Ed Boon, the head of NetherRealm studios and Creative Director of Mortal Kombat 1, has announced via Twitter that the Mortal Kombat 1’s Story Length will be similar to Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11. The previous two installments in the franchise ran about 5-6 hours in length, with additional content bringing the final count to about 16 or 17 hours. This has been a major disappointment for gamers who were hoping the newest installment would have a longer story. Although Mortal Kombat games have a history of shorter cinematic plot lines, fans were expecting a new precedent to be set with Mortal Kombat 1’s story length.
Mortal Kombat 1 is preparing to bring a continuity overhaul to the famously violent series. The world NetherRealm Studios has created will be completely rebooted, and the biographies of iconic characters have been entirely rebuilt. It was only a matter of time before Mortal Kombat 1’s story length was announced, but unfortunately it is no different from past experiences.
Although outspoken fans have expressed negativity over this news, there is a silver lining to the shorter length. Boon and his development team have a history of making games that are critically loved, and held in high regard by players who appreciate the gory fighter franchise. If his creative vision dictated Mortal Kombat 1’s story length, and it only made sense for it to be similar to the other titles, there was probably a good reason.
Recent Mortal Kombat games have had a strong focus on high quality graphics and stunning gameplay. It is possible the story was not extended, because it would give the developers more time to perfect the overall product. If left to choose between exciting new features or a storyline that drags for too long, gamers would have an easy decision to make. So, with Boon at the helm, there was likely a very thoughtful reason for the game’s length.
How Does the Mortal Kombat 1’s story length Compare To Other Fighting Games?
If you’re interested in how the Mortal Kombat 1 story length matches up to other comparable titles, you might be surprised at the numbers. Tekken 7, the popular fighting game published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, can be completed in only 3-5 hours, with a completionist time of 18 1/2 hours. This is somewhat similar to Mortal Kombat 1, with a shorter overall story, although it did release to consoles in 2017.
Another arcade style combat game similar to Mortal Kombat 1 is Street Fighter 6 which came out in June of this year. The playthough time for this title, however, is significantly greater. The entire story comes in at around 18-22 hours. It has also received incredibly positive reviews from critics and gamers alike, which shows a shorter story does not always mean a loss in quality content. This could be one title from which NetherRealm Studios should take inspiration from for future Mortal Kombat installments.
Lastly, another similarly styled game, 2018’s Dragon Ball FighterZ, had a 12 hour story mode. It was also well received by critics and fans. The base gameplay doubles what is expected for Mortal Kombat 1’s story length, however, additional content could keep the NetherRealm title bringing in a similar amount of overall content.
Ultimately, the final amount of gameplay dictating Mortal Kombat 1’s story length is expected to be a predictable number, based on Boon’s statement. Nevertheless, he and NetherRealm Studios promise to give fans another exciting game, when the title releases on September 19, 2023 for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Nintendo Switch.
What do you think of the Mortal Kombat 1’s story length? Does NetherRealm need to get with the program, creating longer cinematic cutscenes and adding more gameplay? Leave a comment and let us know what should happen in future Mortal Kombat installments.
Source: Twitter
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