Summary
WithMortal Kombat 1putting more of an emphasis than ever on story, the inimitable fighting franchise seems committed to providing players with robust and engaging single-player content. While recentMortal Kombatgames have told their stories exclusively through cutscenes, a forgotten game mode from the franchise’s PS2 era shows that there are other ways to integrate a compelling narrative into a fighting game.
Story has always been a part ofMortal Kombat.From ancient gods attempting to invade the six realms, and martial arts tournaments that are secretly fronts for world domination, to sprawling time travel epics and battles so intense that they tear apart the very fabric of reality—gaming’s goriest franchise has long been known for its silly B-movie plotlines. Released in 2004,Mortal Kombat: Deceptionwas no different. With its focus on multiversal destruction, zombie characters, and invincible armies, the beloved PS2 game told a classically ridiculousMortal Kombatstory—but what makes the game so interesting is how that story was told.
Mortal Kombathas been adapted for the screen nine times since 1995. With three live action films and six animated films, the franchise has more film tie-ins than bothStreet FighterandTekken.Mortal Kombat 2—the sequel to 2021’sMortal Kombat—will bethe tenthMortal Kombatfilm, and the franchise’s fourth live-action adaptation; it finished filming in January.
Mortal Kombat’s Forgotten Konquest Mode
Borrowing elements from thespin-off adventure titleMortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks,Mortal Kombat: Deception’s Konquest Mode was a story-focused open-world adventure with light RPG elements, allowing players to explore all six ofMortal Kombat’s realms, interacting with the world, tackling simple puzzles, and solving problems for the game’s quirky cast of characters. Though critcized at the time for being underdeveloped, Konquest Mode’s litany of side-quests, character interactions, and Easter eggs gaveMortal Kombat: Deceptionan identity distinct from other entries in the franchise.
Taking cues fromtheYakuzagamesandShenmue,Mortal Kombat: Deception’s Konquest Mode featured optional events and interactions that would only happen at certain times of day, or after certain requirements had been met. Rewarded throughout with Koins—which could be used in the Krypt to unlock characters, concept art, and bonus content—the mode encouraged players to experiment with the game’s barren but strangely immersive environments.
Mortal Kombat May Have Forgotten Konquest Mode, but Other Franchises Haven’t
Mortal Kombathasn’t featured an open-world Konquest Mode sinceMortal Kombat: Deception’s 2006 sequel,Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. Fortunately for fans of the open-world mode, other games have since managed to carry the torch.2015’sDragon Ball XenoversefollowedMortal Kombat: Deception’s structure closely, allowing players to explore many of Dragon Ball Z’s most iconic environments, interact with NPCs, and find Easter eggs hidden throughout the world.
Most recently, Capcom took ideas from Konquest Mode and used them as a foundation to buildStreet Fighter 6’s World Tour. Owing a debt to bothMortal Kombat: Deceptionand theYakuzagames, but going far beyond both in terms of traversal, World Tour mode took open-world fighting game exploration to the next level by integrating the game’s fighting mechanics directly into the exploration itself, allowing players to use iconic moves like Spinning Bird Kick and Rising Uppercut to traverse the game’s world more effectively.
A Future Mortal Kombat Game Could See the Return of Konquest Mode
If NetherRealm Studios wants to reattempt Konquest Mode in the future,Street Fighter’s World Tour mode could serve as the perfect inspiration. Taking that game’s idea of ‘master actions’ and expanding on it, an open-worldMortal Kombatgame could see the player acquiring moves from the franchise’s most iconic characters in order to progress through the environment.Sub-Zero’s ice powerscould be used to freeze liquid surfaces in order to safely walk across them, and Scorpion’s rope-dart could be used to grab distant objects and press otherwise inaccessible switches. Meat, a character first introduced inMortal Kombat 4, could provide a lore-friendly justification for how the player is able to acquire other characters’ abilities—as Meat has the ability to mimic the fighting styles, powers, and even appearances of other characters.
Mortal Kombat 11’s Krypt Shows NetherRealm Hasn’t Completely Forgotten Konquest Mode
Controlling a character known only as The Descendant of Apep—a direct reference to Apep, an NPC fromMortal Kombat: Deception’s Konquest Mode—Mortal Kombat 11’s Krypt took players on a short adventure through a trap-filled fortress filled with secrets and unlockables. Allowing players to run around and exploreMortal Kombat’s world in third-person for the first time in 15 years,Mortal Kombat 11’s Kryptwas, in many ways, a spiritual successor toDeception’s Konquest Mode. Though limited in scope, the mode’s focus on puzzles and acquiring iconic characters’ abilities gave fans a glimpse of how a future Konquest Mode might someday look.
Mortal Kombat 1
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to a new era of Kombat. NetherRealm Studios ushers in a new era of the iconic fighting franchise with a total reset that changes the entire world as we know it. Following the thrilling climax of Mortal Kombat 11, the all-powerful Fire God Liu Kang has created a New Era in the hope of bringing peace to Earthrealm and beyond. Through the series' most cinematic story mode yet, you’ll be reintroduced to a cast of legendary warriors as you’ve never seen them before. Expect twists on classic friendships and rivalries, as well as new backstories that will change everything you think you know about your favorite Kombatants. Discover a host of new offline and online game modes as you master a revitalized fighting system that boasts bone-crunching Fatal Blows, defensive Breakers and the most creatively vicious Fatalities yet.
