Yeah, nah... MK1's garbage -- worst NRS game since MKvDCU

[Shoah Kahn]

So, I finally had a burl of this game (didn't buy it), and WHOOOO WEE!, is it bad! Despite all the complaints, I wasn't sure that it was that bad; and I even saw myself jumping on board when the season-1 DLC's were all out... But, after actually trying the game, NO WAY, MUCHACHO!

The game feels neither here nor there, in terms of gameplay. It doesn't feel like an MK game, nor even close to something approaching a good fighting game in its own right... Almost like a muted Injustice game, or a slightly more refined Omen of Sorrow. Dunno... But, something is very off with the gameplay of this game. Nothing has any "oomph" to it either... In MKX, when Jason cracks your neck or back, you feel it; when Kitana's blades hit you, they feel like being cut by serrated fans. In MK1, even Shao's axe feels like slashing grunts in Dark Souls!

What is the point of the "enhanced" specials that aren't explicit armoured wake-ups or launchers? Like, Sindel's projectiles don't even do more damage, nor even knock-down! Little wonder few use the EX stock for anything but breakers... Oh, and don't get me started on the paucity of combo strings per characters! I see now why everyone just spams one or two "optimal" combos online -- there really isn't much else to do! It's laughable how NRS try to pad out the move lists, by listing an X, X, X, combo on three, separate lines: "X > X, X, > X, X, X"... In order to try and make it look like there are more moves than there are 👌😂 Also, MK11, MKX, and Injustice 2 for that matter had, perhaps, three times the special attack repertoire per character than MK1 does -- why are NRS games of today looking less fleshed out than those of Midway in the early 1990s!? 🤨

Yeah, nah... MK1 is a complete failure and cannot be fixed... There just isn't enough there to work with. I can see WB-NRS just penny-pinching trash DLC's until the revenue dries up, then quietly dumping the game. There is ZERO way they'll support this beyond 24 months. In fact, I doubt this game will even get an Evo showing beyond a backstage event -- it's just too shallow and uninspired; and pros spamming garbage in the game could even serve to damage peoples' enthusiasm for any future WB-NRS products (if they haven't lost trust / interest long ago, that is).

Verdict: 🚮/10

[Infevo]

It think it has 10/10 presentation, 8/10 sound and it is super creative. But mechanically, the game design absolutely sucks. No balance at all and the core concepts of the gameplay are pure kusoge. Also there is no excuse for this netcode and the lack of a blocklist/wifi-filter/ping-filter. Also having to grind back every month to your rank for rewards by abusing top tiers is toxic.

[imrerom]

This is not entirely true.Not totally garbage
Good game, enjoyable, but unfortunately just one game among many

[Kiwachu]

No score is deserved, they're too busy being "mature" and "respectful" rather than making a better game.

[Shoah Kahn]

Originally posted by Infevo:

It think it has 10/10 presentation, 8/10 sound and it is super creative.

I don't see anything "10/10" (literally, perfection) in MK1... Not even an 8. Even if one sees it as "looking better" than MK11 (really? 🤨), the retconned character designs, lack of deathly atmosphere, omission of proper antagonists and heroes (every char. feels like a normie), alone, render the presentation subpar for an MK game. If it were some stand-alone I. P. that stood separate from the MK universe, it would fair better than it does being passed of as an MK game... Still mediocre, of course; just "better".

Keep in mind, my considerations do not even touch on the many technical issues of the game (e.g., loading between menus being absurdly slow, even on SSD) -- I'm simply judging a fighting game on fighting game merits. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Originally posted by imrerom:

This is not entirely true. Not totally garbage
Good game, enjoyable, but unfortunately just one game among many

It's subjective -- granted. So, to clarify, for me, and according to my standards, MK1 is a wholesale trash fighting game. Having said that, I'm certainly not the only one who either feels similarly, or has myriad concerns about the game; many of which dovetail with the short synopsis (there are many, many more issues) of complaints the I listed. That is, it's not like I'm bucking any trend by calling out this NRS product as being substandard.

Originally posted by Kiwa:

No score is deserved, they're too busy being "mature" and "respectful" rather than making a better game.

There is nothing "mature" about MK1 beyond the cost of the product presupposing the access to an adult's bank account.

[Infevo]

Originally posted by Shoah Kahn:

Originally posted by Infevo:

It think it has 10/10 presentation, 8/10 sound and it is super creative.

I don't see anything "10/10" (literally, perfection) in MK1... Not even an 8. Even if one sees it as "looking better" than MK11 (really? 🤨), the retconned character designs, lack of deathly atmosphere, omission of proper antagonists and heroes (every char. feels like a normie), alone, render the presentation subpar for an MK game. If it were some stand-alone I. P. that stood separate from the MK universe, it would fair better than it does being passed of as an MK game... Still mediocre, of course; just "better".

There is not a single game coming to my mind that has better motion capture both for movements and facial expressions. And the creativity when it comes to brutalities, fatalities is unmatched.

[Shoah Kahn]

^ Okay... But, none of what you've listed even coming into the top-5 of elements of which conspire to make for a good fighting game. Yes, we're talking about presentation here... However, there is no escaping the sole import of gameplay in the fighting game genre; and no one will come back to a fighting game for its "grafix" alone; nor do visuals, alone, represent presentation.

>atmosphere
>character designed
>designation of protagonists / antagonists
>story / narrative
>voice work
>acting
>cut-scenes...

[Infevo]

Originally posted by Shoah Kahn:

^ Okay... But, none of what you've listed even coming into the top-5 of elements of which conspire to make for a good fighting game. Yes, we're talking about presentation here... However, there is no escaping the sole import of gameplay in the fighting game genre; and no one will come back to a fighting game for its "grafix" alone; nor do visuals, alone, represent presentation.

>atmosphere
>character designed
>designation of protagonists / antagonists
>story / narrative
>voice work
>acting
>cut-scenes...

Did you even read what I wrote? When did I say MK1 is a good fighting game? Imho it is absolute trash.

The points you listed do not matter at all for a good fighting game.

[Magnadeus]

Originally posted by imrerom:

This is not entirely true.Not totally garbage
Good game, enjoyable, but unfortunately just one game among many

Yeah it is totally garbage.

[Shoah Kahn]

Originally posted by Magnadeus:

Yeah it is totally garbage.

✅

[HEX OV NRA]

Also, Sweet baby detected!
Worst MK ever!
Only matches looks like a DC fightning game, due Homelander, Peacemaker and OmniMan.

[Wild Dog]

This game is amazing, not better than 11 but better than X.

[Shoah Kahn]

Originally posted by Wild Dog:

This game is amazing, not better than 11 but better than X.

That makes no sense, given that MKX is widely regarded as the best MK NRS have produced...

[Kai]

Suicide Squad to Arkham :: MK1 to MK

[Token]

Originally posted by ブースト:

Originally posted by imrerom:

This is not entirely true.Not totally garbage
Good game, enjoyable, but unfortunately just one game among many

Stfu

what a counter argument

[Shoah Kahn]

Originally posted by Kai:

Suicide Squad to Arkham :: MK1 to MK

This is a pretty accurate analogy... Which should be very concerning, given the respective eras of the games and how it bodes for the future of this pastime 💀