Mortal Kombat 11
The eleventh (duh) installment of the famous Mortal Kombat games and the third one set in the new Netherrealms Studio timeline. It was officially announced in December 2018, and it was released April-May 2019 on the following consoles: PC (probably for both Steam and proper PC's), XBox One, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.
The biggest reveals about the game were: a massive Animation Bump, deeper and more personalized Character Customization deals, the return of some well-loved characters that had been absent from MKX (Skarlet, Baraka, Shao Kahn, Kabal, Jade, Noob Saibot, etc.) and the arrival of new ones (Kronika, Geras, Cetrion and Kollector), etc.
Story-wise the game deals more with the concept of Time Travel, already introduced in 9 and allued to in X. The Big Bad, Kronika, is a powerful Elder Goddess who has been watching over the current timeline and wants it to beat to HER tune, rather than how it already has; and for such purposes, she and her collaborators Geras and Cetrion get ready to mess around with the cast and their actions, including bringing many characters from other points in the story... Which may or may not be her perdition, since these characters have their own minds and intentions regarding their new roles.
Stay tuned for more news.
Directed by Ed Boon. Developed by NetherRealm Studios. Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
The Story
- Apocalypse How: Kronika wants a Universal Class 6, but only so she can create a better one, at least in her own vision of "better".
- Apotheosis: In the good ending to the DLC, Liu Kang gains godhood, though Raiden relinquishes it. In the bad ending, Shang Tsung does.
- And in the relaunch, it turns out both endings are true, as Kronika's defeat has split reality into two simultaneous timelines.
- Deal with the Devil: Several characters align with Kronika for her promise of creating a better history for them in the new world she will create. It becomes pretty soon obvious that someone is gonna get screwed, if not all of them, if she succeeds.
- Demoted to Dragon: Former Big Bad Shao Kahn shows a surprising acceptance to a subordinate position here, as he aligns his Outworld's armies with Kronika under the promise of a new, greater Empire in the Universe Kronika desires to create.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: If the player, well, plays his/her cards right when it's time to fight Kronika... Liu Kang and Kitana will finally be happy together.
- Enemy Mine: Surprisingly, Raiden and Kotal Kahn seem to be about to pull this. And it's actually done by Jade, Baraka and Sheeva.
- Face Heel Turn:
- At Chapter 4, Frost reveals herself as the leader of the Cyber Lin Kuei and aligned with Kronika, saying Sub-Zero was holding her back and Kronika will fulfill Frost's dreams.
- Jax also joins Kronika's side after she promises to restart the time line in a way better benefits him and his family. He isn't too happy to do so, however, and then he returns to the heroes' side once Raiden explains Kronika's objectives involves keeping the forces of light and darkness fighting forever..
- Fight Clubbing: Sonya's chapter involves Kano trying to dispose of her and Johnny this way, and of the two escaping from it.
- Fusion Dance: In the end of his chapter, Raiden fuses with both past and future Liu Kang after the latter absorbed the first's soul, since he realized killing Liu Kang always lead to a doomed timeline Kronika manages to restart.
- Future Me Scares Me: The trailers include Liu Kang and Kung Lao meeting their Revenant selves and being... displeased.
- Groin Attack: In a Story Mode trailer, Johnny deals one to MK3!Kano... in slow motion and with close-ups included....
- I Fight for the Strongest Side: Sheeva refuses to join Kotal because he and Shao Kahn's conflict is in a stalemate, so she simply sees no advantage in forming an alliance with either side.
- Keystone Army: In Chapter 11, the Cyber Lin-Kuei are deactivated by Raiden by frying Frost's brain, since she commands them via radio.
- Multiple Endings: In addition to Arcade Ladder endings, this game uses this trope in Story Mode. Depending in how the player beats the final boss:
- Boss beaten in two rounds: Kronika only manages to reverse time until the age of the dinosaurs, and Liu Kang decides to reshape the timeline with Kitana at his side, since Raiden says he must have a partner.
- Boss beaten in three rounds: Kronika manages to reverse time until the dawn of the Universe. Raiden decides to help Liu Kang in shaping the new Universe as long he can, since he's now a mortal.
- Not Quite Dead: Noob Saibot reveals he never was really destroyed by the Soulnado thanks to Quan-Chi's design.
- Recycled Premise: The Grand Finale for this fighting game series is a time war where every important character returns to fight for or against a time goddess which wants to cause an apocalyptical event where everything returns to zero, while also promising the fighters on her side their wishes to be fulfilled on a new world. Yeah, this is pretty similar to BlazBlue:Central Fiction.
- The Starscream: Frost betrays Sub-Zero in favour of Kronika because she believes he is holding her potential back, but Kronika will help her fulfill it.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Whether Kitana and Liu Kang play this straight or not, like in the whole franchise, it heavily depends on the circumstances. In their Kombat Tower endings? Yes (in Liu's ending both of them, Bo´Rai-cho, Raiden and Kung Lao become full-blooded Elder Gods, but in exchange he and Kitana are separated; in Kitana's, she chooses Edenia and then the Outworld over everything so she can make them flourish). In the Story Mode? It depends on whether Kronika is beaten in two rounds or not, and if she is, Liu Kang and Kitana finally can be and stay together.
- Time Travel: The bread and butter of the story. Technically, some Mirror Matches had implied its existence: now it's a vital part of the plot, since the new Big Bad Kronika is a Goddess who claims that the timeline has been messed with and she wants to "set it straight".
- Victorious Loser: Shinnok considers himself as one, and he tells so to Dark Raiden before the other subjects him to the infamous Fate Worse than Death the players saw at the end of MKX's Story Mode.
- Would Hurt a Child: Kotal isn't willing to offer the Tarkatans any mercy in the past because in the future they followed Mileena in her rebellion. No matter how young they are.
- Younger Than He Looks: Kano doesn't look fifty at all, more like thirty, especially with his facial hair covering most wrinkles. His younger counterpart is even overjoyed about aging extremely well.
- Your Soul Is Mine
- In Chapter 11, Revenant Liu Kang does it to himself so he can be strong enough to defeat Raiden. Predictably, he fails to defeat Raiden in the end.
- In Chapter 12, Kronika absorbs Cetrion so she can become strong enough to defeat Fire God Liu Kang. Predictably, she fails to defeat Liu Kang in the end.
The Gameplay
- Actor Allusion: Rambo and Terminator intro dialogues usually reference Stallone and Arnold's filmography.
- Arnie films referenced include Jingle All the Way, The Running Man, Batman and Robin, True Lies, Last Action Hero and Kindergarten Cop.
- Stallone films referenced include Rocky, Cliffhanger, Nighthawks, Over the Top, Judge Dredd, Stop or My Mom Will Shoot and Demolition Man.
- "BANG!" Flag Gun: The Joker uses this for one of his outros.
- Guest Fighter:
- The Terminator appears in Kombat Pack 1, with Arnold Schwarzenegger providing his likeness but with Chris Cox providing his voice.
- The Joker appears in Kombat Pack 1, with Richard Epcar providing his voice.
- Spawn appears in Kombat Pack 1, with Keith David providing his voice.
- RoboCop appears in Aftermath, with Peter Weller providing his voice and likeness.
- Rambo appears in Kombat Pack 2, with Sylvester Stallone providing his voice and likeness.
- Mythology Gag: There are plenty of references to the guest fighters in the game.
- RoboCop talks to the Terminator that they met before, which was shown in RoboCop Versus The Terminator.
- Spawn says "Your angel of death awaits" to the Joker, which the Phantasm said to the Joker in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.
- Skynet has been mentioned in several intros with the Terminator.
- The Joker has said quotes from his previous incarnations such as "Why so serious?" and "Wait til they get a load of me!"
- Sir Swearsalot: Cassie Cage and Spawn swear the most of the cast.