Mortal Kombat 1’s Scream Leaves Little Room in a Sequel for Slashers

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Mortal Kombat 1's Scream Leaves Little Room in a Sequel for Slashers

Key Takeaways

  • Mortal Kombat has included iconic horror villains like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees in the past.
  • Ghostface from Scream has been announced for Mortal Kombat 1, raising questions about future horror guest fighters, as there are limited options going forward.
  • Future Mortal Kombat games may need to shift their focus to action characters like Wolverine and Deadpool for new guest fighters.

As a seasoned gamer with decades of gaming experiences under my belt, I can say that the inclusion of Ghostface in Mortal Kombat 1 is a thrilling addition to the game for horror enthusiasts like myself. However, it does raise an intriguing question about the future of iconic slasher villains in the series.

With the second fighter bundle announced and en route, “Mortal Kombat 1” enthusiasts will soon have the chance to engage in combat as Ghostface, the iconic villain from the “Scream” series. As of now, details about Ghostface’s playstyle are scarce, but it’s expected that there will be tributes to the films woven into the character. The addition of Ghostface to Kombat Pack 2 is a thrilling prospect for horror enthusiasts, however, an intriguing challenge arises that no one has found a solution for as of yet.

The Mortal Kombat series has been exploring the horror genre since as early as Mortal Kombat 9 in 2011. Since then, it has incorporated characters from well-known horror franchises such as Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Alien, Predator, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and others. However, with Ghostface set to appear in Mortal Kombat 1, NetherRealm might have used up most of its iconic slasher villain options for future games.

What Will Mortal Kombat Do After All The Iconic Slashers Have Been Guest Fighters?

NetherRealm Hasn’t Used All Horror’s Heavy Hitters Yet

In terms of incorporating renowned horror figures into their roster, the Mortal Kombat franchise trails behind only Dead by Daylight. Since 2011, the developers at NetherRealm have skillfully brought some of the most significant names from the horror genre onto the battlefield as guest characters across various games.

  • Freddy Krueger
  • Jason Voorhees
  • Leatherface
  • Alien
  • Predator
  • Ghostface

That’s already a pretty impressive spread of characters for a fighting game, but any horrorhound will take one look at that list and attest: that’s not even close to all the big names. While it’s true that the devs need to consider if a character will also make a good fighter, it’s unlikely that anyone would deny that Michael Myers would be a good fit for the Mortal Kombat roster. Despite being the granddaddy of all slashers, The Shape himself has yet to arrive to the tournament. The lumbering mountain of a man may play similarly to a character like Jason, but to deny Myers a guest spot just doesn’t feel right at this point.

A potential alternative approach for the developers could be incorporating the character Chucky into Mortal Kombat One. The tiny killer doll poses an interesting challenge for the developers because of his small stature, much like it did when trying to include him in Dead by Daylight for a long time. However, the creators at Behaviour didn’t shy away from this hurdle; instead, they transformed it into one of Chucky’s most powerful assets as a stealthy assassin. If such a negative aspect could be converted into a strength in Dead by Daylight, there’s no question that NetherRealm can achieve the same success.

Future Games Can Focus More On Action Characters

icons of horror are indeed rare, that much is certain, but they aren’t the only type of characters Mortal Kombat has drawn from its roster of guest fighters. Characters such as Terminator, Rambo, Joker, Spawn, Homelander, and Omni-Man have all been incorporated into the games in recent years. While these figures may not be associated with horror, it’s important to note that slashers do not exclusively own the rights to intense combat scenes in fiction.

Following the introduction of all well-known horror figures, it seems that introducing action-oriented guest fighters could be an intriguing direction for future game titles. There are plenty of characters who match this description. Characters such as Wolverine and Deadpool, due to their inherently violent nature, often face restrictions in terms of age ratings when they appear in various media. Including them in a game like Mortal Kombat would allow fans to witness these more aggressive characters unleash their full potential, something they rarely get to see in other contexts. In the long run, there are many opportunities for exciting guest appearances, but those tied to horror are becoming increasingly scarce compared to other genres.

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2024-09-19 00:05