Summary
When a video game franchise has been around for as long asMortal Kombathas been, there comes a time when a fresh start is in order. WithMortal Kombat 1, developer NetherRealm Studios has delivered one of the series' most significant shakeups in its 30-year history. After rebooting the series in 2011 withMortal Kombat,Mortal Kombat 1resets things once again with Fire God Liu Kang’s new era. While there are still some threads that connect back toMortal Kombat 11’s AftermathDLC, many of the characters who make up theMKworld are far from how they’ve been depicted in previous installments.
Mortal Kombat 1is all about new beginnings, but if the game demonstrates anything, it’s that the more things change the more they also stay the same. ThroughoutMK1’s epic campaign, its protagonists and antagonists find themselves repeating history in more ways than one. Some of these references are clear bits of nostalgia, but others are fun nods toMKlore for players who have been around from the very beginning. These references add a touch of familiarity to the feelings of uncertainty that pervadeMK1’s campaign, givingMKveterans something to feel nostalgic about.
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Shang Tsung’s Flesh Pits
In the early part ofMortal Kombat 1’s campaign, the protagonists find themselves in the evil Shang Tsung’s laboratory. After falling toa Tarkat-afflicted Mileena, they’re thrown into the sorcerer’s basement, where his grotesque experiments hide from any prying eyes. Upon witnessing the horror of Tsung’s true laboratory, Johnny Cage remarks how it reminds him of a film called “The Flesh Pits”. While this may sound like a riff on cheesy horror movies, it’s actually a reference to the original name for Tsung’s laboratory and a classicMKstage. Though the name has changed, the essence of this stage remains very much intact.
The Soulnado
Fire God Liu Kang made a point to weaken some ofMK’s bad actors in his new era, but the likes of Shang Tsung and Quan Chi would ultimately regain their magical abilities. As part of their plot to take over Outworld, Quan Chi began the construction of soul tornados, referred to as soulnados, to power the Dragon Army. Players see a handful of these soulnados throughoutMK1’s campaign, but this isn’t the first timeMKveterans have seen such a thing. Soulnados have appeared on multiple occasions, most notably duringthe creation of ErmacinMK9.
Ashrah’s Impractical Headwear
Mortal Kombat 1embraces the franchise’s 3D era, which saw the introduction of dozens of new fighters. Many of these Kombatants had rather bold designs, with Ashrah making for one of the best examples. Ashrah once donned a rather large, impractical white hat as part of her original design, somethingMK1takes a moment to poke fun at. While the campaign’s protagonists are gathering disguises to move through Outworld undetected, Ashrah puts on a hat that’s a similarly ridiculous shape to her old one. She notes how silly the headgear is, giving in-the-know fans something to laugh about.
Mortal Kombathas always cherished its history, with each game making frequent references to past installments.Mortal Kombat 1is no exception, as even in this new era, NetherRealm Studios hasn’t forgotten its roots. It’s difficult to say exactly whereMortal Kombatwill go from here, but for now, many fans are just looking forward to what NetherRealm has in store for future DLC.Kombat Pack 1 has already been hyped byMK1’s campaign, so now it’s just a matter of when that DLC will be released. If story DLC figures into any future plans, fans can likely expect even more classicMKreferences.
Mortal Kombat 1is available now on PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
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