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And it’s cinematic Story mode.
Mortal Kombat 1’s two single-player modes have been detailed and were playable at this year’s Gamescom event.
The first is Invasion mode, which turns the fighting game into a Mario Party-esque boardgame. Players will choose a character and explore an area through branching paths, with each node offering a new challenge to overcome before progressing.
These comprise a mixture of individual battles, minigames and treasures, with extra modifiers offering a twist on typical gameplay. Perhaps fire-shooting demons or a fiery vortex will interrupt battle, plus plenty more.
I was able to go hands-on with this mode, playing through a board based on Johnny Cage’s mansion. The first node was a fight to gain access to a key card before entering; from there the branching paths took us to a cinema room, a demon-infested balcony and a dojo, all narrated with Cage’s quippy dialogue. Fans will likely spot references to past games too.
NetherRealm Studios promise this mode will play with action adventure and RPG mechanics, with players collecting different talismans with which to create new loadouts for battles.
What’s more, the boards used in Invasion mode will rotate on a six-week seasonal basis, each with a new theme based on the invading force.
It’s a fun mode and while initially the board setup feels anachronous to a fighting game, there’s the potential for a wide range of challenges – though most I saw were simple battles. The seasonal changes will keep the mode fresh too.
I was also able to try out the start of the game’s Story mode. As fans will have seen from the various trailers released, Mortal Kombat 1 will feature some very well-directed cutscenes with plenty of humour. It’s a little puerile but that’s the joy of this series. I did snigger when Sub-Zero froze another character’s arm in a bar brawl, before a punter snapped off some ice to add to his drink.
What’s more impressive is how seamlessly those scenes transfer into gameplay. The camera shifts to the side and suddenly it’s time for kombat, lending Story mode the feel of a playable movie. You’ll be forced to play as specific characters – here Kung Lao and Raiden – but together with Invasion mode, the single-player offering will have plenty of depth to teach players the basics.
I just hope there’s a decent training mode to ensure the game is approachable. Button mashing won’t get you far.
