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Mortal Kombat's Fatalities Kill the Narrative
- Thread starter Ragnorok64
- Start date
Cartoony murder, you mean. I'd hardly call it horrible. Just treat it how it looks. I don't think it's much different from Tom & Jerry violence. MK's narrative has never been good to begin with. It's actually embarrassingly bad, especially when you consider how often these characters keep coming back like they're all immortal. Who takes this stuff seriously?
While I don't see the problem with it... With the production values the game has, it would have been cool if at the end of a family match (if the characters got along cannon wise) they backed out too show that the particular match was just a simulation.
But after the intro there isn't too much special dialog in a match in MK. I think the three intros is well enough until SNK one ups them with match dialog.
But after the intro there isn't too much special dialog in a match in MK. I think the three intros is well enough until SNK one ups them with match dialog.
I know for certain he isn't the only person who likes stories in fighting games because I'm the only person that likes stories in fighting games.
That comes down to player agency then. The player can choose how aggressively they want to fight. If not, then what's the expectation? Certain characters don't fight each other? Different animations or mechanics for different matchups? It's just not practical, that's not how fighting games work. Dude totally went off the deep end.
2019 y'all
Do you want fatalities to be replaced with banter after a match is over or? MK isn't MK without fatalities.
Do you want fatalities to be replaced with banter after a match is over or? MK isn't MK without fatalities.
This was probably meant to be a tongue in cheek response but I unironically love this
(It probably didn't help that you picked like, Johnny and Cassie, for your example tbh)
He didn't claim to be the only one that cares, just that he feels like he is. And I don't see a problem with him prefacing his opinion with that at all, there are way more people that are completely dismissive of stories in fighters than there is the opposite (this thread even has a few examples here, here and here) and most of his viewers aren't necessarily on the same page as him (as fighting game animation =/= fighting game stories)
So, if I correctly understand this guys problem, he doesn't like how the banter before versus fights often seems friendly or casual but can end with violent murder. Now obviously these fights are not cannon, as fatalities are only performed in very specific ways in the cannon story modes since MK9. So his problem isn't with the actual narrative being disrupted, but the tonal dissonance that can be present in versus matches.
Now, this really feels like a nitpick. Fighting games have almost always had allied characters that could be forced to beat the hell out of each other. I understand MK deals in extremes that other games do not, but the principle is the same. Likewise, these matches are decidedly not cannon, and as such can be rationalized by fan theory you want to come up with.
I really don't understand what this person wants Netherrealm to do. If you don't want the tonal dissonance then skip the pre fight interaction, or don't perform the fatality. If you want a mode where fatalities aren't even an option, unless it makes story sense, then you have story mode. It feels like there are several answers to his problem already in place. Also, if I'm not mistaken, this game is rumored to have a mercy system as well based on some trophy leaks. So it really sounds like this person is looking for a reason to criticize this game.
Now, this really feels like a nitpick. Fighting games have almost always had allied characters that could be forced to beat the hell out of each other. I understand MK deals in extremes that other games do not, but the principle is the same. Likewise, these matches are decidedly not cannon, and as such can be rationalized by fan theory you want to come up with.
I really don't understand what this person wants Netherrealm to do. If you don't want the tonal dissonance then skip the pre fight interaction, or don't perform the fatality. If you want a mode where fatalities aren't even an option, unless it makes story sense, then you have story mode. It feels like there are several answers to his problem already in place. Also, if I'm not mistaken, this game is rumored to have a mercy system as well based on some trophy leaks. So it really sounds like this person is looking for a reason to criticize this game.
Sure I write fantastic dialogue, but there goes your narrative consistency argument.
Why would anyone favor the narrative of all things in a spectacle oriented fighting game? Lol.
Low quality clickbait.
Low quality clickbait.
I'm pretty sure they made quite clear that VS mode is not part of the narrative, when aged Lui Kang and Kung Lao are default characters in MKX.
Oh dear, lol.
Oh dear, lol.
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The only argument I've made is "don't have bantz that make it sound like the characters are just sparring"
I don't have a problem with relatives killing one another or funny interactions that are just taking the piss.
I did.
The thing is that's what the story mode is for.
Cherrypicking Mortal Kombat, when literally every fighting does the same and in most cases worse, because at least with MK the narrative is there for those that care.
Those that care also separate the cannon, to the fights in versus.
Going back to the older MKs were Kitana and Mileena were twin sisters and the main bad guy Shao Kahn was their father...except when you finished the game it turned out they weren't twins and Shao Kahn wasn't their father...then to have Kitana fight her actual mother (Sindel) in UMK3.
Or Killer Instinct were Orchid and Jago are siblings... King of Fighters... Street Fighter...Dead or Alive.
Hence why the story modes are the "solution", if done well.
The video would be better if focused on most fighting games.
This is a really weird argument to have.
So it kills the narative when a character in final fantasy dies midcombat and you got to revive them
It kills the narrative when Mario falls into the lava and dies, and you just respawn in the beginning of the level, but when Bowser falls into the Lava he comes back as Dry Bones Bowser...
Link get brutally assaulted by a Hinox, gets thrown, ragdolls around, eats some mushrooms and doesnt have any broken bones...
Its videogames
So it kills the narative when a character in final fantasy dies midcombat and you got to revive them
It kills the narrative when Mario falls into the lava and dies, and you just respawn in the beginning of the level, but when Bowser falls into the Lava he comes back as Dry Bones Bowser...
Link get brutally assaulted by a Hinox, gets thrown, ragdolls around, eats some mushrooms and doesnt have any broken bones...
Its videogames
This guy again?
Seriously what does he want? For Johnny Cage to not commit fatality whenever someone from his family on screen? Why would they do it in a non canon mode?
All it would lead to is extra work for the developers and people being mad about freedom being takes away. He should just stop trying to like MK, it is not for him.
Seriously what does he want? For Johnny Cage to not commit fatality whenever someone from his family on screen? Why would they do it in a non canon mode?
All it would lead to is extra work for the developers and people being mad about freedom being takes away. He should just stop trying to like MK, it is not for him.
Ah come on... This is just another one in the series "complain about MK just for the reason to complain about MK". Fatalities on characters that are friends or family kill the narrative but a match like Johnny Cage vs Johnny Cage is ok and doesn't kill the narrative?
Mmmmm you know? I can actually dig it as a vs local mode, one where every rematch has less and less characters to choose.
People tried to pass this off when MKX came out and they were waved off for similar reasons. Regular versus matches are not canon, deaths don't count in that game mode. And I'm not surprised to see this Abi guy made another video shitting on NRS.
Dude, it's Mortal Kombat. It's sillyness and stupidity is why the game works. You've got immortal elder gods fighting movie stars, ripping eachothers heart out, tearing skin off their bones. Not only shouldn't a human be able to take a hit from an Elder God and survive, none of the characters could survive what actually happens during a fight and keep going. The MK universe doesn't really adhere to strict rules, it's just a balls out ultraviolent extravaganza. Just look at this recent interview with Ed Boon:
When asked about continuity, or story consistency he tells the interviewer that he made it up on the spot. Multiple times. Netherrealm knows it's franchise really well. MK would break down if the franchise adhered to stricter rules. It just can't. It renders the OP's post mute to me. It's just totally irrelevant.
When asked about continuity, or story consistency he tells the interviewer that he made it up on the spot. Multiple times. Netherrealm knows it's franchise really well. MK would break down if the franchise adhered to stricter rules. It just can't. It renders the OP's post mute to me. It's just totally irrelevant.
This guy's animation critiques are fairly decent, but oh boy does he have some shite opinions otherwise.
Or for say Chun Li wearing a swimsuit while fighting Akuma?
He is just really just nitpicky for the sake of being nitpicky.
I feel like this is a weird hangup to have as well, considering characters can take 20 gunshots to the head before losing a round, after which they'll get up completely fine to fight another round
oh whoops haha
Saw some other people post similar sentiments in this thread already so I figured otherwise
Mortal Kombat 11 must be fucking incredible if this was the best idea for a critical video they could come up with.
Um... There's a reason why MK use alt timelines plots more than any other fighting game.
They are not supposed to be taken seriously lol
Fatalities are just a novelty of the franchise because they always existed.
Fatalities are just a novelty of the franchise because they always existed.
