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The visual evolution of Mortal Kombat's roster
- Thread starter Slamtastic
- Start date
- NSFW
Slamtastic
Member
The Scorpion one is promo art from Injustice Gods Among Us showing off his redesign by comic artist Jim Lee.
The other ones are promotional art they released in the lead up to Mortal Kombat (2011), the first one being their main costume and the second being their alternate costume from that game.
You can find them all here.
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance was my first console game (I was 8 at the time, I believe). Had good times with it, despite the lack of a memory card (so I couldn't unlock characters).
I loved MK: Deceptions (tons of fun). Didn't play any other MK games since...
After seeing this thread, I'm itching to get MK9. Wondering if I should or just hold out and get MK10.
I loved MK: Deceptions (tons of fun). Didn't play any other MK games since...
After seeing this thread, I'm itching to get MK9. Wondering if I should or just hold out and get MK10.
Yes definitely get MK9 its pretty cheap now too.
Fancy Clown
Member
I thought the art direction for MK9 was spectacularly awful. Just really really bland designs all around. I hope they try and make the characters look a little more distinctive for the next game and not look like they came off the back of a bootleg Kung Fu dvd from the 90's. (Note, I don't have a problem with the core visuals of the characters, just their interpretations in this game).
Slamtastic
Member
Well it certainly would be funny.
That's been the inspiration for the MK games visual direction since the beginning.
B-grade American kung fu movies filled with ninjas from the late 80s and early 90s.
That's grotesque
You all forgot the best MK design ever:
So hot <3
Well, the funny thing about it is, they liked movie Kano so much that they included a lot of that portrayal into the games (also as a homage to Trevor Goddard). Original Kano was bald and Chinese. MK9 Kano is an aussie, bearded badass.
BluePigGanon
Member
Just speaking for myself of course: my god I would love it if they totally tossed out their aesthetic. Not only does the let's-put-a-spike-on-a-skull-being-swallowed-by-a-snake-on-cocaine look they've been on forever do NOTHING for me, but even the execution of that goofy vision is so blah. That's not even touching the females.
It's shallow, but honestly it's most the reason I've checked out of the MK series. They need stronger artists.
It's shallow, but honestly it's most the reason I've checked out of the MK series. They need stronger artists.
Anticitizen One
Banned
I really hated the look of the characters in the 3D games. They were fun to play but they made all the characters wayyyy to buff and the girls looked like they were made of Porcelain. MK 2011 was a huge step forward though. They need to make sure to keep some of the fighters slim and not Gears of war dudes.
RedAssedApe
Banned
i like how sub-zero turned into a non-asian guy in mk3 
Slamtastic
Member
To be completely honest, I wish the in game visuals of MK were like the artwork they put out.
If they could translate the promo art they used for character announcements for MK9 into in game visuals the same way Xrd translated the GG sprites, it would be great to me.
"Realism" doesn't do anything for me. I'd prefer a fully stylized MK. (And throw in some hitsparks while you're at it)
If they could translate the promo art they used for character announcements for MK9 into in game visuals the same way Xrd translated the GG sprites, it would be great to me.
"Realism" doesn't do anything for me. I'd prefer a fully stylized MK. (And throw in some hitsparks while you're at it)
But MK9 looks pretty much like that screenshot? And they don't need hitsparks, because they have blood. That's MK's thing. The PS2 games had both and it looked goofy.
Slamtastic
Member
MK9 has a very "plain" look that doesn't say "stylized" to me.
It's not an illustration, and it's not real life, it's just "video game visuals" that don't do anything special in quality, being unable to be too detailed/realistic to maintain framerate, and not being stylized like other fighters (SF4) because MK is "dark/serious/gritty" etc.
Good designs and my favorite style of gameplay, but I prefer the overall presentation (art, sound) of Japanese fighters to those NRS makes.
And don't get me started on how Injustice is a comic book game but has even less color than MK9, and how much MvC3 beats the pants off it in the areas of graphics and sound (and only those areas).
Slamtastic
Member
Ever since someone pointed it out in another thread, I can't unsee Baraka's tiny forearms.
wow this looks great, want
You forgot MK Mythologies Sub Zero:
I really wish they'd make a new Shaolin Monks...or hd port the old on to next gen/pc.
my fave sub zero:
another cool one:
first game on my brand new PS1 my parents bought my for my bday
Even though the MK ninjas get shit for being pallet swaps, they are still some of the best characters, period, in any fighting game. They are also some of the coolest characters in video games.
I love MK, particularly the universe up until MK3. It's too bad the MK reboot shit all over it at the end of the game. Having those 3 games' storylines in one game was pretty amazing, but some of the retcon stuff was shitty.
I love MK, particularly the universe up until MK3. It's too bad the MK reboot shit all over it at the end of the game. Having those 3 games' storylines in one game was pretty amazing, but some of the retcon stuff was shitty.
powerdrain
Member
Wow. That's a bit extreme, and I would say "These characters aren't made to please you or give you any gratification" and also it's a game where spines are ripped out and bodies are severed - but, it's obvious these characters, like many other female characters in gaming are very oversexualised, and it's kinda sad. I swear all the MK9 girls had size 12 waists or something. That said, I do love a lot of the MK ladies and their various looks they've had over the years, and I do agree the MK9 models in general, male or female could do with a bit more work facially, but it does add an element of realism I guess. We don't all look like page 3 models, sorry buddy~
I do like how they started incorporating veils and very Arabic influences into Mileena's latter costumes, and how the three kunoichi girls differentiated each other into the PS2 era, in particular Jade's Deception design which I thought was pretty cool.
I also think some of the Armageddon redesigns weren't too bad either. That's one game I never actually owned myself, but Rain's updated look was pretty swag, it's just a shame that game never really made much noise, probably in part to the fact it came out as the 360 and PS3 were launching, and they also removed (real) Fatalities
Aw man I've been watching Dexter lately and seeing this reminds me how different he looks now. I didn't think he looked that different but he looks like he's in Pampers here!Fake Raiden, do not trust this man:
All of those costumes should have been in the game IMOEveryone left out the best form of Reptile that we never got to play as.
The human reptile all the way to the left. I'm still bummed.
Slamtastic
Member
DiipuSurotu
Banned
Best Jade
block tower
Member
NetherRealm's character designs on MK9 was hit or miss for me. i really dug sub zero's and scorpion's designs though. i thought Mortal Kombat Armageddon had some of the better character redesigns since the original game.
Slamtastic
Member
Kageshinzo
Member
I think I'm in the minority when I say that I loved the first MK more, atmosphere-wise. The digitized characters seem to be much more subdued and mysterious compared to the sequels.
Anticitizen One
Banned
This is incredible. Why can't Neitherrealm do this? It would be so unique and stand out among the other fighters.
3rd from the right is his default, and the last one is his alt.
I agree though, all 4 should have been in the game. The two removed ones are incredible.
This thread is great, I never played a Mortal Kombat Game before but this really makes me want to play one. Is this one for the Vita a good start for people, who never played Beat em Ups?
Also, I really hope they really make a HD Remake of Shaolin Monks, like it was teased a couple of months ago. The game looked always very interesting.
Also, I really hope they really make a HD Remake of Shaolin Monks, like it was teased a couple of months ago. The game looked always very interesting.
Eyemus Lutt
Member
I think the Vita version is just the latest game in which case it's the best place to start because it has the best story mode of any fighting game ever and it was a reboot of the series.
Everyone left out the best form of Reptile that we never got to play as.
The human reptile all the way to the left. I'm still bummed.
Why did you have to remind me. It is so fucking glorious. I would have mained Reptile if that was an option for costume.
lol they ain't even being coy about it
The Silver
Member
After Shang Tsung and mother fucking Shao Kahn, Shinnok was such a damn pushover.
Kabuki Waq
Member
I think the crap animation also hurt the look of the characters while playing.