A.B.I.torial: Mortal Kombat 11 (By SuperPunch Design Works)

[TheGamingNewsGuy]

Superpunch Design Works analysies Mortal Kombat 11 in terms of animation.

TLDR: He admits that there are signifcant improvments but there are still a lot of key problems with MK11 and its animations. He also goes into detail onto why he is sick of fatalities as well as the level of violence.

 

[Seeya]

The fatalities are really boring in this one. Largely because of the 3 beats to it, and just how oversaturated the core combat was with implausible cutscene attacks. X Rays in X were better presentation, but the hyper fatale violence is so over the top so constantly that's it's impossible to extract any weight from the actions.

 

[TheGamingNewsGuy]

It is kinda skivy that SPDW did a quick line promoting 4th Snake considering his Jax video. (I wasn't too harsh on that but the more i thought about it - it was very inapporiate). But outside of that, the video is good

 

[Uzumaki Goku]

It is kinda skivy that SPDW did a quick line promoting 4th Snake considering his Jax video. (I wasn't too harsh on that but the more i thought about it - it was very inapporiate). But outside of that, the video is good

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care to elaborate?

 

[Neoxon]

I don't agree with the Jax ending criticism, but everything else is right on the money.

 

[TheGamingNewsGuy]

care to elaborate?

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Basically during the video, Superpunch said that he's not someone to analyse MK11's story. He mentioned The 4th Snake as being the one who does MK11 Story Analysis.

But 4thSnake did a video on Woke Netherealm where he criticsed Jax's story mode ending.



Basically his argument is that Jax being African Amercian is not really being a key part of his charcter so him wanting to abolish all slavery makes no sense

 

[jett]

Man that hat got more serious than just criticizing animation. I had forgotten about how some NRS artists needed psychological help from the real life research they did to create these games' fatalities.

 

[Uzumaki Goku]

Basically during the video, Superpunch said that he's not someone to analyse MK11's story. He mentioned The 4th Snake as being the one who does MK11 Story Analysis.

But 4thSnake did a video on Woke Netherealm where he criticsed Jax's story mode ending.



Basically his argument is that Jax being African Amercian is not really being a key part of his charcter so him wanting to abolish all slavery makes no sense

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My only real issue with the ending is that it doesn't really tie in to Jax's character arc in the game which is that he's suffering from PSTD.

 

[Neoxon]

I'm excited to see him cover Samurai Shodown. Though I'm also curious about if he's done with NRS as a whole or just Mortal Kombat.

On that note, I hope Mortal Kombat 11 doesn't win Best Fighting Game at The Game Awards. Give it to either Smash or SamSho.

 

[Futaleufu]

The worse part is that MK11 is one of the best selling games of the year, they dont have incentives to improve animations, characters, story or motvations. MK12 will be more of the same.

 

[toy_brain]

Oof, that ending.
I can't disagree with him though, the over-reliance of fatalities as a selling point for MK has landed the game right where it was always going to go. It's a game that feels mean and nasty, and not in a fun way. Its a series that just feels miserable to look at, like that one asshole you used to know in school who was a bit too into horror films and never really grew out of it.

 

[Neoxon]

After reaching out to SugarPunch on Twitter, he clarified his statement by saying that he's done with NRS entirely. He won't cover any future games that they do, including Injustice 3 (if/when that game happens).

 

[Strider_Blaze]

I'm excited to see him cover Samurai Shodown. Though I'm also curious about if he's done with NRS as a whole or just Mortal Kombat.

On that note, I hope Mortal Kombat 11 doesn't win Best Fighting Game at The Game Awards. Give it to either Smash or SamSho.

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Pretty curious about this as well. Yeah I can see that there were some improvements but to think the praises were only in the first 5 minutes of the video, afterwards it was all "ooooooffff" from there! Especially the ending; yeah it's always been the case in which MK has always sold on violence, no surprise there.

I personally stopped buying NRS games after Injustice 1, but the moment I heard about the crunch time at NRS plus the PSTD the employees went through was when I personally blacklisted NRS.

Edit: Looks like SugarPunch is in fact done with NRS as a whole.

 

[ItIsOkBro]

"the game's speed happens at a pace that's too fast for motion capture" is, I think, the biggest problem remaining with MK animations.

There is clearly lots of post-motion capture speeding up of animations so that the frame data makes sense but it makes things look wonky.

 

[Neoxon]

"the game's speed happens at a pace that's too fast for motion capture" is, I think, the biggest problem remaining with MK animations.

There is clearly lost of post-motion capture speeding up of animations so that the frame data makes sense but it makes things look wonky.

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The funny part is that even SFV uses motion capture for its animation, but it's still one of the best-animated fighting games of this generation because Capcom understands that you can't rely on motion capture exclusively. Key poses still matter when it comes to animating attacks in fighting games, even when motion capture is thrown into the mix.

 

[DatManOvaDer]

I've always felt like NRS games rely on everything but actual good gameplay

 

[Platy]

On that note, I hope Mortal Kombat 11 doesn't win Best Fighting Game at The Game Awards. Give it to either Smash or SamSho.

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It is popular vote. It will either be MK or Smash

Smash is more famous but I think MK players are more closely tied to the people who vote on the game awards

 

[Deleted member 13560]

Wow. A lot of passion went into this video. But near the end Sugarpunch seems defeated. He hit EVERYTHING about the design of this game right on the nose. To the point where I think I'm going to uninstall it from STEAM. I'm almost terrified of how Spawn is going to be in this game.

This is the first video I've seem from him so I'm about to start a binge.

And yeah... I really hope Smash or SamSho gets fighting game of the year.

 

[KingM]

The worse part is that MK11 is one of the best selling games of the year, they dont have incentives to improve animations, characters, story or motvations. MK12 will be more of the same.

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NRS has improved animations in every game from MK9 to MK11 and it'll likely continue in Injustice 3.

 

[Rookhelm]

The main issue I have with the fatalities is not that they're gruesome (not entirely anyway), but that they're too... Complicated? Over the top?

Like scorpion has one where he launches through you on fire and burns away your midsection, revealing your spine. All right, I'm on board.

Then he pulls his sword. Okay, maybe he'll slice the spine in half. No he decapitates you. Like...why? And if that wasn't enough, while the head is in the air he throws his spear through it. Gory fatalities are one thing, this is just...I dunno, corpse mutilation.

 

[Lunaray]

I just finished it and I agree with almost all the criticisms about MK11's animation. His gripes about fatalities though, I can take it or leave it.

 

[P00PNINJAMVC3MK]

NRS has improved animations in every game from MK9 to MK11 and it'll likely continue in Injustice 3.

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Not if injustice 3 does what they did with IJ2 and uses the same animations from the first game for their returning characters.

 

[Graven]

The worse part is that MK11 is one of the best selling games of the year, they dont have incentives to improve animations, characters, story or motvations. MK12 will be more of the same.

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Except that they are?

Netcode, animations, battle stances, production values, characters with a lot of personality(intro, outros, dialogues and movesets). They still have ways to go for sure, but saying NRS are not improving overall with each game is a fallacy, it's pretty much the other way around.

Also, the guy is complaining about detailed violence on a freaking MK game at this day and age, seriously...not to say about the whole meaning in violence, there is a story mode if you want context.

Anyway, it's clearly not a franchise him it seems, which is ok.

 

[Uzumaki Goku]

Eh....

I think they need to tone down the fatalities.

The story mode is... pretty epic at times.

Animations.. they're getting better, but they still got a long way to go.

 

[poofynamanama2]

Not if injustice 3 does what they did with IJ2 and uses the same animations from the first game for their returning characters.

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I got so much shit on reddit for complaining about this. Injustice 3 will need an overhaul

 

[poofynamanama2]

The worse part is that MK11 is one of the best selling games of the year, they dont have incentives to improve animations, characters, story or motvations. MK12 will be more of the same.

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People still saying this stupid shit, ever since MK9 lol. Your opinion does not correlate with reality

 

["D."]

I agree with him on the animations but they are getting better. Fatalities are a little much though these days..like someone mentioned its like they keep doing shit to the body after the character is pretty much dead. But animations are my main and forever gripe. I cant watch tourneys for ANY NRS game cause the fighting just lacks that visual pop and excitement

 

[Lulu]

that terminator kick

 

[Nemesis_]

I've always felt like NRS games rely on everything but actual good gameplay

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What the hell is this? Every MK game and Injustice game from them has been fantastic. Even Injustice 2, my least favourite of their games, has the strongest variety of character archetypes.

To say their games are lacking "actual good gameplay" is incredibly disingenuous

 

[Lua]

Tbh, i dont like any netherrealm game, so i'll probably agree with most of this video. I wonder how fans will react to it tho.

 

[Eidan]

After reaching out to SugarPunch on Twitter, he clarified his statement by saying that he's done with NRS entirely. He won't cover any future games that they do, including Injustice 3 (if/when that game happens).

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Thank god. Here's hoping discussions about future NRS games won't be flooded with this guy's videos.

 

[Futaleufu]

People still saying this stupid shit, ever since MK9 lol. Your opinion does not correlate with reality

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Bad animations are bad. 4 games later they are still bad.

The reality is that MK sells on shock value, not gameplay.

 

[Village]

Thank god. Here's hoping discussions about future NRS games won't be flooded with this guy's videos.

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I mean him not making videos isn't gonna stop people from talking about MK's funky animations

 

[Eidan]

I mean him not making videos isn't gonna stop people from talking about MK's funky animations

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Oh no doubt. But at least I won't have to see his insufferable videos every time someone who doesn't play NRS games feels the need to remind me that they think the animations are terrible.

Also color me completely unsurprised that this guy endorsed someone who whined about the Jax ending.

 

[Astral]

that terminator kick

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I'm curious about the design philosophy behind that kick.

 

[Spinky]

Big yawn.

 

[Graven]

Bad animations are bad. 4 games later they are still bad.

The reality is that MK sells on shock value, not gameplay.

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You first said they have no incentive to improve, which is simply not true at all.

The games wouldn't be a critical and comercial success at the same time, if blood was all there was to it.

 

[nsilvias]

the beauty of classic mk fatalities was that they were always straight to the point. new fatalities feel way too drawn out.

 

[Village]

Oh no doubt. But at least I won't have to see his insufferable videos every time someone who doesn't play NRS games feels the need to remind me that they think the animations are terrible.

Also color me completely unsurprised that this guy endorsed someone who whined about the Jax ending.

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Can I ask what you find insufferable? Because to me...they kinda just come off as pretty neutral opinion pieces and takes on animation and character designs.

 

[Futaleufu]

You first said they have no incentive to improve, which is simply not true at all.

The games wouldn't be a critical and comercial success at the same time, if blood was all there was to it.

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it's a comercial success because of the gore, and its a critical success because reviewers/journalists dont know the difference between a good fighting game and a mediocre one.

 

[Igniz12]

I gotta ask MK fans: Is there a functional reason that the stance switch still exists? All I can think off is maybe some moves get different priorities and/or come out faster when used in different stances.

When he was doing that reel of stance switching footage I was lmao but then he got to Jax and I gotta say...that man has some moves.

Also, the guy is complaining about detailed violence on a freaking MK game at this day and age, seriously...not to say about the whole meaning in violence, there is a story mode if you want context.

Anyway, it's clearly not a franchise him it seems, which is ok.

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I feel like you missed the point of what he was trying to say. The use of violence has got to a point that it is becoming almost a parody of itself now. Everything is faux fatality or meant to be as violent as possible and character identity tends to be lost when the good guys are doing shit that is just as violent as say Noob Saibot.

Idk if Noob even has any humanity left in him at this point but I would expect him to go all out when he does his fatality/supers but I'd not expect the "good guys" to follow suit. Only one group of character needs to display such a level of contempt for their opponents. But you're right, I have not even seen a single bit of the story so maybe it adds context for why Liu Kang needs to punch a fool until he obliterates.

Tbf that ship has sailed a long time ago and trying to tone it down now is probably too late now so idk if that can be a valid criticism of the game anymore but that was what I partly felt he meant when bringing that up.

 

[skillzilla81]

The worse part is that MK11 is one of the best selling games of the year, they dont have incentives to improve animations, characters, story or motvations. MK12 will be more of the same.

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They continue to improve on animation even though the series always sells amazingly well.

 

[Eidan]

Can I ask what you find insufferable? Because to me...they kinda just come off as pretty neutral opinion pieces and takes on animation and character designs.

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I find this tone to be incredibly grating. He leans in hard on the "angry nerd gamer" schtick, especially in his earlier MKX videos, a schtick that I personally outgrew a long time ago. Hearing him discuss Kitana's crouching kick you'd think NetherRealms had drowned his cat.

 

[yap]

Wasn't expecting that tangent on fatalities and overall increased level of violence 11 has. It honestly illustrated why the violent aspects of 11 turned me away rather than attract, unlike previous MKs.

Good critique anyway on animations. Thoroughly disagree on his Jax ending opinion though.

 

[Village]

I find this tone to be incredibly grating. He leans in hard on the "angry nerd gamer" schtick, especially in his earlier MKX videos, a schtick that I personally outgrew a long time ago. Hearing him discuss Kitana's crouching kick you'd think NetherRealms had drowned his cat.

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I haven't watched him in a while so , I dunno if i can comment on the angry nerd thing. How he edits his video in combination with his tone can be annoying

 

[Graven]

it's a comercial success because of the gore, and its a critical success because reviewers/journalists dont know the difference between a good fighting game and a mediocre one.

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Yeah, it sells millions because everyone is crazy for blood and all those high scores are because the reviewers that usually review other fighting games are idiots, or whatever makes you feel better.

 

[Eidan]

it's a comercial success because of the gore, and its a critical success because reviewers/journalists dont know the difference between a good fighting game and a mediocre one.

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The Mortal Kombat series for years had lower sales and mediocre reviews, despite the continued prevalence of gore, and despite reviewers evidently not knowing a good fighting game from a mediocre one. Why do you think that changed with MK9?

 

[ditusjack]

That's a REALLY good video, all the way to his violence analysis at the end, really insightful.

 

[Graven]

I gotta ask MK fans: Is there a functional reason that the stance switch still exists? All I can think off is maybe some moves get different priorities and/or come out faster when used in different stances.

When he was doing that reel of stance switching footage I was lmao but then he got to Jax and I gotta say...that man has some moves.



I feel like you missed the point of what he was trying to say. The use of violence has got to a point that it is becoming almost a parody of itself now. Everything is faux fatality or meant to be as violent as possible and character identity tends to be lost when the good guys are doing shit that is just as violent as say Noob Saibot.

Idk if Noob even has any humanity left in him at this point but I would expect him to go all out when he does his fatality/supers but I'd not expect the "good guys" to follow suit. Only one group of character needs to display such a level of contempt for their opponents. But you're right, I have not even seen a single bit of the story so maybe it adds context for why Liu Kang needs to punch a fool until he obliterates.

Tbf that ship has sailed a long time ago and trying to tone it down now is probably too late now so idk if that can be a valid criticism of the game anymore but that was what I partly felt he meant when bringing that up.

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That's the thing, in the story mode they don't, watch the first chapter of MK9, Johnny Cage refuses to kill Baraka. The fatalities are a trademark of the series, but within the actualy story mode context, it isn't the case. Cassie Cage in MKX actually stops D'Vorah from killing Tanya, which was an enemy.

 

[DatManOvaDer]

What the hell is this? Every MK game and Injustice game from them has been fantastic. Even Injustice 2, my least favourite of their games, has the strongest variety of character archetypes.

To say their games are lacking "actual good gameplay" is incredibly disingenuous

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To me, I care a lot about how a fighting game feels. NRS fighters make me feel like I'm controlling an action figure. There's fighting game's that have stood the test of time (3s, Melee, ST, Garou) because they have good gameplay all the way down to how it feels to play. To say that it's disingenuous that someone can find that NRS's games lack good gameplay is dumb imo