Summary
Many gamers weren’t sure what to think when it was revealed in early 2023 that the next entry in theMortal Kombatseries would be a soft reboot rather than a traditional sequel. Luckily for fans of the famous fighting franchise,Mortal Kombat 1’s radically revamped universe proved to be the ideal setting for both the series’ bloody brawls and the debut of new takes on its most iconic characters. Rather than sticking to this new timeline, though,Mortal Kombat’s future eras should regularly reinvent the franchise similar to the sagas ofSanta Monica Studio’sGod of Wargames.
Much as the new world created by Fire GodLiu Kang inMortal Kombat 1shook up the status quo for that series, Santa Monica Studio’s recentGod of Warentries represent a reimagining of a beloved franchise. This willingness to set aside what came before and try something new has now served both series well and should be a template for futureMortal Kombatgames. By following the model established byGod of War’s sagas and rebooting the universe every few years, NetherRealm could keepMortal Kombatfeeling fresh and avoid getting bogged down by the narrative weight of its ever-shifting storylines.
RELATED:Ed Boon Teases Upcoming Mortal Kombat 1 Features
God of War’s Sagas Provide a Perfect Framework for the Mortal Kombat Series
Kicking off with the release of the long-awaited reboot in 2018,God of War’s Norse Sagais the framework around which recent entries in the franchise have been built. While the iconic Ghost of Sparta, Kratos, remains front-and-center in the story, nearly everything else about the series has undergone significant changes. From a decidedly more mature tone to a revamped combat system,God of WarandGod of War: Ragnarokshare little more than surface-level similarities with the franchise entries that preceded them.
The Limited Lifespan of God of War’s Sagas Are Their Greatest Strength
What makesGod of War’s Norse Saga a great model forMortal Kombat’seras is the intentionally limited lifespan of its narrative.The Norse Saga ends withGod of War: Ragnarok, with future sequels set to showcase new stories and settings, andMortal Kombat’s eras should follow the same formula. By featuring similarly self-contained storylines that play out over the course of a few years before shaking up the setting once again,Mortal Kombat’seras could tell more focused tales while retaining the ferocious fights that made the franchise a hit.
Each New Era in Mortal Kombat Should Be Its Own Standalone Story
Although it’s been widely praised for offering a new spin on the series,Mortal Kombat 1isn’t the first game in the franchise to take a stab at rewriting history. 2011’sMortal Kombat 9saw the series undergo a similar sort of soft reboot, with the story representing an alternate version of the events of the three originalMortal Kombatgames. This rebooted universe played home to the franchise’s next two entries but, byMortal Kombat 11’s conclusion, the increasingly convoluted storyline had worn out its welcome for many players.
To avoid this same fate, instead of sticking with Fire God Liu Kang’s New Era timeline for future games, the storyline established inMortal Kombat 1should conclude sooner rather than later. Giving the narrative a definitive ending, either through DLC or a sequel, would let the various character arcs reach a clear conclusion and set the stage for a new era. This would avoid the narrative bloat that plaguedMortal Kombat 11and ensure that future sequels remain innovative rather than iterative.
Taking a page fromGod of War’s playbook and keeping its storylines mostly self-contained would let NetherRealm keep its iconic fightingfranchise feeling fresh. By introducing new stories and settings with each new era,futureMortal Kombatentriescould ensure that the series’ narrative avoids past missteps and continues to innovate for years to come.
