Mortal Kombat X: For the next bout…

Did you know assuming you know something about the history of Mortal Kombat and its increasingly convoluted back-story that Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage had a thing for each other? Well, apparently they did, and the resulting offspring is one Cassie Cage. She will be one of several combatants making a debut appearance in Mortal Kombat X, the latest instalment in this extremely popular fighting franchise. Other new names joining the ranks include characters like Kotal Kahn, Ferra-Torr and D’Vorah, and they will be joining a roster of classic and fan favourite characters (Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden and Kano, to name a few) when this long awaited game hits the shelves.

Three years after the franchise was rebooted with the rather remarkable Mortal Kombat, X will deliver players the first experience of this rich and intricate universe which started out as a coin-op game many, many moons ago on the latest hardware. And that, of course, means that the graphics promise to be out of this world.

And, just for the long-time fans, they will include the return of X-Ray and Finishing Moves, just to elevate the brutality of the game that extra little bit. In addition, each character will have three variants, each with their own fighting style, strengths and weaknesses. This Mortal Kombat successor promises to offer more variation than ever before. Kano, as seen in a video a while ago, will have the Cutthroat, Cybernetic and Commando variants, for example. Each will require a different approach, and will open different opportunities for mayhem. It’s almost as if the game will have three times the number of listed characters!

The story told in this latest offering from NetherRealm Studios will be set around 25 years after the events that took place in the reboot. What isn’t clear is whether the player will be able to select a single character to get through the single player campaign with, or whether the tale will once again be told through the eyes of several fighters. Either way, it is sure to be action packed, and the multiplayer Mortal Kombat’s traditional strongest offering is certain to be crammed full of bone-jarring action.

There haven’t been many fighting games released for the latest consoles yet, so Mortal Kombat X is both very welcome and well poised to make a significant impact on the market. Not that it would have had a tough fight this franchise has always proved to be extremely popular, and it’s dark setting and tale, mixed with fantasy and sci-fi, has consistently managed to thrill players.

Hopefully the miss-steps that the franchise made before the reboot won’t surface here again… but judging by the 2011 release, we should have a lot of well-balanced, excellent fighting action to look forward to. And we don’t have to wait too long Mortal Kombat, with its overthe-top action and pervasive brutality, should be hitting shelves (hopefully) in mid-April.