Boon: Next Mortal Kombat game to be "serious"

by Justin McElroy { Apr 20th 2007 at 2:56PM }

Ed Boon is done joking around with Mortal Kombat. We don't know what that means, but he seems so serious about it, we can't help but be a little intimidated. He put on his business face in an interview with CVG about the next game in the series, saying "we're not going to joke around in this one, it's not going to be like jokes." Does this mean we can't expect Babalities? No more Johnny Cage crotch shots?

Boon goes on to expand on his vision for the new, more mature MK, (or will it be MC?) calling it more realistic and grittier, with the designers feeling no obligation to bring back favorite fighting styles or weapons. He stops short of saying he'll bench favorite characters, presumably to stem the tide of "If joo dont bring bak ScOrPiOn ILL cut your brak lines" emails that are probably just making love to "GrEEdo didnt shoote 1st dumba$$" emails somewhere just waiting for their moment to strike. Boon said the title probably won't be available until the end of 2008, and we're (pun incoming!) seriously excited to see this brave new world of spine removal.

Tags: cvg, edboon, mortalkombat, ps3, xbox360

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Norm @ Apr 20th 2007 3:02PM

If he means that they are gonna make it balanced, I'm not gonna hold my breath.

UMK3 is about as good as it ever got in those regards.

trent @ Apr 20th 2007 3:07PM

dude a tie is uber serious. i love that pic.

alienclay @ Apr 20th 2007 3:07PM

is it star wars reference week or something?

samfish @ Apr 20th 2007 3:08PM

What's with all the Star Wars references today?
Am I missing something?

Anyway, I thought MK4 was the best.
...but I realize I'm pretty much alone in that regard.

Justin McElroy @ Apr 20th 2007 3:13PM

Trent- I owe it all to MS Paint.
Samfish and alienclay - I don't know what you're talking about.

Marco @ Apr 20th 2007 3:15PM

Its not gonna be another fighting game. I remember reading an interview with Boon and he said he really really liked the look of Gears of war and said thats what he wanted to do with Mortal Kombat. Maybe something like MK SM? ...but better.

orange.micro @ Apr 20th 2007 3:19PM

UMK3 is about as good as it ever got in those regards

come on dude, mk2 was the peak. still i'm excited to see what he's got in store i've bought every game in hopes it would be better than the last. i've enjoyed them all but mk2 was my fave.

Geo @ Apr 20th 2007 3:20PM

I hope this time it gets real and more martial art feeling, because after Mortal Kombat 3 the series become very bad and sucks i really said sucks, i hate the weapon mode to fight and the crapy graphics that made me not to play this game any more,best games of the serie:
1-Mortal Kombat 2
2-Mortal Kombat 1
3-Mortal Kombat 3

azesino @ Apr 20th 2007 3:28PM

The most serious game in the series is Mortal Kombat 1, The characters looked more real than the rest, it had a feeling of doom, there where no babalities, frienships or any of that crap, the second one was MK2 then the series went down hill.

MK2 was my faborite by the way

Geo @ Apr 20th 2007 3:30PM

and when i said the 2nd best game of the serie i`m talking about the Arcadia version not the the Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis version.....

KaneRobot @ Apr 20th 2007 3:34PM

I'm not sure what he means by this. Yeah around MK3 and the MK4/MK Mythologies era they were getting a little goofy, but once they came back with Deadly Alliance/Deception/Armageddon they took on a more serious tone. The opening movies in the three most recent games are hardly goofy. Yeah the Kart Racing and Columns bonus games were silly, but those weren't part of the main storyline of the game or anything.

This sounds more like a pleading appeal to gamers. "We're going to shake things up, so if you thought it was dumb before, check us out next time!"

While I'll be interested to see what they do for the next release (especially since Armageddon was disappointing), since I assume they'll be fixing/changing the somewhat dated engine, but what I REALLY want is another MK Shaolin Monks with online co-op. That game was a fucking blast with two players.

Jake @ Apr 20th 2007 3:37PM

I love the style, characters, and -alities of the MK series. I don't really like the gameplay, though. It has always seemed really dull. How about a lighter version of the Virtua Fighter system with some Tekken elements for gameplay, mixed with the general feel of MK. Oh yeah, and make the graphics good. Don't slack this time.

Norm @ Apr 20th 2007 3:38PM

I didn't say UMK3 was the 'best', MK2 was certainly my favorite. but when It comes down to it, its basically Jax vs Mileena in competitive play.

Arturo @ Apr 20th 2007 3:44PM

mk trilogy on n64 for me :D

comtar @ Apr 20th 2007 4:30PM

How to make MK serious:

Bring back real fatalities, not ripping peoples arms off and beating them with them. Example: the original Sub Zero fatality, or have Striker just shoot someone in the head, it's simple and effective.That's a REAL fatality.

Remove the weapons, only characters who carry weapons on them should have the ability to switch weapons. IE, Kano's knife, Striker's police baton, and Katana's fans. Characters like Sub-Zero or Scorpion don't need weapons, and like most assassins would probably laugh once some moron pulled out a weapon. When Raiden can shoot lightning, why the hell would he even need a weapon to begin with.

Make the characters more realistic, Undead Liu Kang lame. We also don't need MoCap and female renditions of all the Ninja characters so people can be like Sub-Zero with boobies. There's a reason why people liked the X-men movie, it's cause they didn't wear ugly costumes. Look at that show Heroes, none of them wear spandex, they all wear something you can buy at a store.

Besides making the characters realistic, let's make the fighting areas more realistic. Not every area needs a stage fatality. That was half the fun of the first Mortal Kombat, we all hoped for the bridge level, but was always a random chance we didn't. You know some people start fights in parking lots? Amazing.

The plot of Mortal Kombat has become REALLY REALLY ridiculous. If they want to re-vitalize the movie franchise by starting it over like they did Batman Begins, maybe they should do that with making Mortal Kombat 1 all over again.

Yourself @ Apr 20th 2007 4:01PM

I feel like you guys are being a little harsh. Though the series got pretty weak for a while, Deception (my personal favorite) was definitely solid, and though not necessarily well-balanced, it had a decent amount of playable characters (not just two, like MKII). It was critically acclaimed, as well.

In response to whoever said they should make it like Virtual Fighter/Tekken... you're a retard. MK is a totally different type of fighting game. One of the reasons it's so fun is that it ISNT Tekken.

Geo @ Apr 20th 2007 4:00PM

The only thing about MK Trilogy for N64 its the lock of digital audio compare to the PS1 version....

Jonathan Tran @ Apr 20th 2007 4:03PM

Im glad to see this. I really lost interest when they started dancing, using Hammerspace weapons, ridiculous physics (not just magic, just bad physics), etc. Even the stupid font and voiceovers suck.

SymetriX @ Apr 20th 2007 4:04PM

For some reason we've never had a real good "western" fighting game. I hope they do get serious and try to make the fighting engine a technical achievement and not just more "lawl i'm in ur gutz ripping out ur intestinez".

Kril @ Apr 20th 2007 4:06PM

Street Figther II is a lot more better than MK Deception like it or not......

Mister Disco @ Apr 20th 2007 4:10PM

Mortal Kombat: Serious Business.

Honestly I think change can only do good for this series.

Geo @ Apr 20th 2007 4:12PM

if they make MK using Cryengine 2 with good physics gameplay and more of martial arts feeling it will be the best "western" fighting game ever,but only the players will decide if the best.....

Levi @ Apr 20th 2007 4:14PM

@ #5

"GrEEdo didnt shoote 1st dumba$$" is the Star Wars reference they are talking about.

Geo @ Apr 20th 2007 4:30PM

Mortal Kombat Decepcion or Mortal Kombat Depression..

Justin McElroy @ Apr 20th 2007 4:39PM

Thank you for clearing that up, Levi. I have to say though, a pretty clumsy attempt on Justin McElroy's part to shoehorn one in.

sheppy @ Apr 20th 2007 5:35PM

"Bring back real fatalities, not ripping peoples arms off and beating them with them. Example: the original Sub Zero fatality, or have Striker just shoot someone in the head, it's simple and effective.That's a REAL fatality."

Well, personally, I think you're a moron. MK has always had the goofy fatalities even from the first one (see: Sonya) and Toasty has been a trademark from the first. If you want anticlimatic finishers, go to Eternal Champions or the much more realistic Manhunt.

"Remove the weapons, only characters who carry weapons on them should have the ability to switch weapons. IE, Kano's knife, Striker's police baton, and Katana's fans. Characters like Sub-Zero or Scorpion don't need weapons, and like most assassins would probably laugh once some moron pulled out a weapon. When Raiden can shoot lightning, why the hell would he even need a weapon to begin with."

Ummmmm... look up what assassins in the martial arts tended to use. Hell, if anything, I'd like to see em chuck a handful of caltrops or even some kunai action. With weapons, it's possible to find a balance. Just look at Samurai Spirits, Battle Arena Toshinden, and Soul Blade. You CAN balance them out and honestly, given the settings and characters, having unarmed people in general makes zero sense.

"Make the characters more realistic, Undead Liu Kang lame. We also don't need MoCap and female renditions of all the Ninja characters so people can be like Sub-Zero with boobies. There's a reason why people liked the X-men movie, it's cause they didn't wear ugly costumes. Look at that show Heroes, none of them wear spandex, they all wear something you can buy at a store."

Sounds like what you want from the next Mortal Kombat is not to be a Mortal Kombat. The far east mythos and character designs are a defining aspect of MK. Remove that and you remove what made MK so fun in the first place. If you want realism in your characters, Virtua Fighter is that way.

"Besides making the characters realistic, let's make the fighting areas more realistic. Not every area needs a stage fatality. That was half the fun of the first Mortal Kombat, we all hoped for the bridge level, but was always a random chance we didn't. You know some people start fights in parking lots? Amazing."

And yet when they tried this with MK3, it was garbage shit.

"The plot of Mortal Kombat has become REALLY REALLY ridiculous. If they want to re-vitalize the movie franchise by starting it over like they did Batman Begins, maybe they should do that with making Mortal Kombat 1 all over again."

Ummm, you apparently lived in a hole the entire time they were talking about MK:A, huh? Armegeddon killed off the Outworld Saga. The entire point of the game was to kill off loose ends and give the MK series a blank slate for the next generation.

Shen Long @ Apr 20th 2007 5:54PM

@#16

Deception was a horrible game from a design standpoint, continuity standpoint, balance standpoint, and a competitive standpoint. There was absolutely nothing good about that game except for the hype around it, and when the game finally came out it was complete trash.

For competitive gamers, the engine was horrid and was somehow made worse than Deadly Alliance's. For story fans, the storyline didn't make any sense and suddenly there's tons of new people and people who should've been deceased. It was just a terrible game through and through.

I'm not holding my breath for a new MK fighting game that is even half decent. Shaolin Monks has been the best MK in years, and that wasn't even a fighting game. They need to take the series completely in that direction.

perfectchaos @ Apr 20th 2007 5:54PM

how to REALLY make mortal kombat more realistic:

-remove all four armed things with pony tails...because i sure haven't seen any of those EVER

-remove oceans of blood spilling out after every hit or fatality

-remove all characters who shoot out flames, fireballs, lasers, slimeballs, etc...etc...

-remove fatalities that involving dismembering people with your bare hands...when was the list time YOU were able to rip out someones spine or heart?

and what you're left with is...tao feng 2?

Phillip @ Apr 20th 2007 6:18PM

@25

You know, you're having way too much fun today. Even for a Friday. Makes me wish I worked at Joystiq.

@22

I forgive you for your lack of observation.

Bluebreaker @ Apr 20th 2007 6:29PM

-Reduce the overall campiness (which has happened on some of the titles)

-Revise the fighting system to be more like Tekken/Virtua Fighter.

-Take yourselves seriously, but without ego. This isn't the mid 90's and your not on top anymore. You all have a good franchise and while it's a good sign to joke about yourselves, the most classic games have a seriousness that does not decend into pretentiousness.

-Downplay the fatalities, but still make em good! I think you all did more harm to *yourselves* by making the fatalites the hallmark of game instead of solid gameplay.

-And KEEP TRACK OF YOUR OWN MYTHOS! You guys on the MK Team have decent writers just keep a hold of it this time and don't let the characters and story ramble on. Especially if the next MK is a complete restart.

I'll look forward to your next work Mr. Boon!

chondro @ Apr 21st 2007 1:20PM

Maybe they'll bring back the 2D game.

These games have gone to crap since ever since they made them 3D!

I'm sure it will be a 2D game given the popularity of UMK3 on XBL

Seroth @ Apr 20th 2007 10:03PM

How lame. I like the humor in Mortal Kombat games. =[

So no more friendships, "TOASTY!", or non-sense jibba jabba said during special movies?

Well, if that's the case, the game better be a serious fighting game, and by that, I mean it should be up to par with likes of Soul Calibur.

Sidepocket @ Apr 20th 2007 10:15PM

I love how a Mature rated game is talking about being more mature next time. Once again that Mature Rated =/= Mature Game.

Oh and for the moron that said this:

"Revise the fighting system to be more like Tekken/Virtua Fighter."

Is a moron. Tekken!?! Fucking Tekken? When was the last time you punched someone and sparks flown out, or fought a log guy, or juggled someone in teh air in a 20 hit combo?

And while Virtua Fighter is more "real" its also very slow and there is no blood. When you punch someone in the face, you bruse. You do not just get a frowny face and hear a 1995 punch sound effect.

orAngeMicro @ Apr 20th 2007 11:05PM

Sidepocket

thats some funny stuff man

Xian! @ Apr 21st 2007 1:34AM

So I guess my dreams of seeing Mortal Kombat on the DS (preferably a compilation of the first three) will have to be shelved. Or burned. Blast. :(

I remember when Mortal Kombat first came out, the politicians were all over it. Now it's no big deal because nobody walks into a school and punches 33 people to death.

The idea of a realistic-looking MK is tantalizing, I admit, but they'll have to do more than woo dame controversy this time around.

orAngeMicro @ Apr 21st 2007 2:25AM

When you punch someone in the face, you bruse. You do not just get a frowny face and hear a 1995 punch sound effect.

frowny face AHAHAHAHAH! i dunno if its cause im stoned or what this has to be one of the top 3 posts of the decade. i cant stop laughing. gems like these are why i only visit joystiq.

When was the last time you punched someone and sparks flown out, or fought a log guy

fought a log guy AHAHAHAHHAHA! sparks flown out AHJAHAHHAHA! Sidepocket

Sidepocket is me new internet lord.

cilo95 @ May 17th 2007 12:51PM

the problem with a lot of people is over analyzing....the graphics in these games were never top notch...the story lines did border on ridiculous some times, and even the game play got a little too complicated at times....but so what.....theres not a game in this series that i didn't enjoy playing because i didn't sit down and pick apart every litle
friggin detail about every minuscule aspect of every game...i took them for what they were...which i guess was some kind of fantasy epic....the fighting was always good...and i can't really think of any other fighting game that i have even cared to play more than any of the mk's over probably the last ten years....now granted i think it is time to move on to next gen gaming and a redo is probably necessary, which is true for every franchise from time to time....they sure have been fun to play over the years, which to me is all that i can expect when i put down my money.....i hope that the next gen titles will be as much fun as all of the rest...