Story mode (Chapter 1) impressions **Spoilers**

C-Sword

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So let's get the big news out of the way: Johnny Cage is back! NetherRealm hasn't lost its touch with Story Mode. Like Mortal Kombat before it, Mortal Kombat X breaks its story into chapters, each following a specific character. It's absolutely the best storytelling in the genre, allowing you to play with most of the roster while delivering a cohesive narrative. We've come a long way from beating arcade modes with every fighter and trying to piece together the events.

During our preview, we only got our hands on chapter one starring Johnny Cage. It was a great chapter though, packed with character reveals -- we got to fight against Scorpion, zombie Jax, and Sub Zero, as well as Shinnok. Oh, and Fujin is back, tearing armies up with his bestie Raiden.

If I had to pick a gripe though, I was not a fan of all the choreographed fights in this chapter, some of which dragged on to the point of annoyance. I'm all for kicking back and watching Johnny Cage beat the stuffing out of Scorpion as a helicopter goes down, but there came a point where these scenes would drag on so long as to actively annoy me that the real fight hadn't started yet. The quick-time events didn't help much either, especially considering that success or failure in them had no bearing on the real fight, like they did in Injustice. Here's to hoping Johnny's chapter is the only one like this.


I was a big fan of the previous MK's Story Mode, so it was exciting to see them continue on with that. What surprised me most was that chapter one with Johnny Cage essentially served as the epilogue for what happened in the ending with Shinnok and Quan-Chi in MK9.

It only takes place about a year or so after that story, and by the chapter's end it seemed to have the MK9 storyline wrapped up for the most part, which will lead the way for MKX's central story (which is set over the course of 25 years). But I suppose this goes along with this game being a somewhat clean break from the mythos into something new.

With returning characters, a lot of the special moves either have the same input as MK9 or a similar logic. Down-back-something for a teleport, down-forward-something for a projectile, etc. What has changed the most though are projectiles and teleports, both of which feel much more punishable. Projectiles in generally all feel much slower than MK9, with lots of telegraphing to boot. Make the mistake of missing with your opponent nearby, and you're open for a big punish

I basically stuck with my favorites, Sub-Zero and Ermac. The variations system made them feel familiar, but still pretty fresh. I think this system will add a lot of nuance for the characters, as each style will completely change their modus operandi. Interestingly enough, the variations were locked during Story Mode, so it seems like they'll switch between the styles during the chapter's narrative for specific moments.

I also really dug the fact that it's taking cues from Injustice for the meta-leveling system. You got experience and koins for completing matches in Story Mode, which could be invested towards factions and other rewards. I appreciate that it's all connected together.


http://www.destructoid.com/mortal-k...me-familiar-faces-for-story-mode-288771.phtml
 
I am thinking of not following TRMK until I have played the game. It's too much. A whole chapter revealed, no I don't want to know what is going to happen.
 
I am thinking of not following TRMK until I have played the game. It's too much. A whole chapter revealed, no I don't want to know what is going to happen.

It's just the first chapter, though. And we don't really know what happens, we only know the fights + the fact that Shinnok gets locked up which we always knew.

I was expecting worse spoilers than this... primarily because I expected the Netherrealm War to last longer into the game. Turns out it's just a teaser.
 
I am thinking of not following TRMK until I have played the game. It's too much. A whole chapter revealed, no I don't want to know what is going to happen.

Don't click on a thread that has "Spoilers" in the title then. :-)

Interesting chapter, though. I'm intrigued on what else is in store.
 
Nothing on Jax or Shinnok's gameplay?

I haven't seen much on Jax except that one of his variations is "Pumped Up", but there's been lots on Shinnok elsewhere.

http://thekombattether.com/forums/f...e-mortal-kombat-x-story-mode-preview-spoilers

We then enter another gameplay fight, this time against Shinnok, this variation of him being 'Impostor'.

*Shinnok uses a variety of speedy attacks and a robust arsenal of spells from his amulet in his Impostor variation, some energy rises from the ground like Shang Tsung's ground fireballs and he also has a Amulet blast spell that stuns the opponent for a free hit.*

http://www.gamesradar.com/we-fought-shinnok-and-won-mortal-kombat-x/

Seeing some familiar faces was great, but the real star of the show was Shinnok, the fallen Elder God. In this game, Shinnok is basically The Emperor from Star Wars. He has a creepy old man face, is driven by pure evil, and actually shoots red lighting out of his hands. I mean, come on. In combat, this fallen god apes a few moves from Shang Tsung, the most notable being a trio of fireballs that erupt from the floor one after another.

It's also interesting to note that, at one point during the fight, Shinnok busted out Johnny Cage's Shadow Kick. I was playing as Cage, but couldn't tell if Shinnok had performed a move that let him copy my Shadow Kick, or if he could just use the move innately because I was Cage. At any rate, it seems Shinnok has been all-but-confirmed to be playable, considering he was all anyone was talking about during the story, and I even saw him fighting during the game's attract mode.
 
Erron Black is confirmed as being playable (at least in one of the game modes), and it seems both Jax and Shinnok have a variation named.

[MENTION=2298]Immortal Reaver[/MENTION]

I'd guess playable (unlockable) and the main sub-boss.
 
Erron Black is confirmed as being playable (at least in one of the game modes), and it seems both Jax and Shinnok have a variation named.

[MENTION=2298]Immortal Reaver[/MENTION]

I'd guess playable (unlockable) and the main sub-boss.
About Erron Black: his appearance in attract mode very much means he's playable, unless Boon is massively trolling a la Rain, but I doubt this is the case.
 
Johnny beat the stuffing out of Scorpion? I'm not a Scorpion fan but that seems far fetch. Johnny shouldn't be able to f#%k with Scorpion.
 
Considering the fatality, I think that was just gameplay, looked different than Quan Chi vs Sonya.

Sounds like the fight was a part of Johnny's chapter.
[MENTION=18614]Swade[/MENTION]

So, you let the face of the series get beat up by a goofball just to give a nod to a crappy movie? I hope that's not the case.
 
Sounds like the fight was a part of Johnny's chapter.
[MENTION=18614]Swade[/MENTION]

So, you let the face of the series get beat up by a goofball just to give a nod to a crappy movie? I hope that's not the case.

Even though MK9's johnny's ladder wasn't canon, His "Green" power is a mystery power.

Even Cassie mentions "green stuff" to Raiden

Perhaps by MKX Johnny starts exploding with power. He must to be powerful enough to be called "Raiden's Champion"
 
Even though MK9's johnny's ladder wasn't canon, His "Green" power is a mystery power.

Even Cassie mentions "green stuff" to Raiden

Perhaps by MKX Johnny starts exploding with power. He must to be powerful enough to be called "Raiden's Champion"

Even if that was the case, he still shouldn't be able to beat a renown character like Scorpion. So, the game's jester is also one of the strongest? I was a huge Cage fan back in MK9. Back then, his arrogance was a part of his charm. He was a stylish action movie star who could whoop ass. Now, he's a baggy clothes wearing dork who complains about how much his ex-wife gets on his nerves. Eh, I'll give it a chance but so far I'm not feeling the story.
 
Even if that was the case, he still shouldn't be able to beat a renown character like Scorpion. So, the game's jester is also one of the strongest?

This guy. Johnny Cage hasn't been the "jester" of MK since before Armageddon - in which he canonically beat the stuffing out of Shinnok in a fair fight, and became the leader of the Forces of Good in Raiden's absence. Of course his powers would again be at their zenith in MK9, it's the start of his MK career and he's never used them before in a life or death situation, never tapped them to the fullest. Why shouldn't Raiden's guidance help him become a much stronger warrior?

I was a huge Cage fan back in MK9. Back then, his arrogance was a part of his charm. He was a stylish action movie star who could whoop ass. Now, he's a baggy clothes wearing dork who complains about how much his ex-wife gets on his nerves. Eh, I'll give it a chance but so far I'm not feeling the story.

What?! You mean to say that in the 25 years between MK9 and MKX, Johnny Cage has developed as a character?! Grown as a human being?! What sort of depravity will NRS sink to next? Those monsters.
 
He's a 50 year old man wearing baggy clothes. He couldn't have grown too much.

Like I said before, I'll give it a chance but I'm not liking what I'm seeing.
 
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