Mortal Kombat, as a franchise, has always taken pride in its deep lore \u2013 a pride shared by the dedicated fan community. This, of course, reached its peak with the 2011 iteration of the gory franchise, with a fully cinematic story mode that literally redefined the entire concept of single-player fighting game campaigns. Now, it has to be said, that the ball was somewhat dropped after this initial release, where an interesting new vision of the MK universe fast became a fairly interminable story of guns, military factions, and Ronda Rousey performances. NRS, for all its good intentions, instantly painted itself into a corner with its \u2018Revenant\u2019 storyline, resulting in story sequels that failed to live up to the majesty of the 2011 release \u2013 though several threads were eventually pulled together for the much-improved Aftermath DLC expansion.<\/p>\n

The story campaign of Mortal Kombat 1 gets to take a fresh pass not only at the narrative lineage itself, but also offers the opportunity to deliver entirely new takes on some of the series\u2019 best-known kombatants. We have already seen evidence that veterans such as Mileena, Raiden, and Liu Kang will be afforded tweaked legacies, while forgotten warriors such as Havik and Li Mei will now be allowed to take center stage. This is an exciting development for the fanbase, who will be presented with a new, unpredictable tale of the realms and those that dwell within.<\/p>\n

Playing the first chapter of this new timeline, I was immediately impressed with various elements of the new story, from a visual, technical, and written standpoint. A deftly swerving cold open that sees the yet-to-be powerful Shang Tsung as a pathetic snake oil merchant instantly sells this familiar but unrecognizable new world, while neatly scripted byplay between a young Kung Lao and a thunderless Raiden finds our protagonists warm and relatable. The cinematic elements of the story campaign are deftly handled, with an evocative score and legitimately fine cinematography, emphasizing a return to a traditional, Asian aesthetic \u2013 a far cry from the military bases and gun-toting warmongers of recent iterations.<\/p>\n

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While it is not for me to give away any of the plot points, (the first chapter is viewable online at any rate), I did find myself sold on giving this fresh take on MK\u2019s aging lore a chance. Excellent character models and brilliant mo-cap (the actual tech, not the kombatant) brought the players to life, and seeing all of these legendary characters, arguably looking the best that they ever have (as well as being universally hot), left impressions of a bold new era for one of gaming\u2019s most stalwart franchises.<\/p>\n

Standing alongside titles such as Street Fighter 6 and the incoming Tekken 8, nobody is saying that Mortal Kombat 1 has a free ride to the top. But, if previous years have told us anything, the franchise that furrowed brows and worried senates all those decades ago still has the capability to impress, evolve, and, conveniently, achieve record-breaking sales figures. There have been stumbles along the road since day one, and the truth has been twisted and bent on more than one occasion. Regardless, MK\u2019s ability to somehow adapt its limited model to each new era is undeniably impressive. And it won\u2019t be long before the fanbase finds itself rushing to the battlefield. As the trailer effectively reminds us: It\u2019s in our blood.<\/p>\n

Ahead of the Mortal Kombat 1 release date, be sure to check out our Mortal Kombat 1 tier list to see where your favorite fighter ranks.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The Mortal Kombat universe has smashed the big red reset button \u2013 yes, again. And, in the aftermath of an increasingly muddled, corner-painting trilogy, NetherRealm Studios has decided that it might be best to turn back the clock on the fighting game\u2019s decades-long battle of the realms. And so next month will see the launch […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":74903,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.pcgamesn.com\/wp-content\/sites\/pcgamesn\/2023\/09\/mortal-kombat-1-gamescom-preview-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[571],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pc"],"yoast_head":"\n