With the release of Takeda Takahashi, Mortal Kombat 1 has finished its first year of DLC characters. It featured a healthy mix of original Mortal Kombat fighters as well as guest characters, with some standing out more than others.
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The new timeline in Mortal Kombat 1 brings back a cast of familiar characters, but some re-introductions are much better than others.
When it comes to DLC in Mortal Kombat 1, there are multiple things to consider in terms of quality. Not only is their gameplay important, but so is their presentation: their designs, their alternate skins, voice-acting, and even their gruesome fatalities play a part in shaping how good the fighters are at play.
6 Homelander
Milking Out Evil Superheroes
- 1st Fatality: Down, Forward, Down, 3 (Mid-Distance)
- 2nd Fatality: Back, Forward, Back, 2 (Anywhere)
- First Appearance: The Boys (Comic)
On the one hand, the replication of Antony Starr's villainous Homelander in The Boys is astonishing. On the other hand, Homelander's gameplay proves that he was better in concept rather than execution. Players felt that Homelander's focus on flying was far from intuitive and lacked the flow that most characters feature.
After Omni-Man's release, Homelander's abilities and visuals didn't do enough to stand out other than eye lasers, similar to Superman and Supergirl from Netherrealm Studios' Injustice 2. Even the writing seemed more like a caricature of Homelander, who was more concerned about memes than portraying the character.
5 Ermac
They Are Many And Very Dangerous
- 1st Fatality: Down, Forward, Down, 4 (Mid-Distance)
- 2nd Fatality: Back, Forward, Back, 2 (Mid-Distance)
- First Appearance: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
Finally, playable again for the first time since Mortal Kombat X, and with a lot of strange lore to the franchise, Ermac was what fans expected from the character. Spectral telekinetic powers combined with middle to far-range attacks allow them to control the venue and keep their opponent on their toes.
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In many games, Ermac has been a nightmare for the online and local multiplayer, which has not changed with Mortal Kombat 1. Ermac can attack the player from any range and any side, forcing the other player to need to keep the pressure on them. As a nice bonus, this new take on Ermac depicts them more as a ghostly figure to help them stand out from his portrayal in past timelines.
4 Quan Chi
Necromancy & Eldritch Horrors Galore
- 1st Fatality: Forward, Back, Forward, Back, 2 (Mid-Distance)
- 2nd Fatality: Down, Forward, Back, 4 (Mid-Distance)
- First Appearance: Mortal Kombat: Defenders Of The Realm (Show)
As expected, Quan Chi in Mortal Kombat 1 can summon skeletal constructs to fight his opponents; this time in both his special moves and his combos. However, much to the surprise of fans, this version of Quan Chi was given more abilities, including summoning crustaceans and cephalopod-like monsters straight out of Lovecraftian lore via his portals.
The best way to describe Quan Chi in Mortal Kombat 1 is if someone fused Doctor Strange from the Marvel universe with the Hell Priest cenobite from Hellraiser. He's cruel and wicked with all of his banter with other characters and all his finishers are some of the most brutal to find in the game.
3 Peacemaker
Nothing Like A Bloodbath To Start The Day
- 1st Fatality: Down, Forward, Down, 4 (Mid-Distance)
- 2nd Fatality: Back, Forward, Back, 2 (Mid-Distance)
- First Appearance: Fightin' 5 #40 (Comic)
Not only does John Cena reprise his role as Peacemaker since he is a nearly perfect live-action version of the character, but Netherrealm Studios went all out in injecting dozens of references from the antihero series and James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. Combined with special moves that include summoning Eagly, helmet abilities, and a plethora of weapons, Peacemaker is versatile.
Peacemaker looks like someone who controls like a brute moving through molasses, but Peacemaker proved to be so effective that the developers chose to nerf him due to complaints. Even in his weaker state, Peacemaker continues to be a powerful fighter in the online community.
2 Omni-Man
Violent Viltrumite In All Realms
- 1st Fatality: Down, Down, Back, 4 (Close Distance)
- 2nd Fatality: Down, Forward, Back, 3 (Mid-Distance)
- First Appearance: Invincible #1 (Comic)
Every Mortal Kombat game has at least one fighter that online players dread coming across, and Omni-Man is one of them for Mortal Kombat 1. From the Invincible animated series and comics, Omni-Man's greatest trait is his super speed, allowing him to close the gap on his opponents almost instantly and deal devastating damage.
Having J.K. Simmons return as the character to interact with the likes of Johnny Cage and Mileena is a nice perk, but so are his brutal moves inspired by famous kills in the show. Grinding through mastery levels allows players to unlock various new capes, gauntlets, and colors for Omni-Man, including a palette inspired by his son Invincible, making among the finest cosmetics of the DLC.
1 Takeda
Return Of The Kombat Kid
- 1st Fatality: Down, Forward, Down, 3 (Mid-Distance)
- 2nd Fatality: Back, Forward, Back, 2 (Anywhere)
- First Appearance: Mortal Kombat X
Where Cassie Cage and Jacqui Briggs got to shine as great fighters in Mortal Kombat 11, Takeda Takahashi is the only Kombat Kid to return to the New Era, even with a different origin and relation to Kenshi Takahashi. However, Takeda is still ninja-like, wielding his signature bladed whips that result in bloody fatalities that even longtime Mortal Kombat fans cringe at.
Takeda is a lot like Ermac where he can attack from nearly any range, but what makes him deadlier is that he can launch his opponents into the air with ease. This extends the combo for him to keep attacking or knocking them down, which also makes him effective against other aerial-based enemies such as Sindel or Homelander.
Mortal Kombat 1
- Released
- September 19, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- NetherRealm Studios
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
