Everything We Learned from the Mortal Kombat 1 Stress Test
While the festivities of CEO were drawing the attention of the Street Fighter faithful, Mortal Kombat 1 was having its first taste of public life. An online stress test took place over the weekend and gave the public their first taste of the game. A number of FGC experts and Kontent Kreators took to the web to share their opinions on MK1. So here’s some of the key talking points from the first beta of the anticipated NetherRealm title.
Mortal Kombat 1 is Gorgeous and Builds on MK11
While there isn’t much 4k footage of the test out there right now, the game looks fantastic. NRS is known for the visual fidelity of their games and MK1 is no exception. The particle effects from characters like Liu Kang and Kenshi are pretty incredible. Unlike Street Fighter 6, the gameplay isn’t a complete reinvention. There are mechanics that return from MK11 like Fatal Blow, which allows for massive damage if you’re low on health.
If you’re looking for a great example of how MK1 might look at the top level, FGC great, SonicFox posted a video yesterday with a series of matches. In the bouts, they go against MK EVO Online 2021 Champion, Ninjakilla. It’s a fantastic way to see how pros train and unpack the mechanics of a game. There are lots of dropped combos and shrill screaming, but it’s great to see some of the best in the world formulate gameplans on the fly.
Kameo’s are a Welcome Addition
The biggest change from MK11 to MK1 is the addition of the Kameo system. These Kameo fighters pop in and deliver an attack that can grab your opponent or extend your combos. If you’re thinking this is similar to the Marvel vs. Capcom series, you wouldn’t be wrong. FGC content creator, Maximilian Dood, says that he’s genuinely excited about the new mechanic. “The kameo system is super interesting…it's something you have to “figure out” and I absolutely love that.” he said in a video posted to YouTube.
However, there are some instances where calling in your Kameo will stop the movement of your character and focus in on the Kameo. This is different from the tag/assist system we know of in the Vs. or DBZ games because you’re still in complete control of your character. This allows you to set up some crazy mix-ups and combos while your assist is out.
Game Speed Not So Good.
One common refrain we’ve seen is that some are unhappy with the speed of the game. Inputting combos seems to be satisfying but walk speed, dashing and crouching all look a bit slower than normal. Once you get your offense going the blows come thick and fast, with the Kameo’s coming in as well and the screen can fill with effects rather quickly. But outside of that, the game looks and feels much slower in neutral. YouTuber, rooflemonger, noted that the absence of wavedashing really makes the game feel sluggish.
Other factors such as input delay, negative edge being on by default and general online issues also contributed to the slower feel. While there’s no indication of any changes to this aspect of MK1, we’ll keep and eye on the change logs to see if later beta tests up the speed of the game.
