The casual appeal of theMortal Kombatfranchise cannot be understated. It’s up there withSuper Smash Bros.in terms of bringing together massive crowds with every entry. People don’t need to be into fighting games to appreciate the spectacle ofMortal Kombat, and its expected over-the-top violence is complemented by above-average storytelling and a plethora of side modes. This trend has arguably becomeMortal Kombat’s greatest legacy, withMortal Kombat 9’s story mode being held up as the model that AAA fighting games should aspire to.
MK9’s cinematic story impressed many with its adaptation of the firstMortal Kombattrilogy’s characters, weaving their stories together into a coherent plot. Plenty of new elements and teases for the future were set up, launching what amounts to an interactive superhero film franchise. Yet working fights and cutscenes together like this was not the only acclaimedstory mode to come out ofMortal Kombat. During the sixth console generation, adventure-style modes briefly became the norm forMK, and they contributed a lot to their success in an otherwise slow fighting game era. WhenMortal Kombat 12is revealed, it should update this style of adventure gameplay for a new generation.
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The History of Adventure Modes in Mortal Kombat
As fighting games became more focused on consoles, Midway decided to add a proper story mode toMortal Kombat: Deadly Alliancein addition to the arcade ladder mode. This led to the invention of Konquest, a mode that appeared in all threemainlineMKtitles during the PS2and original Xbox era. InDeadly Alliance, Konquest was little more than a glorified training mode where players took on missions that were separated by the visual of a monk walking across a map. While a bit underwhelming, this mode still taught players how to playDeadly Alliance, and it would carry this intent into the next game.
WhenMortal Kombatveterans think of the Konquest mode, they are likely rememberingMortal Kombat: Deception. This iteration teaches players the intricacies of the playable cast once again, but it does so in the form of a universe-spanning story. Players take the role of Shujinko, the apprentice of Bo' Rai Cho and a fighter from Earthrealm, who is tasked with gathering the mystical Kamidogu from all six realms and gifted the power to absorb other fighters' abilities. This transformedKonquest mode into an open-world RPGwhere players could customize their character, take on side quests, and fight characters from across theMKuniverse. Its world would be considered flat and uninteresting by today’s standards, but this was revolutionary at the time, and madeMortal Kombat: Armageddon’s beat ’em up Konquest pale in comparison.
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Mortal Kombat 12 Should Bring Back Konquest
Konquest mode has been absent from the franchise sinceArmageddon. TheMortal Kombatreboot trilogy focused on cinematic story modes, filling out the rest of its single-player offerings with things like a mission mode orthe Towers of Time. No one can accuse NetherRealm Studios of laziness in any of these endeavors, but now thatMKis experiencing another soft reboot, it’s a good time to change things up. A new kind of story mode, one that feels like a grand adventure, would go over well. GivingMortal Kombat: Deception’s Konquest another look might be what the franchise needs.
It falls toMortal Kombat 12to introduce a brand-new take on theMKuniverse, and what better way to do that than to give players free rein over key regions in each realm. There may be a particular realm like Outworld or Earthrealm that receives extra focus, but the format would allow players to quickly immerse themselves in the story and events. Players could take control of a new character, a custom character, or someone established like Liu Kang or Kung Lao. With other games likeStreet Fighter 6looking at an adventure approachfor their story modes,Mortal Kombatneeds to remind everyone that it went there first.
How Adventure Mode Could Work in Mortal Kombat 12
The number of ways to implement this mode are immense, andMK12has plenty of inspiration to draw from. The two most recentMortal Kombatgames,10and11, both featured interactive Krypts that players could explore using a first or third-person avatar.MK10’s Krypt employed some quick-time events, whileMK11’s Krypt brought back some 3D action elementsfromMortal Kombat: Armageddon. Both of these show off what exploring a location in theMortal Kombatworld could feel like, providing a more interesting take thanDeceptioncould muster. While the old weekly schedule may not return, the concept of a world with towns and dungeons that have plenty of loot and Easter eggs should not be dismissed.
This mode can also go back to teaching newcomers how to playMortal Kombat. A custom character, or a rotating team of fighters, would allow players to experience the roster in a safe place. There’s potential to make things easier with stat upgrades and new moves, and missions requiring particular handicaps or mid-fight goals could still test any build. After their adventure is complete, players can bring rewards to the Krypt, which might even be a location in the wider Konquest mode. Their custom characters would be perfect for special versus modes, especially if they can be displayed in 3D multiplayer lobbies.Mortal Kombat 12has everything to gainby embracing Konquest, and hopefully it brings fans the best premium fighting game experience yet.
