Mortal Kombat: Overview

    For over three months now I've been patiently wanting to write out the review for Mortal Kombwt X. Judging by my past post,mi have some big shoes to fill, and to do so in respect to what else I've written over the past 9/10 years. So I've decided to take this first paragraph now to warn you that there will be plenty of spoilers, and I mean plenty in the below post. Some of which covers a great deal more than just Mortal Kombat X, so be forewarned to have spoilers from even as far back as MK Deadly Alliance. Thank you for supporting the Malacast Editorial, and without further delay, here is my official mortal Kombat X review. 

   

    Mortal Kombat X (or ten if you prefer) is an official canonical game, and the next installment in the Mortal Kombat Universe. The game takes place directly after Mortal Kombat 9, and gets pretty hazy with the timeline, as it likes to jump around, and seems to do a lot of the storytelling through action, as the visuals are the best the series has had so-far in-terms of 3-D games. The story mode is just a little over two hours if played without a hitch, and is slightly shorter than MK 9's storyline, however, it is far better, despite the iffy dialogue, although less corny than the last game, and the story itself being a bit of a difficulty to follow without the companion comic book issues, which gives you a far better understanding of the goings-on of the series up until the actual story mode in MKX. 

    Is this necessarily a bad thing? For the gamer who has always had the story directly within the game, I find the deployment of a comic book series to usher in the game as a tie-in very much up WB Gsmes' alley, as if has done this before with the Batman: Arkham series.  Having read a few of the issues myself, I had a far better understanding of what exsctly was going on,me oh the characters were now (seeing as the game takes place twenty-five years after the tournament, it's easy to say that all the characters are practically brand-new.  The story itself is fairly simple to follow, despite the jumping around of the actual game:

    After the "third" tournament, which of course wasn't actually a tournament, but rather an Outworld Invasion of Esrthrealm,  Shao Kahn was killed by the elder gods for breaking the rules of Mortal Kombat, and this ushered an-all out war with Shinnok, and his disciple Quan Chi, as they seeked to corrupt the Gensing (I'm probably spelling that wrong) or "Earthrealam's lifesource" so Shinnok could merge the realms and be a totalitarian ruler of the heavens and the earth in all realms.  

   This plot uses the  revenants Quan Chi kept over from the prior Outworld Invasion, in the souls of fallen Esrthrealm warriors. Sub-Zero, Jax, Kitana, Liu Kang, Nightwolf,  Stryker, Sindel, (although she's technically an Edenian), Kung Lao, and Kabal, were all brought back to life to serve Shinnok and Quan Chi in helping to bring about Earthrealm's utter destruction. Now most Mortal Kombat games were solely focused around mythology,,culture, even religious practice, but this one goes more in-depth of political stratagem, and war tactics. There is a great deal of diplomacy involved, as it seems to be the centre so theme of the game. Remember, this is a story being told for over twenty-three years, and every character has a history to them, and interacts so prevalently with one-another, it's almost impossible to see what many of them has a family unit, and in some fucked-up way, it is a family bound by blood, and a few broken/ripped out rib cages. Still, the idea of smile is a major focus of the story as well,which comes in the flash forward of twenty-five years after Shinnok's plot to overthrow his fellow elder gods is foiled. 

   We see a strong case of family ties, and although much of it is forcibly split up I to chapters to accommodate the particular character involved at the time, but everything is answered, essentially, but I felt the order poorly executed in explanation,  worst than a chihuahua with ADHD  trying to memorize the Kryptonian alphabet. However, when everything is answered, and the story completes, it's better than most story modes, and really makes up for that whole Shujinko fiasco some fe years back. 

  So with the flash forward two twenty-five years later, and a few soap opera cut scenes here and there, with Breakfast Club awkwardness pseudo-flirting out of the way, we discover that Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade had a child, and she, along with the next generation of Earthrealm fighters, despite being fledglings to the whole Outworld problems affoot, are being sent out to the Lin Kuei, who are across the best Faction on Earth, and only lose Faction Wars, because they don't like to monopolize all the prizes. Sorry, I went off on the Faction Wars mode, which we will be getting to later, I apologize for that unintentional foreshadow. Go Lin Kuei! 

  So the team go out to meet the Grandmaster, Sub-Zero, who is of course the second Sub-Zero, who was cursed in the comics by Kano, and given the same scar he would've had if the third and fourth tournaments commenced. Although up until this point,only two legitimate tournaments have taken place, and although Mortal Kombat X could be seen as the tenth game, it does take place twenty-five years after mortal Kombat 4, and does house a lot of the same storyline. As this is a parallel universe from the future Raiden sought to prevent which led into the great deal of shit that made up Mortal Kombat 9, we can see here that a great lot has changed, but most of the core story has been told over, and has been told over in such a way that we may inevitably get back to where we were, and again Armageddon will happen. 

     The young team made up of Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs, Takeda, and Kung Jin set out to talk to the Grandmaster Sub-Zero, and are met with a few fight tutorials, and they turn out to be just tests, because Johnny Cage wanted to make sure that they had in some training. So really thenfightsnyou have are pointless, and they really don't add much other than to get you a few fights with Sub-Zero, but there is a few bits and pieces of importance in growing up, and all these other John Hughes aspects I greatly disliked, but will admit make this far more than a fighting game. Here is a great deal of consistency and content involved in the story mode, but it's quite difficult to explain, as a lot of it is surrounded by the actual fighting, which tells so much of the animosity, even the politics, behind the game. 

    For example, the Quick Time Events, or QTE involved in the game don't really take away or add anything of value, they serve no consequence, but make of only showcase the detail to the characters, and more importantly the body language between characters. Now I'm sure most will. Of get this at first, and may even say I'm overreaching, but from what I've gathered of this game, it is all about the content of characters, and how they mesh with other characters. 

   NPCs are everywhere.,and like Armageddon, despite it being not such a great game, or in lay men's terms, shit, are there to appease every single fan, just to be sure nobody is left out, and serve a purpose to the story. I happen to be a fan of Li Mei, and I'll get some shit for that, but I did like her in Deadly Allaiance, as she filled the hole that Mileena should've been in, and was through rectified in the sequel. Still, her character design, and supporting role in this story, makes me think she'll play a bigger role down the line, but I wasn't so sure the refugees that came across to Earthrealm with her are going to bring even more chaos in MK XI, which is a shoe-in to happen, as this game was the biggest, fastest selling game of all-time for the series. 

    So refugees are pouring over into Earthrealm from all other realms to seek refuge, and if that isn't political enough for you, then you'd love that Kotol Khan, who was banished by Reiko and Mileena, although that story is a bit fuzzy to me, becaue I didn't make it that deep into the comics, has become the me Outworld Emperor, and is waging a battle against Mileena who has dome how discovered the Kamidogou or Shinnok's ammulet, which Shinnok is of course trapped in by Raiden twenty-five years earlier. Mileena claims she's the rightful heir to Shao kahn's throne, but being just a test-tube baby, and the irony that Kitana probably claims more rights over that than even Mileena has is so much irony in this game, it. Ames my dress shirts stiff as boards. 

     Kotol Kahn, with an alliance with D'Vorah and Reptile, both of who knew of Mileena's hatching in Shang Tsung's flesh lp it's are pretty much primping Kotol,Kahn to be ruler, and he inevitably usurpers Mileena, who also teams up with pro Edenian sympathizes, hoping for a unified Edenia, help Mileena try to take out Kotol Kahn, by hiring Kano as a would-be assassin. However, he fails, and seeks refuge along with many leaving Outworld because they know shit is going to hit the fan, but is captured by Sonya Blade, who will not do business with scum like him. 

   Pretty much this game has an awesome story, far better than the dribble in nine, and if is matured, not as sophomoric in nature as the last title, which felt childish and barely above the intelligence of a bad poop joke. Still, this game has everything, and as I really don't want to give away everything, because everyone else already does that, and ruins the game for those who sincerely want to play it, I'll just say that the end is proof that the hype for MK XI will be equal to, but obviously even higher than it was for ten. 

     Granted, ten was a big deal for me, becaue it is the tenth game in a series I've been a fan of since I was just a wee child playing on the Sega Genesis. However, Mortal Kombat Eleven, which I'm certain will be out by at the very latest, the end of this console cycle, will be the game that really rejuvenated this series, and it doesn't seem to be dying anytime soon, well, unless you count the fatalities galore, and whether or not Li Ban killed Frost after that meeting with Hanzo Hasashi. 

   Story Mode is worth the price of admission, or at least half, but the real bread-and-butter is playing the actual game, whether it be online against friends, the Living Towers, which are basically advertisements for anyone who wants to try out a new concept character, or even preview a DLC in a try-before-you-buy system, the game has a lot to offer. 

  There are twenty-four characters,,counting Goro in the standard game, and twenty six with the next two, in Jason and Tanya, and it will end with a whopping twenty-eight come the release of Tremor and Predator. Each character has three variants, which means if you don't purchase any DLC,  there are literally a hundred and four characters out of the box, because each variant really  ales the characters unique, almost to the point of being entirely different characters,,along with the number of dare-I-say, Kostumes thwt can be purchased in the krypt that will also give you a sense of playing a totally different character every single time. This is also the downside of the game, because it  she's it difficult to master a character out of the box, and I really don't like certain aspects of variants, like giving one specific special thwt meshes well with another specific special move I'm another variant. I also don't like that once you choose a variant, you're stuck with it for whatever amount of time you're playing, and if you're doing an endless tower, a little variety is truly the spice of longevity here. 

     I do like the idea of making each character have some lifespan past mastering the moves and kombos, because it really allows for you to grow as a fighter, and permanently keeps you training, and studying the game like you're working towards your Ph.D in butt-whooping.  I've played almost all of the characters, except for some that I loathe like (sic) Liu Kang, but his revnant form is pretty badass, much like Evil  Ryu kind of has a hiper aspect than just grouchy old good Ryu. Also, Kitana's dark empress costume is aesthetically amazing, and although a bit cliche, to see her in such a way makes me even that much more excited to see just how far these new rulers will push the limits of Outworld. 

   I mentioned the clothes, the towers, the (ugh! with the ks already!) Klassic Towers, and I've mentioned story mode. I've even mentioned there is nothing left out that would make any MK fan concerned, however, I failed to completely mention the new krypt, and this has been an area of (for the sake of "konsistency", as I've done it so far) koncern, and even kontroversy, okay I'll stop, scout's honor! But it has been a mixed reception. A lot of people either love or hate the new krypt, which itself is like a very bright and shiny version of Amnesia, but not scary,,or anything like Amnesia. You can traverse the entire krypt, find items to get from point A to point B, and I applaud the courageous amount of detail and love that went into every nook and cranny of it, but I simply hate the fact that all that work can be fixed with just doing the fatalities and brutalities without ever unlocking them! Still, I find it appealing that the....and it pains me to do this one, I mean it hurts to the point of krushing my spirits...koins are so difficult to get, and everything cost so damn much that it could take weeks of just getting koins and roaming around the krypt, looking for tombs to rob and get the actual goodies they all know we want, and that's Kostumes. 

    I like the Kostumes I'm seeing in this game, they all seem to have a certain individuality to them that I've come to know and love for these characters. But I especially like the way each one makes the characters look like they had a loving amount of detail out into them. Each character looks great, plays fast, as this game is faster than any other one before it, which makes for an excellent learning curve. I hive to admit, performing fatalities and brutalities, and looking sharp at it: priceless. 

    Now that was a cheap segue into brutalities, which each character has, and they are truly brutal, most of which are even harder to pull off than even the fatalities. Yet, just like the older fatalities gave you a sense of pride to complete when I was younger, these brutalities seem to be far more rewarding,even more rewarding than the brutalities from  Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.  Some are easy to do, some are so ridiculous, you'll spend several hours trying to pull them off, because they require an astronomically improbable scenario in order to pull off.  Either way, the amount of detail put into this title gives me hopes that this will not be the end of the series. 

    Now let's get to the characters, here's a list of all playable characters, and some NPCs or no -playable characters in the game:

    Playable characters: Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Raiden, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Kano, Sonya Blade, Jax, Reptile, Quan Chi, Shinnok, (after you beat story mode) Kitana, Mileena, Kenshi, Johnny Cage,  Ferra/Torr, Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs, Takeda, Kung Jin, D'Vorah, Kotol Kahn, Goro (with DLC, and this was controversial, as the character is basically on disc, you just need a lode to unlock him) erron Black, and last, but certainly not least: Ermac. 

       

NPCs: Kurtis Stryker, Kabal, Baraka, Sindel, Frost, Li Mei, Sareena, Bo Rai Cho,  and Fujin. These characters may become playable perhaps in the future with DLC, or possibly in the next game, which I would put my bottom bit coin down on coming out before the end of this console cycle. Rain is also a NPC, but so ething tells me he'll be playable as well come next DLC announcment. Tanya is playable now, and Tremor will also be playable before the end of this year, so expect that to be interesting as well with the non cannon characters like Jason Voorhees, from Friday the 13th, and Predator. 

     I'm not sure I would buy any of these characters, but it would be interested to see just how big the game becomes, because it may just double in size, and it would like to see some new stages, as they really are limited, although most of the time, you don't even care what the level is, because you're too busy fighting to pay attention, but with the addition of environmental tools and weapons added into the gameplay, I would like to see more variety in level choices, but not sure I'm willing to dish out more coin for them in DLC. So it's a Catch-22. 

   I enjoy the backgrounds though, each one is unique, where other fighting games tend to rehash the same old levels, mortal Kombat X has thirteen distinct levels, but being only thirteen levels in a world where we expect a multitude of levels, it's not necessarily a good thing to have less than more. Each level is fun, but is find the action moves much faster than in any other game, and it gets even more ridiculous in a test Your Luck mode. 

    test Your Luck was introduced to the MK Universe in MK9, and was perhaps one of the most fun  odes I've personally played. The MK fans agree, that it makes for some exhilarating,,albeit, ridiculous wins in any fighting mode. Sure, it can be bullshit, and catch you off guard, but even with the odds against you, it's still possible to win, in a difficult, but still balanced game. Test Yout Luck is still as fun as before in Mortal Kombat X, and keeps the game fresh, even after you've played through Story Mode thrice.

     The one thing I found unbalanced was the difficulty, I tried it on very hard, and I tried it on hard, and medium, so I've played the three main difficulties that people expect to learn off of,many medium seems almost too easy, and hard feels almost like playing a semi-stunted A.I., which can get a few good hits, or it can just lay three and die like a sick dog. However, the very hard difficultly seems to be almost asinine in difficulty, and this is coming from a seasoned vet. Don't get me wrong, playing against an A.I that is nerf beyond compare is a great way to deal with professional spammers,mbut with the controllers delay, I find it a pain in the ass to keep up and even show off the skills thwt I know I have. I just think the difficulties are g, but they don't accurately represent what they're called. 

       Next up is the Faction Wars. This is when players from around the world compe to declare supremacy over the other factions. Think of it like cultures going to war over control of Earthrealm, but it is guided as a very unique combatant team strategy. I've personally joined Lin Kuei when I first downloaded the mobile app, which again was seen as a toss up for fans many people hated it, others play it daily. The faction wars concept is a cool idea, however, I'm not certain I would put much gusto into it being something Pepe stick with over time. I do hope if Nethherrealm Studios supports this mode complexly, it will show up in sequels as well,,and allow for points/ranks/etc. to carry over.  Faction Wars, for me, is a great idea, but not one I really care that much for, as I'm sure I'd rather just play against friends, and the A.I.

      One of the most popular parts of Mortal Kombat's history are the stage fatalities, and sadly, there doesn't seem to be any in this game, but with the interactions being so useful, I've found there isn't really a need for the extra fatalities, as each character has two fatalities, and five brutalities. I did love the return of the babalities in MK 9, and the brutalities are fun to pull off. I'll be honest, some of them are even better than some of the brutalities. Also, there is an additive to the game that is completely different: faction kills. I've spoken about the faction wars before, but if you choose a faction, there is something quite interesting that comes with the perks of being part of the group: faction kills. Faction kills adds even more carnage to the game, as you stand beside and let allies in your flavtion kill your opponent for you, and it makes for something completely different to most MK fatalities.  I joined Lin Luei,,and those kills are different to say, Brotherhood of Shadows, or a Special Forces. So each kill, long or story is surprisingly detailed to the actual faction. The intruistic kills are usually easy, but quite a change a pace from the same fatality that grew staled ten uses earlier, and in online combat, it can be used against another faction. 

 With the krypt, the Living Towers, which grow and change daily, and weekly. The faction wars, which are always constantly changing, and about improving one's score in the global community. Plus, each and every single game mode awards you for getting better, as each time you play through a tower, Klassic or otherwise, you're getting better, and earning awards for doing so. The game has much replay value, as you barely scratch the surface after beating the short, but satisfying Story Mode, and even after beating every single character' ending, you still have the krypt to contend with, and that is literally a whole other game itself. I don't like the fact, however, that the krypt is overly expensive, and it takes twice the a out of time to earn rewards to unlock stuff in the krypt, as it did MK9's, or even Deadly Alliance's krypt. However, you can still enjoy the game without dealing with all the other bullshit that people complained about (micro transactions, DLC, etc.) because let's face it, if those little transactions allows for Netherralm Studios to make the sequel even better than this game, I'll bit the bullet a bit and say fine,buy Jason a offices, or get a season pass, who cares? So long as MK XI is just as good, if. Of better than MKX. 

      Overall, I have to say, of all the Mortal Kombat games, and I've literally played all of them, this. Oiled be my new favorite, even being better than MKII, yes I know that sounds like blasphemy, but the numbers don't lie. The game is incredibly fun to play, probably the most developed game in the series, every character has had a great deal of love and polishing given to them, that they almost seem to be a game of their own. Seeing as each character has so much detail,its almost like we were given three MK games in one, and although I feel Goro should've just been put on disc, he's not really missed, and twenty three playable characters is quite enough for the game, seeing as The very first Mortal Kombst only had seven characters to choose from. I did wish there was more unlockable content in the sense of hidden characters, as you can only unlock Shinnok. Still, I'm quite happy with the game, and really, the few complaints that I have, never stifled me from shouting from the metaphorical rooftops the praises for this game. 

     If you are a fan of Mortal Kombat, and I'm pretty sure you are, then you simply must get this game, and if you don't want to shell out the money for a PS4, or Xbox One just yet, then you will be joining the fight come December 31st when the game is ported to the PS3 and Xbox 360. The game is also available on PC, a rarity for the Mortal Kombat franchise, but  no matter now you want to get this game, I recommend you pick it up, because it is incredible for a fighter, and proves why story does matter in a beat'em up, and even transcends your typical fighter. Sure, it can be campy, but that's the point, and it always was the point of the game. I love Mortal Kombat, and this game is love at first sight. 

Thank you for reading the Malacast Editorial! 

Twitter: @mcasteditorial for Malacast Agent

           @FunNYFisherman for Edgar Holves

  I would also like to say sorry about not getting Part 2 of the harrowing Inheritance out to you by last Froday, I've not been able to get it done in the timely fashion, and rather than rush such a bigger shorty story out for the sake of deadlines, I'd rather it turn out better than the first half. So for those waiting on the conclusion, I sincerely apologize,,and I will be consecutively putting out stories in the upcoming weeks, then archiving them later on, as promised. I deeply apologize, and do expect the story by this Friday, as I will have the second half finished by Friday. 

   Thank you for your patience, and your support. 

Mortal Kombat X: Preview

With just days away from the telease of Mortal Kombat X, and the insurmountable hype that comes with its nearing release, I I've decided to do this preview post, because, well...it is Mortal Kombat. 

     I'm not the end-all-be-all on a Mortal Kombat, in-fact, i probably couldn't tell you the story from start to finish without having to run off to another page, and do a ton of research. I've written more about Mortal Kombat than I have any other video game series to date, but I believe thwt will be surpassed when Fallout 4 is released. I've been an admirer of the fighting series,,as most fans of the series are obsessed beyond healthy, and probably live the Mortal Kombat fandom far greater than I ever could. 

     MK X is looking stellar, I believe it will be one of the best fighting games in history,,it will be the benchmark all other games in its genre look towards for modeling future titles. Will the game be life-changing? No, but most games labeled as-such are indie titles that speak more to the poet, or the artistic kindred spirit in humanity, this game speaks more to the eighties action fan that drank one too many beers, and is repeating the cheesiest lines imaginable while hooting and hollering along in a crowded theater. Mortal Kombat X is all about making a statement, and fueling that competitive edge thwt comes from fighting titles. Generally I'm all for having story in a fighting game, and Mortal Kombat X looks to have all that, and more. Every day I log online there is more leaked information, more gaming information, more story mode footage, and of course, more  character reveals. 

     The game is so hyped, and people are constantly discussing it on forums, as more and more fans come out for the title, (remember, this game was also one of the first games to initiate the growing female gamer population into the medium. There was a time when female gamers we're looked at as anomalies, but now it's common to see men and women battling it out in tournaments, it's not evena question.) they seem to talk it out, and discover that this game has a community much larger than could ever have been imagined. 

      It's crazy to think that Mortal Kombat 9 was the most successful game in the series, ever. Even outdoing my personal favorite: Mortal Kombat II, which was the first MK I ever owned, but I did rent MK I literally every other weekend from the local video store.  

     A week from Tuesday, I'll have the game in my possession, like so many other rabid, avid, and quite frankly, pandemonious fans, salivating at the jowls to play this highly anticipated game. In a year full great games, this one is the continuation of a great compilation of best sellers, that will surely come to be a year of defining eight-generation consoles. 

    Mortal Kombat X is the tenth installment of fighting games in the series. For a complete history of games, you can refer to my Mortal Kombat history post done in 2006, it is still my most visited post on this blog. I would also Recommemd reading my preview post, which covered Armageddon, which (love it or hate it) is what has lead up to the current events of this game. For more on the actual story of Mortal Kombwt, I am planning on writing a post that will explain the entire story history of Mortal Kombat, but I would have to say it will. It be out for quite some time. 

   Now Mortal,a Kombat X takes place 25 years after MK 9, which the story mode was canon,and I believe that Scorpion's ending was also canon. The first thirty minutes of the game was leaked onto the internet,and it seems to barely scratch the surface of what exactly is going on in the MK universe. It spdoes seem like the game is in-fact going to be making huge changes. We still do not know(officially) which characters will be making a return, it points to Quan Chi and Shinnok becoming the main villains, although nothing has been confirmed on who the actual boss of the game will be. I'll assume it's Kotol Kahn, as of now.  Whoever/whatever is the final boss of arcade/story mode, I'll assume it will be a nice change from Shao Kahn. 

         Each character has variant styles, kind of like the different martial arts styles that were seen in the sixth-generation video game systems. Instead of hitting a button to change styles however, you choose a particiular style before the round starts, and each variant will be a new learning curve. I'm personally excited to see how two different variants of the same character play against one-another. I am also very excited to play my friends, because it looks like it will be fun to play on the couch, instead of playing Akbar or Luigi across the world. 

 Still, it seems just playing the iOS  version of the game has wet the proverbial palate of many people who will really, truly, hungrily want to play the holy hell out of the full-on console version. Will the game hold water? So many have played the open beta, and are still excited to play this game, and that means perhaps the other fighting franchises have to strop up to catch up to this potential franchise kickstart. Mortal Kombat X comes out tomorrow, expect a review coming up whenever I can personally pick up a copy of the game, as I will be completely, wholisticaly reviewing it down to the grit. So SPOILER ALERTS will be in full effect. 

Thank you for reading the Malacast Editorial! 

      

Mortal Kombat X is Shaping Up to be An impressive Fighter Post 1 of 10 of Preview-A-Palooza!

All images found on Google Image.      

    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. 

     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. 

       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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