The new work of the old bloody fighting game “Mortal Kombat 1” (Mortal Kombat 1), in addition to still focusing on punching to the flesh, breaking bones and bones, and flowing into rivers of blood, it also uses the popular concept of the multiverse to provide this game with more than The 30-year-old IP can attract both new and old groups of players in an extremely rich and interesting format.
Although the name of the game is “Mortal Kombat 1”, it is not a remake, but an upright 12th-generation work.
Notice! This game contains a lot of blood, severed limbs, and dismemberment.
Story background and premise
The story of the new work continues the ending of the previous DLC “Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath”. The protagonist Liu Kang defeated the final demon king and gained the ability to control the hourglass of time and can follow his own will. Feel free to reset and modify everything throughout Mortal Kombat.
Due to Liu Kang’s complete reshaping of the timeline, the character settings in the game have changed. For example, Scorpion and Sub Zero, who originally belonged to two sects, have become brothers, and the story has changed. It is back to the time point of the first generation, just like the game starts again with a new attitude, and many details in the game will also be designed with the collision between the new and the old.
Guest character system, ever-changing battle possibilities
“Mortal Kombat 1” continues the characteristics of easy operation and easy to use in the past. The default “no diagonal operation” content is very convenient. At the same time, the move table UI will automatically adjust according to the equipment, button settings and character position. Detailed tutorials from basic dodging to playing 10 Combo, and rewards can be obtained after completion, allowing novices to gradually master each character’s combo method through training.
The UI will automatically adjust according to the settings and the game will provide complete tutorials, from basic operations to advanced combos for each character.
Next, “Mortal Kombat 1” has canceled the scene interaction and action meters that have been in place since the 10th generation. It is no longer possible to throw out the old lady on the roadside, nor can you use continuous sprinting. Instead, it is replaced by a “guest character system” that is not completely new ( Kamoeo), which is the 11th generation form of a consumable prop that can only be used in specific game modes, and now becomes the main core system of “Mortal Kombat 1”.
Before fighting, you must select a main character and a guest character in the character list. Players can regard the guest character as an auxiliary prop, with their own combination of moves and specialties. For example, Kano prefers long-range attacks, and Kung Lao prefers long-range attacks. (Kung Lao) can perform teleportation, etc. It needs to be summoned manually during combat. After casting the move, it will leave the field immediately until summoned again.
It should be noted that, like all fighting moves, the guest character’s attack can be interrupted by the enemy. Once interrupted, he will not be able to be summoned for a short period of time, and the recovery speed of the meter will also be slowed down accordingly.
In addition, if you are an old player, it is not difficult to find that the designs of all guest characters are to restore the appearance of their first appearance in the “Mortal Kombat” series, so for example, Jax’s arms are still on the body. It was not replaced with the well-known robotic arm.
All guest characters replicate their first appearances.
The addition of this system has improved the problem that some characters in past fighting games were easily targeted. For example, characters who are good at throwing and throwing skills are restrained by Qigong characters. However, using guest characters, characters who are not good at long-range can use Kung Lao’s teleportation ability to immediately close the distance between the enemy and ourselves, breaking the situation of being suppressed by one side.
Of course, the guest characters also have the most representative Fatality and Brutality finishing systems in the “Mortal Kombat” series. The usage methods are exactly the same as the main characters. Players can find the instructions in the move table. Among them, Fatality also adopts a “retro style”, replicating the finishing moves of the characters on the large consoles in the past. For example, Sonya will burn the enemy to ashes with a blowing kiss.
Invasion mode, stand-alone is also fun to get season rewards
The “Mortal Kombat” series has always been very considerate of single-player players who don’t like being abused by masters online. This game continues this spirit and brings a new “Invasion” mode, allowing players to play even if they don’t play online. , you can also easily obtain all season reward items.
The invasion mode integrates the Krypt mode and the Tower challenge mode since the 9th generation, and adds an RPG-like development mechanism of ability value points and attributes. By completing various battles and mini-games, You can obtain “Season Coins” that can be exchanged for season props. If you are lucky enough, you may even have the opportunity to directly receive seasonal rewards.
In terms of gameplay, players need to operate the character they want to train to move around the map (the character can be changed at any time). There will be various challenge nodes along the route. Most of the content is about fighting enemies, but there are also a few parts about continuous fighting and dodging. A mini-game like this. After successfully passing a level, the character will receive various rewards and at the same time open the next node path.
Each node in the invasion mode represents a challenge. You can get rewards by completing the challenge. Daily and weekly tasks are also a great way to earn season coins. Season coins can be used to exchange for season line-ordered clothing styles.
Generally speaking, the enemies in the invasion mode are not very difficult, and most battles only have one round. Each level does not take long. Players like me who only know basic combos can easily pass all levels. The only thing that needs attention is the challenge tower. Unless you use exclusive props, if you fail midway, you have to start over no matter how many floors you climb.
However, rather than repeating the failure, the “peasant clothing” design that was complained about from the previous generation still exists. Each character’s customized clothing and color matching not only need to be played separately, but also because of the new character levels in “Mortal Kombat 1” Due to the design relationship, even the character’s special skills, taunting actions, etc. all need to be accumulated slowly through duels.
Each character will level up as the battle progresses, and unlock clothing, finishing moves and other content. The annoying design of clothing and color matching that needs to be played separately should be retained.
Fortunately, the “Money Box” for character competition is still reserved. Players can go directly to the “Sanctuary” through the menu. Every 1,000 gold coins consumed can be used for a lottery. Basically, except for season rewards, all collection elements are included. The content is all covered, and even clothing that requires independent class money to buy game points is also a winner!
Redefining the “1st Generation” plot
Since Warner Bros. acquired the studio and restarted the 9th generation of games, “Mortal Kombat” has performed well in terms of plot, but this is by the standards of fighting games. If it is considered a 3A work, it will look a bit B It feels like a top-notch movie. In addition to being bloody, the plot twists are not coherent enough, and the embarrassing behavior of using fists against the long-range mage is one of the reasons.
However, the plot of “Mortal Kombat 1” this time has changed from the past, and the overall performance has reached an unprecedented high level. Not only has the content narrative become smoother, but the rhythm has also been very appropriate, from an ordinary small rural village to an epic battle. , as well as the various foreshadowings inserted in the middle, all make the story more reasonable and successfully create the distinctive personality of the characters.
Later in the story, the double endings of the 11th generation DLC are cleverly used to explore the multiverse of “Mortal Kombat”. This not only pays tribute to the history of the game series for more than thirty years, but also opens up new possibilities for the future gameplay of the game.
For old players, “Mortal Kombat 1” is a “new old game”. It uses the method of resetting the timeline to give a new interpretation of each character’s personality and encounters, giving a It’s an experience where the old and the new collide, and there’s even a little bit of bad humor, such as explaining why the villain Quan Chi’s skin is so pale.
After Liu Kang reset time, Kitana and Mileena, who were originally the original deity and clones, became siblings.
As for new players, although the story briefly explains the ins and outs, I personally recommend that you complete at least all the content of the 11th generation DLC plot, which can greatly enhance the sense of involvement in the plot, and at the same time, you can deeply feel the characters before and after the time reset. huge contrast.
Classic tradition, new feeling
Overall, “Mortal Kombat 1” is a bold and quite successful attempt by the game team. After modernizing and repackaging the old content, it has become a game that can not only make old players smile, but also make new players laugh. Enjoy the charm of refreshing and bloody fighting without too high entry threshold.
For players who want to start the game, the editor recommends giving priority to the PC platform. The main reason is that it provides Chinese cultural content, while the Xbox and PS5 platforms do not even have Simplified Chinese. The advantage is that the ping value of the battle will be relatively stable. As for the Switch Don’t touch the version, which has become a meme on the Internet due to its poor optimization and image quality.
At present, the game does not yet have cross-platform play, but the game team has promised to step up its efforts and will cooperate with Amazon TV series in the future to launch guest appearances from “The Boys” and “Invincible” Characters, and according to past habits, it is speculated that more hidden finishing moves will be added, which are quite exciting updates.
