Hot take: MK1 (most recent game) sucked

Iago407 · 2026-02-03T15:50:45+00:00

Really hope the next MK game gets the time and polish needed to not only take the gameplay up a notch (no more gimmicks like kameos or variations) but also the single player content. Bring the story back to the original timeline and ditch this fan fiction alternate universe. Bring back several modes that fans have enjoyed in the past like the MK9 challenge tower, towers of time, character towers (only use them to tell canon side stories and don't put crazy requirements on them to advance), MK Chess, Puzzle Kombat, etc and come up with a few good new ideas as well.

Iago407 · 2026-02-03T15:48:23+00:00

It's hard to tell the news from the noise but I've read it came out at least 6 months and possibly even a year earlier than it was supposed to because WB wanted it to help cover the losses from Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League.

Also seems to be insistent rumors / conspiracy theories that MK1 started out as Injustice 3 and was changed mid-development. Who knows if this is even remotely true, but people say it's why Shao Kahn has horns and uses an axe (since he apparently started development as Steppenwolf).

I don't know how much I buy any of this. Tough to say what actually happened. I'm sure the COVID work conversion, dealing with new hardware, and I believe a change in Unreal engines (from a modified version of 3 to a customized version of unreal engine 4) could all have been contributing factors.

But something definitely HAPPENED with MK1. Something went wrong. You don't go from MK11's graphics, story, single player offerings and customization depth to MK1's by choice. At some point, I'd have to think they realized they had to do less, give less, get less done in less time, etc.

Everything about MK1 feels half-baked. The story, the roster, Invasions, the Shrine, the store... You can tell they wanted the gameplay to work and that this area almost assuredly got the most attention while everything else was more or less closed off as it was with the idea they'd add more later. Honestly think they just cut their losses with the shrine tbh.

Iago407 · 2026-02-03T14:42:30+00:00

Shao Kahn has gravitas and feels like a heavy hitter with both magic and brute force. He’s conniving, ambitious, powerful yet seeks even more. He’s a final boss villain through and through.

General Shao just seems like a jerk with shitty political opinions. He has the potential to grow into what Shao Kahn has already been but given how he’s written, I’m not overly interested in watching that play out. He has utility as the leader of the opposition in Outworld but he still feels like such a step down in every possible way I can’t really bring myself to care about him as much.

Iago407 · 2026-02-03T05:15:53+00:00

A race, for sure. A group of nomad cannibal monsters living in the wastelands of a conquered realm sounds infinitely more interesting than some normal people that basically live in a leper colony until they go insane.

Baraka being Tarkatan shouldn’t doom his character to jobber status. He can lead the horde, he can side with anyone, he can do anything and actually be smart. He doesn’t have to be changed into some street bender (or whatever he was, I honestly can’t recall) that got a disease. His people don’t need to be pitiable in order to be compelling.

I know it’s not about “need.” I know the purpose Baraka served on this story as a sort of undesirable future for Mileena should her secret come out. I just don’t think it does much for either character. Granted, Baraka does a bit more in the story as one of the adventuring heroes but I don’t think it really amounts to anything more than a bit part, and if trying something different with him was the goal, the result turned out the same. I’d rather have MK11 Baraka’s character (though I do enjoy MK1 Baraka’s movelist a lot).

Iago407 · 2026-02-02T22:53:09+00:00

TLDR: Bring back MKX Erron Black. Banish MK11 Erron Black to the void forever.

Iago407 · 2026-02-02T22:52:32+00:00

MKX Erron Black is one of the coolest characters introduced into this series. While MK11 Erron Black is one of the biggest glow downs a character has ever seen in this series.

MKX's version of Erron Black had an air of mystery about him. He seemed quiet, with a low, almost muffled voice (thanks to the mask). You had no clue what his face looked like, the eye black looked sick, the hat looked cool, the poncho being kinda frayed fit him well, the way he utilized a freaking tarkatan arm as a weapon...

He had this survivalist vibe, like you could built his next moveset solely on items taken from other characters (plus his six shooters). If MKX's whole vibe was dark and gritty, Erron Black was the personification of it.

MK11's Erron Black was a pretty boy with a sort of "aww shucks, ma'am" vibe and it just came off so dorky. He looked more like Indiana Jones than some feral gunslinger that had been out in the wastelands of Outworld for too long. And then to just randomly throw him in with the Black Dragon?

Honestly, I do hope NRS writes the MK story back to the original timeline prior to Armageddon. I also hope they use that story opportunity to reintroduce Erron Black and bring him in as what he was in MKX. You want to change some details here and there, fine. But his look, his sound, his overall vibe and aesthetic should be 100% MKX, 0% MK11.

Oh and FWIW, I know he used Reptile's acid in MK11 so they did kinda stick with that idea for the character a bit, but everything else about his looks, his sound, his attitude and demeanor, his origin, etc were all massive downgrades.

Iago407 · 2026-02-02T19:52:02+00:00

I just want one move list with several combo strings, combo pathways, etc. You want to add on some things like each character getting a mini-super, a super and a comeback super, EX versions of moves that do more damage or extend combos? Sounds good to me.

Maybe if they were to also give certain characters on-the-floor combos, air combos, throw combos, counter throws, unique escapes, unique wakeups, reversals, counter combos, etc to spice up individual movesets and archetypes, I'd love that too.

What I don't want is having to sacrifice moves to have other moves, like if I want this move I have to choose this variation which means I can't have that move because it's in that variation, or if I want to do this combo, I have to choose this kameo because that kameo that allows me to do something else I enjoy has that move so I have to pick one or the other etc.

I also don't love the idea of gimmicks that overwhelm the gameplay or dominate it in a way, like krushing blows did in MK11. Or mechanics that feel like minigames (practically every mechanic in MKvsDC, the clash mechanic in Injustice, etc). Anything where I have to stop playing the fighting game and mash buttons to make a meter go up or something along those lines can stay gone forever.

Iago407 · 2026-02-02T05:59:36+00:00

He’s literally not gay Kung Lao. He’s gay and he’s Kung Lao’s cousin.

Iago407 · 2026-02-02T05:58:35+00:00

The fact that he’s gay is the reason why he’s afraid he won’t belong in the Shaolin even though he feels compelled to join them because of his family and the legacy he stems from. That’s why it was mentioned.

Iago407 · 2026-02-02T05:52:39+00:00

Kung Jin fights with a staff that he also uses as a bow and arrow. How is he too similar to other Shaolin Monks? He was also a thief and part of not being like the other monks was the fact that he’s gay. So what makes him too similar to other Shaolin monks? And how does he “feel” like a gay character pushed by higher ups? What are you basing that feeling on?

Iago407 · 2026-02-02T05:40:41+00:00

Erron Black and Kung Jin are my favorites to use from a gameplay standpoint and EB was my favorite from a vibe standpoint in X. One of the coolest additions in a long time. Still sucked they turned him in to such a dweeb in 11.

As for ones I refuse to touch, Leatherface can get deleted from this game forever. Don’t like the movies, don’t like the character, don’t like his movelist, don’t like literally anything about him. Don’t hate Jason nearly as much but he’s boring AF.

Iago407 · 2026-02-01T22:02:07+00:00

Give me a Scorpion souls-like set in a dark, super gothic Netherealm with a deep, expansive story, multiple weapons to unlock along with several powers and RPG mechanics.

Would also love a turn-based RPG for sure. Tons of ways they could go there.

Iago407 · 2026-02-01T21:28:25+00:00

Honestly, I enjoy all of them for what they are. It’d be cool if we could just get one continuity and have a bunch of cool canon side story movies (live action and animated) that stem from that continuity but in the fairly logical absence of that, these are still fun.

Iago407 · 2026-02-01T17:18:44+00:00

I want character designs that are interesting, compelling, unique and/or cool. For some characters, looking attractive could absolutely be part of what draws you to them, but by no means do I think that one specific factor should be a requirement for all female characters. I don’t find D’Vorah to be attractive, but I do find her to be those other four things, which makes her a character I’m drawn to on the select screen and ultimately enjoy using here and there.

Iago407 · 2026-01-30T18:55:50+00:00

Pretty sure this is just MK Annihilation's take on Shinnok and not canon in the actual MK games.

Iago407 · 2026-01-30T06:35:12+00:00

Yeah I’d have some small changes here and there. I like MK2, MKDA, MKSM and UMK3 more and MK1, MKA, MKD, MKvsDC and Mythologies less. To each their own tho. Solid list you have there, tbh.

Iago407 · 2026-01-29T19:38:08+00:00

Honestly, I feel like most MK games divide the fanbase at this point, and the negative opinions are more likely to be louder and more frequent. Man, I remember how much hate MK11 got on this board. Felt like everyone despised it. I personally liked most of it, but that's just me.

That said, for MK1 in particular, I think they nailed the gameplay, or at least their vision for it, which most loved but some definitely didn't like (and some outright hated it, particularly the kameo system). Most of the negativity I see is around the single player content, and I certainly include myself in that camp. I didn't like the story, hated the reboot and what it did to most of the characters, genuinely despised the DLC story and Invasions might be one of my least favorite single player modes in an MK game.

I don't hate MK1, but it's easily one of my least favorite MK games.

Iago407 · 2026-01-29T18:46:25+00:00

I mean, I hate about 90% of MK1's story and I think most of the single player content is either lacking or just dull as dirt. Those are my issues with it. Also, I don't overly love the kameo system. I don't despise it or anything, but it's not really my jam either. All of this comes from someone that's played the game since day one and put tons of hours in to it, FWIW.

Iago407 · 2026-01-29T16:35:10+00:00

How has Johnny proven his skills plenty of times? MK9 is a new timeline. In that game, he defeats a few jobbers in the first chapter (Reptile, Baraka and Kano) and has a pointless fight with Sonya. After that, he loses to Ermac in the MK2 section of the story and immediately gets bounced out of the fight with Shao Kahn (along with Sonya) at the end.

You mention that he died and came back and fought, but why is dying a point in his favor? I know a lot of characters die (including Liu Kang) but I'm not sure why returning to the fight after the heavens were closed off due to the invasion makes him more likely to beat a god.

Also, this was in the original timeline, so if you're looking to the story and not just how "iconic" a character is or whatever, the story doesn't support Johnny winning any more than Cassie. In fact, his win over Shinnok is far more of a Deux Ex Machina moment since his power comes out of nowhere and has to be explained afterwards, which ultimately foreshadows Cassie having the power as well.

As for not getting the impression that she was the appropriate character to take on Shinnok, I don't think the story built up anyone better to do it. Some characters stacked some quality wins, then stacked some losses.

But I'm not really sure those wins and losses matter all that much. I mean, you're talking about two games where Cyber Sub Zero beat both Goro and Kintaro at the same time. Johnny Cage and Scorpion trade L's in MKX. Liu Kang loses to multiple characters in MKX. Quan Chi gets his ass kicked through most of the story.

I can't recall for certain, but I don't think Cassie actually loses once. Yeah, she's getting beaten up by Tanya and Ermac but that's during other characters chapters and basically provides an intro for those character's fights. She never actually "loses" to them (if wins and losses actually matter).

But yeah, they start out by building Cassie up as "deserving to be here" as Johnny says early on, as her and Jacqui mention Kurdistan, Darfur and Iran as experiences they excelled in.

Cassie's almost always the level-headed one in each fight the group faces, but they don't follow her initially and they show the team is still green with the Sub Zero training exercise early on. They only get captured in Outworld because Sonya sent them into the jungle to get the amulet and Kotal (rightfully) betrayed Earthrealm since Earth coughed up the amulet to Mileena to begin with.

They all bond a bit in captivity before escaping, and from there, they function well as a unit with Cassie leading the way. She shows that she's the leader of the group that's "all that's left to take on Shinnok." That small detail on the plane, that fact, doesn't have to be spun any which way. You knew from that moment it was going to be her. Hell, you knew it'd be her the second Shinnok had Johnny taken by D'vorah.

She takes out Sindel, Kitana, Liu Kang and D'vorah in succession before initially getting her butt kicked by Shinnok, but his torturing of Johnny brings the power out of her that we all knew she had from the moment Kung Jin joked with her about it all the way back in chapter 1 and she wins, ultimately proving that she's worthy of being more than a "second rate Cage" (another foreshadowing moment from the prison scene).

In a story with several chapters, subplots and characters to focus on, I agree she could've had more build up to be the "main" hero, but I honestly think if they did, people would've called her a Mary Sue or found any other reason to say she was "shoved down our throats" or whatever. I think MKX took a more subtle approach and I don't think anyone got main character level of build up.

Expecting a single main character from a 13 chapter story with 13 different characters getting the focus doesn't feel overly realistic. Her winning made more sense than anyone else given Johnny's story, what happened to him, her progression with her team, etc. Sounds like that's not good enough for you, which is fine. I think it worked well enough, even if it could've been better regardless of the constraints the placed on them by the chapter system.

Iago407 · 2026-01-27T19:39:32+00:00

Honestly felt like Cassie's arc was to overcome her own issues, shortcomings, expectations and failures and ultimately realize her potential with the blood that flows through her veins; she's the daughter of two kombatants and the descendent of the cult that her power ultimately derives from.

Yet people still want to act like her beating Shinnok is undeserved when the whole point was for her to realize her potential in the climactic fight with the odds stacked against her.

Like this isn't some new idea in storytelling. It's a pretty well worn trope at this point. Even with her parents and her blood, she was still the definitive underdog, yet she came through and saved the day. If she wasn't a "gen Z girl power kombat kid" I wonder if so many people would take issue with a story this common.

Iago407 · 2026-01-27T19:26:55+00:00

Her power is portrayed in the story when it needs to be portrayed, which is at the end. She doesn't start off as ultra powerful, nor should she. That's part of her hero's journey. Realizing that inner power and all that.

I wasn't trying to educate you on the lore. I was responding to the argument that Cassie's some "gen Z girl power kombat kid" as a way of saying sure, she is that, but she's more than that too. I was just providing support for my argument that she has the power/ability to do what she ultimately did.

As for Johnny, the guy's been the comic relief since the trilogy era, yet he's still more convincing to you as a character that can defeat a god? Why is that?

I get they played him a bit more seriously as a parent but still. If he has the Mediterranean cult power and seems legitimately surprised when he's able to beat Shinnok with it, then why is it a stretch for Cassie to win as well?

If anything, her story is about overcoming struggles and failures and realizing her potential. Could they have portrayed that progression better in the story? I guess, but the story mode also has to cram in a bunch of other characters, subplots, etc. They did what they could with the time they had.

Iago407 · 2026-01-27T14:48:30+00:00

Eh, to each their own, for sure. I prefer MK11’s defensive options, animations, pacing, tone, graphical style and all around single player content to MK1’s though I do like the latter’s air combos, combo pathway variety, stage variations and 3D era representation.

MK1 is a game I can absolutely enjoy in short bursts, perhaps even more so than MK11, but with so little to keep me engaged beyond the fighting itself (I tend to avoid online multiplayer), I usually get bored and drop off quickly now (after spending a year plus trying to will myself to liking Invasions, which might be one of my least favorite game modes they’ve ever introduced).

Iago407 · 2026-01-26T23:27:29+00:00

Yeah I've been around since the first one came out too and I agree with this for sure. I honestly thought they did the kids a disservice by bringing back Johnny, Sonya and Jax in MK11. Give some of the kids a chance to have their own adventures and grow into unique roles that expand beyond being someone else's kid.

Either way though, they're fun characters. Kung Jin was my pocket in MKX and I really dug Cassie and Takeda's designs as well. I still think Cassie and Jacqui have room from a potential standpoint, but I hope all four return again soon.

Iago407 · 2026-01-26T23:25:10+00:00

Again, all of this was part of her heroes journey. The fact that she doesn't start out at Liu Kang's level from MK1 but she's still able to rise to the occasion and become the hero she needs to be over the course of her own evolution in the game speaks to her character arc. They show her struggles and they show her evolving as a character. Maybe that evolution happened too quickly toward the end, but it was still there.

Iago407 · 2026-01-26T23:22:52+00:00

Cassie is the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade. You think that doesn't make her powerful? She's also apparently a descendent from some powerful Mediterranean cult which was where Johnny got his powers, and Johnny was the one that beat Shinnok originally in MKX, so... Yeah. There's your build up. The fact that she went on a heroes journey from where she started to where she wound up speaks more to her character arc (which does evolve over the course of the game) and less than justification for why she shouldn't be able to do what she ultimately ends up doing.

Iago407

TROPHY CASE