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Mortal Kombat (2011 video game) is the working title for an upcoming new fighting game in the Mortal Kombat series, currently in development by the newly named NetherRealm Studios. It is the ninth installment in the series and the first to be published exclusively under the Warner Bros. label. Mortal Kombat is set for an April 19, 2011 release in the US, and a EU release on April 21st, on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems. A PC version is also a possibility. The game has been Refused Classification in some country due to “violence that exceeds strong in impact”,Warner Brothers are currently reviewing all options available including possibly appealing the rating.

The story begins after the events of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, but then returns to the period in which the first three games – Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3 – occur. Due to a plot twist (the character Raiden now having knowledge of the future), the events of this time are slightly altered.

Mortal Kombat is the first title in the series to include 3D graphics with gameplay solely on the 2D plane (2.5D). The developers have also stated that this is the first game in which they are making a conscious effort to create deeper gameplay for more dedicated players of the series and of fighting games in general. Mortal Kombat was officially announced on June 10, 2010, accompanied with a debut trailer showcasing the new presentation and new gameplay features.

Gameplay

Mortal Kombat characters and levels are rendered in 3D, gameplay is restricted to a 2D combat style.

In terms of gameplay, NetherRealm Studios have intended for Mortal Kombat to be accessible to the casual player, so that the casual player could not be removed from the experience of the game because of its complexity and so that it could promote a back and forth where the gaming experience could be more “attracted the player” rather than one-sided. With this in mind, NetherRealm Studios also stated that they intend to focus on the hardcore player by excogitated new features in the gameplay as to create a deeper fighting experience. Coupled with the new features, the developers have stated that they are bringing in experts on the fighting game genre to help develop a more balanced game. Ed Boon, Mortal Kombat co-creator and creative director of Mortal Kombat, has also stated that they created Mortal Kombat with programming “hooks” that will allow to easily fix post-launch gameplay issues.

Unlike previous Mortal Kombat fighting games, there are four attack buttons that each represent a corresponding limb, a concept better known for its existence in the Tekken franchise. A “super meter” was added to enhance the gaming experience, which can be charged by various actions during battle such as performing a combo or getting hit by the opponent. The super meter can be charged to three levels which if used up will either enhance a special attack, interrupt a combo, or cause the attacker to perform a super combo called an X-ray move. During these X-ray moves, the camera will zoom in and will show an inside view of the character who is being attacked while bones and organs are broken or ruptured.

Some modes that have been confirmed are the online mode, the Tag-Team fighting mode, and the Challenge Tower. The Online mode will include a King of the Hill option, where up to eight players will be able to spectate on fights and play the winner; include a rating system where spectators can rate the battles after it is over, and act as a “forum” to find out how to perform various combos or moves they see while spectating a fight.

The four player tag-team feature is completely new to the series, where two players can choose to play together. During a tag-team fight, characters can briefly come in and out of the stage and perform “assist attacks”, or can perform “special entry attacks” where the tagged character can enter the stage while attacking and remain in the combat while the other character jumps out.

The Challenge Tower mode is a single player option, that Ed Boon described as “similar to an arcade ladder”. It will include specific challenges of various difficulties providing currency rewards upon completion; players will have the option of using up some of this in-game currency to by-pass the more difficult challenges.

Characters

The development team also confirmed at GamesCom 2010 that every character would have two fatalities, each with the ability to perform stage fatalities. According to Ed Boon there will be fifty to sixty fatalities included in Mortal Kombat.

Here are the characters that have been revealed :

1. Cyrax
2. Ermac
3. Jax
4. Johnny Cage
5. Kitana
6. Kung Lao
7. Mileena
8. Nightwolf
9. Raiden
10. Reptile
11. Scorpion
12. Sektor
13. Shao Kahn
14. Sindel
15. Sonya
16. Sub-Zero
17. Kratos
18. Liu Kang
19. Noob Saibot
20. Jade
21. Stryker
22. Goro

RUMORED CHARACTERS

1. Kabal
2. Quan Chi
3. Shang Tsung
4. Sindel
5. Human Smoke
6. Shinnok
7. Rain
8. Robo Smoke
9. Tanya
10. A Brand New Character