Liu Kang dominates in this Mortal Kombat trailer

By Ryan Fleming February 11, 2011

Few who played the original Mortal Kombat will ever forget Liu Kang’s dreaded “gobblg gobble” kick (not its real name), and thankfully that move will return with the character later this Spring, in the upcoming Mortal Kombat title.

Part reboot, part alternative-history sequel, the new Mortal Kombat features a return of the most popular characters form the series’ history, and returns the franchise to its original, ultraviolent roots, where blood and destruction are all par for the course.

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The story begins when Raiden is at the mercy of Shao Kahn. With his last ounce of strength, the present day Raiden warns his past self of what is to come, and in doing so allows the receiving Raiden to help alter events to avoid the cataclysmic future where he and Earth are both doomed. In doing so, he negates the events that have happened, including the original victory of Liu Kang, but he also gives the planet a chance.

Check out the video below featuring Liu Kang, and look for Mortal Kombat on PS3 and Xbox 360 on April 19.

[Warning: Trailer may not be appropriate for all ages]

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…

Gaming

Mortal Kombat: Onslaught brings a bloody new universe to mobile

Kitana in Mortal Kombat Onslaught

For franchises with lots of recognizable characters like Marvel, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings, character-collecting RPGs seem like a no-brainer. These are mobile games where players obtain various versions of iconic characters (usually through a mix of in-game currency and real money) and fight as them. NetherRealm Studios and WB Games’ Mortal Kombat is the next series to make this jump, with Mortal Kombat: Onslaught launching today on iOS and Android.

Ahead of Mortal Kombat: Onslaught's release, Digital Trends got a hands-off look at the game and a chance to speak with Mike Lee, NetherRealm Studios lead designer. We learned more about how the game stands out from other character-collecting RPGs, its place in Mortal Kombat’s complex multiverse of timelines, and its approach to microtransactions.
A universe of its own
Most character-collecting games are turn-based RPGs with little in the way of compelling narratives. Mortal Kombat: Onslaught takes an inverse approach to the genre. While the core of collecting new characters is still there, the game prominently features a story mode with cutscenes written by the same team that worked on the story modes for games like Mortal Kombat 1. At launch, four chapters of this story will be available, and NetherRealm plans to complete it sometime next year.

Gaming

Mortal Kombat 1 already teased a sequel. Here are 5 key takeaways from the ending

An ominous red portal opens up in a field in the Mortal Kombat 1 trailer.

This article contains spoilers for Mortal Kombat 1.
Mortal Kombat 1’s story mode has a bombastic conclusion.
Thousands of characters from a multiverse of timelines face off against each other as Liu Kang and Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath’s ending have their final battle. It has a fairly definitive conclusion, with Liu Kang winning and the multiverse continuing to exist, mostly in peace. When it comes to what’s next for the “new era” Liu Kang created, NetherRealm Studios does leave some plot points, especially in the canon Tower character endings, to potentially follow up in a sequel.
Some of the threads that NetherRealm can follow up on are character-specific, like Reptile looking for who was murdering Zaterrans who could turn human or Jax and Kenshi joining an Outworld-focused division of the FBI. Five narrative beats, in particular, could potentially set up the main conflicts of the game’s inevitable sequel. If a follow-up to Mortal Kombat 1’s story does come around, these are some developments that you should expect it to follow up on.
Lord Havik is coming for Liu Kang’s new era

Throughout Mortal Kombat 1, Havik is a minor player in Liu Kang’s new era, serving as a grunt for Shang Tsung before getting part of his face melted off by Scorpion. It looks like this character introduced in Mortal Kombat: Deception will play a much more significant role in a Mortal Kombat 1 sequel, though. A post-credit scene in the game shows a Titan version of Havik, who likely is the master of his own timeline, walk in the aftermath of Mortal Kombat 1’s final battle.
After killing a Jax variant, he waxes poetic to evil-looking versions of Kenshi, Tanya, and Quan-Chi about how glorious it was to see warriors from across timelines all fighting in one place and how it ended too quickly. He concludes by saying: “Next time, it won’t.” It’s safe to assume that this version of the character, referred to in-game as “Lord Havik,” will be the next multiversal threat to Mortal Kombat’s timelines. He will surely create lots of chaos for the heroes.
Reiko is awakening Onaga

Gaming

How to unlock Havik in Mortal Kombat 1

Havik ripping his own arm off.

Aside from the infamous Fatalities, one of the defining features of the Mortal Kombat series has been its unlockables. Each game has had tons of secrets to discover and unlock. Originally, these were found through very cryptic means, but have evolved to be tied more to progression and accomplishing specific tasks within the game. The most appealing thing to unlock has always been new characters, and Mortal Kombat 1 keeps one member of the roster tucked away for you to earn. If you want to get your hands on Havik, we'll spill the beans.