No video game franchise is without its flaws. I only played Mortal Kombat back then -- hoping that its violence could help me "man up". However, I ended up liking Liu Kang (my fave) even if he wasn't always the main character. Sure, I'm not impressed with how Mortal Kombat 1's timeline turns out -- especially since various reincarnations aren't working IMHO. I'd like to revisit a game that revived the franchise -- and a game that badly needs to be REMADE. I was so upset with Mortal Kombat 1's bloatedness that I became, "No PS5! I DON'T CARE!" However, I'd be lying to say that Tekken 8 isn't getting me tempted to get one! Tekken 8 looks much better and is getting better reviews. Mortal Kombat 1 is pretty much NOT a good reboot IMHO. Now, time to really talk about how Mortal Kombat (2011) made me forget the first eight games.
The punch/attack scheme has been more charming (at least to me)
Mortal Kombat started out with the use of High Punch, Low Punch, High Kick, and Low Kick. This was probably done to give easier access to older players OR NOT. The gameplay just felt repetitive one way or another. All first four games used the use of high and low attacks. I was hoping Mortal Kombat would bo beyond that. That's why the Street Fighter series once dominated. Using different types of punches simply helped the gameplay.
The game started to evolve with newer controls during the 3D era. Sure, I once enjoyed playing Mortal Kombat Deception but that game's better off not replayed by me. I do love Onaga as a character but I'm now hating the game he first got into. Onaga should've been the final boss for Mortal Kombat 11 given Shao Kahn's return. Onaga could've been promising everyone a New Era but he only seeks power for himself. Instead, Kronika's probably not a good female villain IMHO. I mean, there are many badass female main antagonists. Kronika was pretty much meh IMHO. Maybe, it's because I dislike the idea of Shinnok being a Mama's Boy (and I'm a Shinnok fan).
The multiple fighting styles were good in theory. However, in implementation, it got TOO COMPLEX. Was it trying to derail Tekken or what? Even more, the gameplay went full 3D. At first, it felt fine until I realized that DODGE -- I can keep DODGING projectiles! It made Hanzo Scorpion's spear or Kuai Liang Sub Zero's freeze 99.9% USELESS! The 3D fighting had some interesting dynamics. However, Mortal Kombat IS a projectile-based game. Tekken isn't a projectile-based game! Tekken can stay 3D for all I care. Tekken is primarily based on close-range combat. Tekken's use of multi-tiered stages and 3D fighting (which is done by pressing Up twice or Down twice, rapidly) works better. Thankfully, I NEVER had Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. However, I'm still open to remaking it with Tag-Team Play and improvised T-rated fatalities. Warner Bros. does own DC Universe now! The Joker was made into Mortal Kombat 11 as a guest character.
However, if there's one thing Kronika should be proud of, it's the "golden balance" that was achieved in Mortal Kombat (2011). The gameplay here is what I'd call "that golden balance". Mortal Kombat X's use of variations work better than switching fighting styles. Seriously, that could've done during the 3D era! So what's this golden balance? Mortal Kombat (2011) went back to the 2D fighting era. I almost didn't want it if we're going back to the use of the high and low attacks. Instead, it goes with the one button per limb. Okay, I DISLIKE the naming scheme because Front Punch and Front Kick are actually Back Punch and Back Kick in Tekken terms. What's with that confusion with assigning buttons Front Punch to 1 and Back Punch to 2? Are we teasing the brains of the people? Regardless, I was still able to handle it with just using the 1-2-3-4 scheme. In my case, I prefer to use the Tekken terminology. It's like saying doing Hanzo Scorpion's Spear is "Press Back, Back + Left Punch" instead of "Press Back, Back + Front Punch".
Pretty much, I've preferred the use of one button per limb vs. the high and low attacks. The Dial-A-Combo system is clearly taken from the likes of Tekken and Soul Calibur. Mortal Kombat still uses the block button and for a good reason. Some fatalities require the use of pressing Up -- something that can be VERY WOBBLY. Soul Calibur uses the block button too. Mortal Kombat is more on aggressive gameplay. I criticized the Block button before for being "superfluous". However, it makes sense in the Mortal Kombat franchise due to how fatalities are often inputted -- to prevent movement while inputting!
It's practically what Mortal Kombat Trilogy failed to become due to technical limitations back then (gameplay-wise)
Mortal Kombat Trilogy bit off more than it could chew. I experimented on spite editing and doing the Pit II fatality -- something that was sorely lacking! However, many who criticized Midway for being "too lazy" to do the editing should remember the limitations of the fifth-generation systems. Who could remember how much space an N64 cartridge had and the SLOW LOADING TIMES of the PSX? I miss many good PSX games but I'm not missing the slow loading times. Having a PS2 made me say adios to the slow loading times! Mortal Kombat Trilogy was on a CD. Even more, it's just not completely playable anymore. It seems it was a failed experiment that got revisited years later! There were many ways to deal with it. However, Mortal Kombat Trilogy was just D*MN BLOATED!
However, the power of the seventh-generation consoles prevailed. Sure, there are still some beefs I've had. Honestly, I wonder why the crew in NetherRealm Studios didn't implement The Pit and Pit II all in the same game? Instead, the crew members all decided that they'd merge the two pits into one? I gave it a thought that maybe, just maybe, the Pit II Stage Fatality was impressive back in its day. However, in this day and age, digitized graphics have been ditched for 3D models since Mortal Kombat 4. The sixth-generation entries used 3D models. I bet digitized graphics became obsolete. It was cool back then but not today. Instead, Motion Capture was used a lot with some realistic graphics. Heck, some characters here almost look like real people. Shang Tsung's Mortal Kombat (2011) design almost looks like Kabai Singh in The Phantom. Too bad that Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa didn't do the voice -- presumably due to a busy schedule!
The use of 3D models corrected a LOT of wonky moments. Who can remember when Sheeva's skin rip fatality left a bloody skeleton? This time, you get a SKINLESS CORPSE. Who can remember when characters exploded into LOTS AND LOTS OF BONES? It's already a thing of the past. Many new fatalities were implemented. Several fatalities are given cool new remakes. Liu Kang finally unleashes flames to become a dragon. Hanzo Scorpion's remake of his Spear Slice (as Split Decision) is pretty much the best. Many new Fatalities take advantage of the new engine. It's because digitized graphics limited everything. In fact, just think of how Stage Fatalities are much better now. The Subway got a bloodier remake. Need I mention that the Living Forest Stage Fatality is JUST BRILLIANT? Sure, I wasn't a big fan of the newer designs. I wish they improvised the Mortal Kombat II scarier designs. Stil, gotta love how the Living Forest Stage Fatality was finally IMPLEMENTED -- something I believe was impossible due to memory limitations. In fact, I feel the smiling tree and tree with the mouth wide open -- were testaments of memory limitations! Many new gruesome fatalities (though my tolerance for torture scenes is STILL VERY LOW) were made -- mostly with unrealistic violence!
The Babalities returned with a hilarious twist. Was this meant to mimic Killer Instinct's Humiliation from the first game? Combo breakers were added into Mortal Kombat. I heard Brutalities were supposed to be added but weren't -- due to time constraints. The Babality wouldn't just turn the opponent into a baby. The opponent would HUMILIATE HIMSELF OR HERSELF. It was worth a laugh to see the infantilized opponent have their own present mind -- while being trapped in the body of an infant. Some were meh while others were downright funny. Seeing Kung Lao and Johnny Cage reference their Friendships from older games -- made me wish otherwise. Still, it was good to see the innovation of seeing the Babalities make fun of the opponents! It was a fate worse than death!
The game was more or less balanced. Sure, the difficulty is still there but NONE OF THAT irritating button reading. I remember playing Mortal Kombat II on the arcade and in the Shaolin Monks spin-off. Boy, it was THAT IRRITATING! Trying to play the old games in this day and age -- is almost like making me do work with a much older program! The gameplay can get hard but not to INFURIATING HARD. That means gone are the days of mad button reading! That means Baraka no longer kept countering with his Blade Flurry or did Kintaro keep throwing me out into the air.
Gaming balance has been key to things
It's no secret that Mortal Kombat Trilogy is really imbalanced. The gameplay can be summarized with a very imbalanced roster. Two-player games can be very disrupting. I had the PSX version. I remember forbidding anyone (including myself) from using the boss characters -- DUE TO HOW DIFFICULT THEY ARE. It was an unfair advantage that the bosses were playable.Sure, there was the Normal Boss Damage option from the CHEAT MENU. However, you had to KNOW THAT CHEAT. Still, who can deny playing as Goro could make you theoretically win a match by just PUNCHING YOUR OPPONENT 4X? Motaro automatically reflected projectiles too!
Need I mention about Noob Saibot and Rain? They were supposedly regular characters BUT they were downright broken. Noob Saibot's Disabler would almost spell D-E-A-T-H to anybody hit by it. Rain's Water Ball was truly spammable. However, it wasn't the same case for Mortal Kombat (2011). Balance was really the core of decisions. Noob Saibot and Rain are still beginner-friendly without otherwise being TOO beginner friendly. Sure, I find Noob Saibot's Disabler(now Ghost Ball) almost useless BUT he's got other moves to compensate. Rain's Water Ball not doing damage (unless enhanced) was also good.
Several special moves were turned into Enhanced Moves. Shang Tsung needs a meter to fire three fireballs. Rain's Water Ball must be enhanced to do damage. Sektor's missile must be enhanced to target the opponent. This mechanic balances everything. Sure, Sheeva's teleport stomp can still be annoying BUT it's not all that annoying. Liu Kang's enhanced bicycle kick requires a meter burn too. This changed the way gameplay goes. The same goes for why Tag Assists and Tag Attacks require at least ONE METER. It lessens the spam and balances the gameplay.
Interestingly, Mortal Kombat (2011) gave us two Shang Tsungs. I'm glad that I could use the old man form if I feel like it. We have a playable version vs. a Boss Version. Boss Shang Tsung could morph into anyone. Shang Tsung was plain overpowered. Shang Tsung may still be that OP MOFO but he's far more balanced. Shang Tsung could morph ONLY INTO THE OPPONENT using the Soul Steal. However, the morph duration is significanty shorter unless enhanced. Boss Shang Tsung was probably a notice that, "We would've done it but balance is key." Boss Shang Tsung was irritating because he could morph into any character. I still complain about it as a WEAKNESS for the game. Still, I couldn't blame NetherRealm for wanting to show off the capabilities they've gained. However, I'm still wishing the fight took place at The Pit instead of Shang Tsung's Throne Room. Well, for obvious reasons because I kinda want to keep uppercutting the prick down the bed of spikes!
I could mention that not having Motaro in the mix IS A RELIEF. Motaro is probably my most hated boss character. Motaro showed up in Story Mode hinting that he was indeed planned. However, not including Motaro means that gameplay balance was in the mind of the programmers. Motaro would totally tip off the balance like he did previously. Motaro could've been made immune to x-rays and projectiles. However, Motaro would totally wreck things more than Goro, Kintaro, and Shao Kahn would.
Goro, Kintaro, and Shao Kahn were balanced off while retaining SNK boss stats. I'm going to say that Motaro's gone and good riddance! Still, I'm b*tching about Goro's lack of his Grab and Pound attack in this game. I really b*tched out whenever Goro grabbed me but NEVER pounded me like he did back in the good old days! Still, that complaint was too MINOR A NITPICK! It was nice to have the bosses DIFFICULT BUT NOT TOO DIFFICULT. Goro and Kintaro were infamously harder than Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn. This game managed to make them difficult without otherwise getting me stuck for too long. Sure, I got defeated by Shao Kahn 5x on the first try. However, it's still WAY MORE MERCIFUL than the older games.
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Overall, it's like getting the best of the first eight games THEN BALANCING THEM. It's not perfect (no game is) but it's definitely worth a remake.
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