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This week ends the Beta for Mortal Kombat X, which is the next installment in the mortal Mombst Universe. The game will be set twenty-five years in the "future" of the game's series, and I'm. It too sure if that means twenty-five years after the first tournament, or after Mortal Kombat 9, which left us playing the entire series over again in one game.
To me, the story for MKX looks to have more questions than answers, but Ed Boon company are turning this game into a serious competitor for the fighting game to lead us into the next-generation of consoles. As you all know, Mortal Kombat is as near and dear to my heart as Mario, Sonic, Crash Bandicoot, and even Pac-Man, it is a game that defines video games. I love Mortal Kombat, but I'm unbiased because I am a harsh critic, and can admit there is no such thing as a perfect game. Even MK 9, the highest selling game in the series, even outselling my personal favorite: Mortal Kombat II, has allowed for mortal Kombat X to go above the average sequel, or so it seems at the present.
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, or Mortal Kombat 6, although I'm not sure which game counts as 5.....is it technically MK 4 that is actually the fifth game? Is it like that whole argument that Super Mario 3 is actually 4? Either way, Deadly Alliance was a great reimagination of the series, and brought to the helm a game franchise that has been a staple of my childhood to a much broader audience. Mortal Kombat 9, not but two games after, had made the game mainstream, and although many could say the game just upgraded what we already knew and loved, adding X-Ray moves, and new perspectives on old characters, like playing as Sektor and Cyrax pre-cyborg.
In-truth, the game had a great deal of add-ons, it even added a long-time fan request in Skarlett, who was suggested to be a hidden character in the earlier games, although it was just an alternative costume of Mileena.
Yet, many claim the game had a great deal of push because of a playable Kratos, and DLC like Freddy Kreuger, which is plausible, I've heard of people buying games for less, but I truly believe it was the immersive story, and a decent gap between games so the taste of Armageddon could be washed from one's mouth. If Armageddon wasn't made, and Deception was the last game, I'm sure MK X would be a completely different animal. Still, Armageddon is its own blessing in disguise, because 9 was so much better, and I think that train wreck is the reason 9 was a better game.....although, is MK vs DCU seen as cannon? If so, that game was fun, but didn't add too much to the storyline. So instead of making that a blanketed statement, let me elaborate: Mortal Kombat 9 was supposed to be a wash from the end of Armageddon, but this game seems to be the outcome from Armageddon, and 9, so expect a few new faces, and say sayonara to some famous characters, which to me, is perfectly fine, and a step in the right direction.
MK X is going to be interesting because it'll add quite a few new characters that even I'm impressed by so-far. My only concern is that 2 player is going to be dropped, because is am old-fashioned, and want the choice to play my friend on the couch, so I can dance and wiggle in front of their face when I rip out their spine. The newest characters are a breath of fresh air: Netherrealm is doing it right, and they've added two (three if you count the Terra-Fer character) new female players so far. To me, the female side of the roster has always been more balanced than most fighters, excluding such titles as Dead or Alove, but that was more against the grain, but if you look at the current MK titles, they've all added female character that are universally respected, if not loved.
First off, Sonya Blade is perhaps the most iconic female character in games since Lara Croft, and she's perhaps more the bad ass for it. She was a bit of a joke for a while, but in the past few games has been one of the better characters. The same could be said for Kitana, and my personal favorite: Jade. The point is over ten games, the female characters have been nearly balanced in every game, and each one has been more, and more detailed, their stories more interesting as the game expands.
Despite my not caring what the sex is of the character I play, the female characters in Mortal Kombat always seem to be immersed in the game, not just there for political correctness. Also, they could all make Chun-Li weep. The new characters are Cassie Cage; 
Sonya Blade, and Johnny Cage's child, and although this makes sense story wise, and there have been non cannon characters like Kira, I think that a child between Sonya and Jax would've been more interesting. This character has a mixture of Special a Forces stile moves, and some of the campy that makes Johnny Cage a hate him 'til you love him kind of guy. Her fatality was pretty funny, which I was pleasantly surprised to see, even though the clown one all Joker last game was pretty funny as well. The nex character to be introduced so far is D'horah, 
looks like a kind of bee/insectoid creature, perhaps a new race in the Netherealm, or some other realm....we don't know if all the realms are open and reacting with each other currently, still she looks to be a bit overpowered, but this game isn't fully balanced yet....and Koto Khan 
is probably the most unbalanced character of the game....that blood sacrifice move is going to cause more nerd rage than Jar-Jar Binks announced in the new Star Wars film (just kidding, but Disney is the place where nightmares come true.) still, the new characters look like they both fit into the Mortal Kombat Universe, and although they aesthetically look similar, they still look completely new, and shadow remnants of the past MK games, but still house a design that makes me say, MK is ready for a new generation. Sure,,some people are complaining because there's new characters....but, I hate to sound like a smart ass, and say every single game after the very first Mortal Kombat, even Armageddon, included new playable characters. If people complained about "new characters" back when MK II was made, then my favorite character, Jade, would never have been crafted for the series! So yes, I too am worried we won't see enough favorite characters, and even the Sub-Zero is most likely going to be an offspring of the brother of the original Sub-Zero, but I get it! I hate when my favorite character dies, but I also know that life must go on, especially with a sequel. I'm not saying the concern isn't understandable, but I will also say that every game has had both the good, and the bad. Yes, even MK 4 had both good and bad parts to it.....although I think nothing can be salvaged from Special Forces, even Tremor was a flawed design, and I'd say a flawed concept altogether.
Sonya Blade, and Johnny Cage's child, and although this makes sense story wise, and there have been non cannon characters like Kira, I think that a child between Sonya and Jax would've been more interesting. This character has a mixture of Special a Forces stile moves, and some of the campy that makes Johnny Cage a hate him 'til you love him kind of guy. Her fatality was pretty funny, which I was pleasantly surprised to see, even though the clown one all Joker last game was pretty funny as well. The nex character to be introduced so far is D'horah, looks like a kind of bee/insectoid creature, perhaps a new race in the Netherealm, or some other realm....we don't know if all the realms are open and reacting with each other currently, still she looks to be a bit overpowered, but this game isn't fully balanced yet....and Koto Khan is probably the most unbalanced character of the game....that blood sacrifice move is going to cause more nerd rage than Jar-Jar Binks announced in the new Star Wars film (just kidding, but Disney is the place where nightmares come true.) still, the new characters look like they both fit into the Mortal Kombat Universe, and although they aesthetically look similar, they still look completely new, and shadow remnants of the past MK games, but still house a design that makes me say, MK is ready for a new generation. Sure,,some people are complaining because there's new characters....but, I hate to sound like a smart ass, and say every single game after the very first Mortal Kombat, even Armageddon, included new playable characters. If people complained about "new characters" back when MK II was made, then my favorite character, Jade, would never have been crafted for the series! So yes, I too am worried we won't see enough favorite characters, and even the Sub-Zero is most likely going to be an offspring of the brother of the original Sub-Zero, but I get it! I hate when my favorite character dies, but I also know that life must go on, especially with a sequel. I'm not saying the concern isn't understandable, but I will also say that every game has had both the good, and the bad. Yes, even MK 4 had both good and bad parts to it.....although I think nothing can be salvaged from Special Forces, even Tremor was a flawed design, and I'd say a flawed concept altogether. Still, these new characters, and they may be the only new characters ( Raiden and Kano are coming back, so is Quan Chi, but seeing how the last game ended, that doesn't surprise me.) are aesthetically pleasing in design, and during gameplay, they move with a grace that made the last game almost artistic in it's juggling, and the combat system has become very updated, so-much-so that even when you combo, or use an environmental piece, it doesn't skip a beat. If this is just a test, I'd be enticed to see just what a finished product looks like, and although the bugs to come might be a sad, sad shame, I have faith this game will be one of the few games that's actually completed on the shipping date...I know! I may be asking too much, but you know what? If the game isn't without it's flaws, I'm sure it'll be playable at the very least.
Also, Master-Blaster (Ferra/Torr) 
made it into the game, and if that doesn't put a smile on your face, (yes, I now it's not literally Master-Blaster) then you, good person, have no sense of humor. Still, the game is looking better than most could expect for a franchise that's over twenty years old, and I'd say this game could survive for several more generations, because it seems to be under great management, and that's what keeps a series alive....and if the game is being mismanaged, hopefully it will have a moment of zen, and get someone who will put it back on top. Like Hideo Kojima is assuring us that the legacy of Silent Hill will stay alive, Ed Boon is showing us that Mortal Kombat will survive, at least one more cycle. This is looking to be my first official preorder for the Playstation 4, and you can expect my review to follow. Still, if this game turns out to be utter garbage, I promise you will know immediately. Sure, I gave Armageddon some slack, it wasn't the best, but certainly not the worst, and I think that is why people were disappointed: it wasn't like a grand finale, but a rather clumsy curtain drop.
made it into the game, and if that doesn't put a smile on your face, (yes, I now it's not literally Master-Blaster) then you, good person, have no sense of humor. Still, the game is looking better than most could expect for a franchise that's over twenty years old, and I'd say this game could survive for several more generations, because it seems to be under great management, and that's what keeps a series alive....and if the game is being mismanaged, hopefully it will have a moment of zen, and get someone who will put it back on top. Like Hideo Kojima is assuring us that the legacy of Silent Hill will stay alive, Ed Boon is showing us that Mortal Kombat will survive, at least one more cycle. This is looking to be my first official preorder for the Playstation 4, and you can expect my review to follow. Still, if this game turns out to be utter garbage, I promise you will know immediately. Sure, I gave Armageddon some slack, it wasn't the best, but certainly not the worst, and I think that is why people were disappointed: it wasn't like a grand finale, but a rather clumsy curtain drop. However, I'm excited, as should most MK fans, and although we've heard practically nothing yet, especially for a game that is expected to release in the next eleven months, I expect decent online multiplayer, a more immersed storyline, and I hope the towers come back, but if that gets an upgrade as well, I won't be completely disappointed. Love challenge towers, and it reminds me of classic MK. I also hope they bring back the Shokans. I know they are either universally loved, or universally hated, but I don't mean bring back Goro, or Shiva, or even that pussy cat Kintaro, I'm just saying give me a new Shokan....not sure I'd want a Motaro centaur, but please not that satyr version. Also, I think people want to play as a full-blooded female Tarkartan, not Mileena, but still, I'd love to see some kind of sleek female Baraka that jumps around like a spider, and can hack and gash like a spliced ala Bioshock. To me, that would be an added experience, which wouldn't upset the status quo, and pays homage to the larger world of Outworld. As an avid fan, and a strong critic, I'm quite certain that Ed Boon will do right by the fans, and simply make a fun game....something that's classic, but brand-new, and focused on fun, rather than anticlimactic gameplay, which tries to evoke an emotion, rather than upper cutting someone into a vat of acid, and having a cartoonish skeleton pop right back up. Mortal Kombat X is expected to release sometime in 2015, but I'd believe it to be sometime in late Spring, early Summer, but don't be surprised a game of this magnitude ( that is, as a task for the developers) may be pushed back as far as holiday season of winter 2015.
Update: as I just finished writing this post, I discovered that three new characters have been leaked. Kung Lao, Kitana, and for pre-order: Goro. The game was also give a date of release: April 14th, 2015.
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