Mortal Kombat 2's Outworld Setting Shows Shao Kahn's Brutality
Mortal Kombat is known for its violence, but also for outlandish and elaborate settings, and Mortal Kombat 2's Wasteland factors into storytelling by showing Shao Kahn's conquest of Outworld in its design. From the very first entry through the storytelling mistakes of Mortal Kombat 11, the franchise has prided itself on gory action, intense combat, and grisly visuals. Though most of the focus goes toward the visceral fatalities and bone-crunching combos, the stages themselves carry just as much weight when it comes to conveying the lore and atmosphere of the tournaments. The series' arenas run the gamut from bridges over dark expanses to bustling markets to other dimensions. One of these other worlds, the desolate realm of Outworld, is of note for how well it personifies the series' harsh themes through its visual aesthetic. The aesthetic of Outworld is primarily the work of one person — its fearsome ruler, Shao Kahn.
Shao Kahn is a conqueror first and foremost. His entire life seems to revolve around finding new realms to conquer through the titular Mortal Kombat tournaments and subjugating the realms he has already subsumed into his own. By the time of Mortal Kombat 2, he had already claimed hundreds of realms as his own. From the moment that Shao Kahn sets his sights on a realm, that realm can expect a future filled with strife, combat, and fatalities.
Related: Mortal Kombat: How Shao Kahn Took Over Outworld
The realm of Outworld showcases Shao Kahn's brutality through its use of background storytelling, beautifully grisly visuals, and the constant implication of greater evil going on just beyond what players can see, and this is perhaps best exemplified by Mortal Kombat 2's art. Whether it is the skeletons chained in
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