Ed Boon Might Be to Blame as Mortal Kombat Has Lost Its Way and Forgotten Its Identity

While the excitement of Mortal Kombat fans is running high due to the reveal of Khaos Reign DLC, one issue with the franchise has not been addressed yet. The artistic and gameplay approach of the franchise over the past few games has somewhat changed, possibly due to Ed Boon’s vision.

The past few games in the series feel very similar to MCU in the approach it takes. This is very different from early games in the series, which focused more on martial Arts, mysticism, and magic.

Mortal Kombat 1 Reflects the Change in the Franchise’s Tone

The initial games in the franchise were more geared towards magic and fighting in general. The storylines felt relatively straightforward, and the gore/brutality aspect was at the forefront.

On the contrary, the recent games, especially Mortal Kombat 1 and 11, have taken a very MCU-styled approach, introducing a multiverse system and expanding the storyline. Characters in the game now have various versions, and depending on the game, they have different goals.

After thinking on the #MortalKombat1 expansion more… It feels very clear (if it hadn’t already), MK has gone from Martial Arts, Mysticism, & Magic inspiration, to MCU & Money inspiration. It looks, feels, & sounds like the MCU, with a Mortal Kombat overlay. pic.twitter.com/YlVXAh5tdH

— Cyborg (@Netherkast) July 27, 2024

Of course, this approach isn’t inherently wrong, as the series has always had a knack for aligning with popular trends. However, given how much the series’ earlier games are loved, Ed Boon, the creative director, might have taken the wrong approach with recent games.

If you started this series with the NRS era, especially MK11 or MK1, you may not notice the major shift in tone or feel. Pre-MCU, it was very different than it has been over the past decade. MK11 really drove us here, & MK1 doubled down.

— Cyborg (@Netherkast) July 27, 2024

The series’ fans have noticed the narrative shift, with X user @Netherkast highlighting the tone difference between the earlier and recent games. The user also mentioned how the game now “looks, feels, & sounds like the MCU.”

Can the Khaos Reign DLC Reignite the Player Base?

Irrespective of how the recent games have been, Khaos Reign is going to come with a lot of promise. New characters are going to debut, and the story will expand, where players will get to take on Titan Havik.

As expected, a new stage is also arriving, and from what we have seen so far, it screams chaos. Lastly, the Animalities feature makes a return, turning players into animals when they finish the target.

NetherRealm Studios has also given everyone a free Scorpion Mortal Kombat 1995 skin, incentivizing players to return. However, if anyone is interested in playing the DLC, they’ll need to shell out $49.99 except on Switch, where the DLC is priced at $39.99.

What do you think about the current style of Mortal Kombat games? How is it fair when compared to earlier games in the series? Let us know in the comments below.