Reboot of the gory fighting franchise
Mortal Kombat 1 is a premium action game from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and NetherRealm Studios. This fighting game reboots the entire franchise, picking up from the supposed ending of its predecessor, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate. In this game, you follow the new timeline created by Fire God Liu Kang and watch the titular tournament unfold once more.
With next-generation graphics, redesigns for most of the beloved characters, and a compelling storyline, Mortal Kombat 1 is a worthy reboot. Players can also expect to see post-launch DLC Kameo Fighters and playable characters.
Travel back to the past
Mortal Kombat 1, originally speculated to be Mortal Kombat 12 (MK12), is considered a reboot of the series. By the end of Mortal Kombat 11, Fire God Liu Kang has obtained the time powers of the Titan Kronika. He was seen going back to the past, revealing himself to a young helper revealed to be Great Kung Lao, ancestor to the main timeline’s Kung Lao, Kung Jin, and Liu Kang.
With the new game set from the storyline mentioned above, players will be treated to surprising but refreshing redesigns of iconic characters. Aside from the retained Fire God, expect new looks for Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Kitana, Mileena, and Shang Tsung. One surprising addition to the confirmed roster is Johnny Cage. Whether we’ll see a distant ancestor or a time-traveling celebrity remains to be seen.
One confirmed new feature is the introduction of Kameo Fighters, a separate set of characters that will help your fighter during matches. Aside from following each character’s storyline, the game also promises a wealth of unlockables and cosmetics. Like any other MK entry, however, expect generous amounts of gore, especially with the new Fatalities, making it unadvisable for younger players.
Crossplay support
Stylized as “Krossplay,” the launch of Mortal Kombat 1’s crossplay will enable players to matchmake and engage in brutal fights in various multiplayer modes — such as Kombat League, Kasual Versus, and the like — in the following supported platforms: Epic Games, PlayStation 5, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S. As crossplay is not supported in the Nintendo Switch version, players can only match and play against fellow Switch owners.
Supervillain Homelander joins MK1
Homelander, the antagonist of “The Boys,” is the latest character to be added in Mortal Kombat 1. He is part of the Kombat Pack, a premium bundle that contains both playable characters and Kameo fighters. Players who own this DLC can fight as said supervillain on June 4, 2024, but outside of that, he will be playable worldwide starting June 11, 2024.
In the gameplay trailer released on May 29, 2024, Homelander was shown exchanging intro dialogues with some characters in the game, such as Liu Kang and Kitana, along with performing his movesets. Of course, the best part here is the supervillain’s The Boys-inspired Fatalities.
One Fatality shows Homelander landing an uppercut to Liu Kang, launching him into the sky. Liu Kang gets hit by an airplane, and after grabbing the bloodied Liu Kang from the plane’s nose, Homelander releases him in the direction of the engine. With Liu Kang’s body shredded, the engine explodes. Another Fatality in the trailer shows The Boys antagonist firing a powerful heat vision laser at Sub-Zero’s face and then bisecting his body.
Now that the update has arrived on the Nintendo Switch version, MK1 has, once again, received flak for Homelander’s low-quality character model on said console. It’s true that Homelander’s model looks more realistic and human-like in the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X and S versions. Still, players can’t help but compare his Switch model to his model in the aforementioned platforms.
Refreshing the entire franchise
After challenging conquerors, gods, elder gods, and titans, Mortal Kombat 1 brings players back to the origins of the story. The materials hinting at the Great Kung Lao will give players a peek at mankind’s first Mortal Kombat. With redesigned characters and a whole new set of collectibles, this is a refreshing new direction for the franchise. Fans looking for violent content will not be disappointed, too.
