Highlights
- Mortal Kombat 1 has managed to build anticipation for its release by gradually releasing information and content, creating excitement among fans.
- The new roster of characters in Mortal Kombat 1 is impressive, including both series staples and long-absent characters, promising a more streamlined and cohesive narrative.
- The storyline in Mortal Kombat 1 involves a power struggle in Outworld, with General Shao and Reiko plotting to take over Edenia, leading to conflicts between Mileena, Kitana, and Liu Kang and potential changes to the characters' identities and allegiances.
Mortal Kombat 1 has done a masterful job at slowly managing expectations and building up hype for the new release. Fans were waiting for news for what seemed like years, and now there's a careful buildup of pre-release information and content with every trailer, sneak peek, and beta or play-testing opportunity. While players were excited about the original reveals, which showed off both the new game-changing Kameo system and a new timeline carefully curated by Fire-God Liu Kang. Now there's a multitude of different aspects for fans to be thrilled about.
The new roster looks incredible, featuring series staples such as Sub-Zero and Raiden, but also Kombatants that haven't featured in a while, such as Smoke. Mortal Kombat 1 has a unique chance with the timeline reset to create a more streamlined and better narrative for the Mortal Kombat universe which isn't confusing or self-contradicting. With the recent exhibition at the San Diego Comic-Con, players have been spoiled with not only the Kombat Pack reveal but also detailed story trailers which have highlighted some key new changes.
5 Outworld Power Struggle
Outworld and by relation Edenia have always had a simple premise in the Mortal Kombat universe; Shao Kahn rules Outworld, takes over Edenia, and marries Queen Sindel, placing Kitana in a precarious situation. This has always been the case in the series; barely has the pre-Shao Edenia and its nuances been given any attention. Now, however, there are some big changes. Shao Kahn is General Shao and is a trusted ally of the Edenian royal family and, thus, of Mileena and Kitana.
Recent reveals at Comic-Con have, however, shown that conflict is arising. Li Mei is shown in a clip to be investigating with Liu Kang. They discover that General Shao, along with Reiko, is plotting to take over Edenia once again. MK1 seems to be inclined to actually show a power struggle between Mileena and Kitana with General Shao, and there's also some interesting potential regarding Liu Kang's perfect world crumbling - even after he changed everything, some parts of history seem doomed to repeat themselves.
4 The New Umgadi
Umgadi are warrior priestesses. They are chosen from Outworld's firstborn daughters to protect the royal family. Li Mei was the initial leader of the Umgadi, but she was removed after Kitana and Mileena's father, presumably King Jerrod, died, as always. The Umgadi seems to be a unique new premise for the series. Li Mei has been shunned by her peers after her failures, and the new order under Tanya is shown to be rash and ignoring caution.
It will be interesting to see if the Umgadi remains staunch protectors of the royal family during the power struggle or whether they turn towards an allegiance with General Shao and Reiko. Queen Sindel's relationship with the Umgadi is also one that could be interesting.
3 The Identity of Scorpion
While this wasn't directly revealed in the trailers but rather confirmed during a fan panel, it has been confirmed that the Scorpion we see in all the trailers is Kuai Liang. While this makes his involvement in the Lin Kuei make more sense, it does beg the question; what happened to Hanzo Hasashi?
It will be interesting to see the struggles between the rash and ambitious Bi-Han and his stoic and moral brother Kuai Liang. Additionally, it opens the possibility to explore the development of Hanzo's character independent of the Scorpion mantle. Maybe Hanzo leads the Shirai Ryu as a warrior now rather than a revenant. Takeda's inclusion in the Kombat Pack also raises eyebrows, as he was a member of the new Shirai Ryu in the MKX comics.
2 Baraka and The Takartans
Perhaps the biggest change revealed in the new trailer is the changes to Baraka and his fellow Takartans. Tarkat is a disease which, as Baraka describes, 'disfigures and then debilitates.' Victims of Tarkat are shown to be subject to violence and oppression and seemingly shunned by society. Baraka is also openly critical of Liu Kang for his lack of assistance to those afflicted by this disease.
What makes matters more interesting is the fact that Mileena is suffering from the early stages of Tarkat as well. It is likely that this disease is how she'll slowly transform into her more traditional look. There seems to be a subplot here regarding how those with Tarkat are treated, and Mileena and Tanya are shown to be hiding her secret.
1 Tanya
Tanya seems to have the largest role she's had in a Mortal Kombat game's story probably ever. She is shown to be the new leader of the Umgadi and is in open conflict with Li Mei, who she does not trust. Additionally, she is seemingly dismissive towards the threats to the royal family that Li Mei and Liu Knag warn her of. Some fans have been speculating she has a role in King Jerrod's death, or at least in blaming it on Li Mei, but it is too soon to confirm that.
Tanya's relationship with Mileena also seems to be a big plot point in the Outworld arc of MK1, and it is exciting to see how this would develop with Mileena's affliction and the imminent invasion by General Shao.
Mortal Kombat 1 is scheduled to release on September 19, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.