The Mortal Kombat series has always been considered to be something of a juvenile fighting game.  Sure, the Fatalities are brutally violent, and there’s more blood in these games than just about any other fighting series, but for serious fighting fans, MK represents shallow gameplay with little to no strategy.  With next year’s series reboot, simply titled Mortal Kombat, Warner Bros. is looking to change that perception by adding a slew of new features to the game that add significant depth to the experience.

A 2D fighter featuring 3D characters, Mortal Kombat is looking to return to its roots while updating the formula to appeal to more seasoned fighters.  First off, the game will feature two-man teams, similar to those found in Capcom’s Vs. series.  Based on gameplay footage from E3, teammates look to be able to swap in at any time, or perform a quick jump in attack, just like in Capcom’s games, or use a “special attack swap.”  This should speed up the pace of battles, which, in Mortal Kombat, have a history of being a bit slow and clunky. 

Another innovation from Capcom, a chargeable “Super” meter, makes its way into an MK game for the first time.  When the meter is full enough, kombatants can perform powered-up versions of their regular moves by inputting the normal command, then tapping the block button.  This will allow Sub-Zero to project an ice puddle that takes up almost the whole screen, or let Reptile vomit acid instead of merely spitting it.  While the actual input for pulling off these moves seems awkward, the addition of these “super” moves is a welcome one, and should add a lot more strategy and depth to the fights.

In the announcement trailer, Johnny Cage was shown hitting Scorpton with a series of crushing attacks accompanied by an x-ray view of Scorp’s internal injuries.  This is known as an “X-Ray move,” and becomes available with the use of a certain amount of special moves.  I’m not sure how it will affect gameplay, but it’s definitely a cool-looking effect, and one that should look real interesting when performed on cyborg enemies.

In addition to new gameplay features, Mortal Kombat will also use a new physics system for its blood and gore.  Flying bodily fluids now fall realistically, attach to clothing, and even darken as stains grow older during a fight.

Time will tell if Mortal Kombat will mark the rebirth of the franchise, and whether it can draw in fans who traditionally ignore the series, but so far, everything looks good.  It seems like WB has stripped away all the nonsense that has infiltrated the series since MK IV (multiple fighting styles, weapons, Motor Kombat, etc,) and is updating the gameplay to compete with the Super Street Fighters and Soul Caiburs of the world.  Of course, Street Fighter doesn’t let you pull a man’s still-beating heart out of his chest, so MK’s already got a leg up.

[Source - Kotaku.com]