoning Sonya Blade to shoot his opponent with a machine gun, or Sub-Zero calling in Frost to freeze his enemy with an ice blast. The assist gameplay adds more variety and strategy to the combat.
Another new feature is the return of stage fatalities. These are special moves that use the environment to finish off opponents in gruesome ways. For example, we see Scorpion throwing his opponent into a pit of spikes, or Johnny Cage smashing his enemy’s head with a camera. The stage fatalities are triggered by pressing a specific button when near certain objects or areas.
Of course, Mortal Kombat 1 also retains the series’ signature feature: fatalities. These are brutal finishing moves that showcase the game’s gore and violence. The trailer shows us some examples of fatalities, such as Johnny Cage ripping out his opponent’s spine and using it as a microphone, or Sub-Zero freezing his enemy’s blood and stabbing them with it. The fatalities are more detailed and realistic than ever before.
A New Roster
Mortal Kombat 1 features a roster of 25 playable characters at launch, with more to be added later as DLC. The trailer reveals some of the returning characters, such as:
- Johnny Cage
- Sonya Blade
- Jax
- Liu Kang
- Raiden
- Kung Lao
- Kitana
- Jade
- Scorpion
- Sub-Zero
- Noob Saibot
- Shang Tsung
- Shao Kahn
- Mileena
- Baraka
The trailer also hints at some new characters that will join the roster, such as:
- Nic Cage: A Hollywood actor who plays Johnny Cage in a movie based on Mortal Kombat.
- Frost: A female cryomancer who is Sub-Zero’s apprentice.
- Reiko: A former general of Shao Kahn who seeks to claim his throne.
- Takeda: A young ninja who is Scorpion’s son.
Mortal Kombat 1 will be released on September 29, 2023 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The game will also have cross-play and cross-progression features, allowing players to play with each other and access their progress across different platforms.
Mortal Kombat 1 is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated games of the year. The game promises to deliver a new and exciting experience for fans and newcomers alike. If you want to see more of the game’s gameplay, characters, and fatalities, you can watch the full trailer.
Mortal Kombat 1 features a roster of 25 playable characters at launch, with more to be added later as DLC. The game includes some returning characters, such as Johnny Cage, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero, as well as some new characters, such as Nic Cage, Frost, and Reiko.
