Mortal Kombat 1 reboots the bloody fighter with a focus on new players

theverge.com:

The team at NetherRealm Studios is rewinding the clock on Mortal Kombat, starting the 30-year-old series back at 1. Mortal Kombat 1, out on PC, PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox on September 14th, offers fighting game fans the over-the-top gory kombat they’ve come to love and expect. And with Liu Kang resetting the cosmic clock, the game also gives beloved characters the chance to have a peaceful, kombatless life free from the worry of having their innards pulled out inch by bloody inch. But Mortal Kombat 1, more than being yet another reboot, will also offer players the chance to experience the seminal fighting game in a totally new way: as an RPG.

The Verge had the opportunity to have a hands-on experience with Mortal Kombat 1, talking with its developers and exploring the game’s new stories, the new Kameo fighters, and Invasion, the brand-new game mode just announced at Gamescom 2023.

Previously, Mortal Kombat games have always been 1 on 1 — players select one character and play as them one at a time for each match. With the new Kameo fighter system, players can select two fighters: a main one that will do a majority of the fighting and a secondary character players control that can tap in and out like a tag team wrestling match. 

When I first saw the Kameo system, I thought of it as a simplified version of the way characters can tag in and out of matches in fighters like Marvel vs. Capcom or Dragon Ball FighterZ. But when I played with them, I was surprised to find more Kameo fighters than I initially thought. More than the ability to pop in, extend your combo, and pop out, Kameo fighters also offer defensive assists. Sub-Zero can encase his partner in a protective ice vest that reduces damage for a couple of hits, while