GameCenter - Issue 64 - 50

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PARTING SHOTS

Derek Kirtzic
SENIOR SYSTEMS DESIGNER, MORTAL KOMBAT 11

WGC: What ideas and hopes did the team
have for improving on what they'd previously done with Mortal Kombat X in Mortal
Kombat 11?
Derek Kirtzic: When starting any new Mortal
Kombat, we have a commitment to our fans to
give them the best Mortal Kombat that they've
ever played. One of our main goals was to
make Mortal Kombat 11 the best-looking fighting game the world has ever seen, and it really
comes through from our character models to
our amazing environments and arenas.

"One of our main
goals was to make
Mortal Kombat 11 the
best-looking fighting
game the world has
ever seen."

VITAL SIGNS
OCCUPATION
SENIOR S YS TEMS DE SIGNER,
NE THERRE ALM S TUDIOS
GAME HIGHLIGHT S
INJUS TICE: GODS AMONG US,
MORTAL KOMBAT X , INJUS TICE 2

WGC: What are some of the new gameplay
mechanics players will find in Mortal Kombat 11, and how do they evolve battles in
new and exciting ways?
DK: With Mortal Kombat 11, we wanted to
change the way that the game played while
still feeling familiar to our Mortal Kombat fans.
We are always driven to add new gameplay
mechanics and features with each installment.
When introducing new mechanics to the core
gameplay, it's very important to make sure
that new mechanics feel like a natural evolution of Mortal Kombat.
Two that were introduced in Mortal
Kombat 11 are Fatal Blows and Krushing Blows.
A Fatal Blow in an over-the-top cinematic special move that can really change the momentum of any fight. Krushing Blows on the other
hand are enhancements to Normal Attacks,
Kombos, and Special Moves, when specific
requirements have been met during the match.
WGC: Can you give us a brief introduction
to Mortal Kombat 11's new warriors Cetrion,
Geras, Kollector, and Kronika?
DK: Cetrion is the Elder Goddess of Virtue,
Guardian of Life. When Shinnok threatened to
conquer the Elder Gods, Cetrion cast him into
the Netherrealm. Her blessings answer the
prayers of warriors battling against darkness.
But at times, the heroic virtues she upholds are
at odds with her quest for universal balance.
Geras is the immortal paradox. Geras was
created by Kronika to infinitely persist when
other servants could not. Upon each death,
he is reborn stronger and smarter. He has wit-

ven after nearly 27 years of life and almost as many games, the Mortal Kombat
series is not only still popular among
fighting game fans, but may in fact may be more
beloved now than it's ever been. With the coming of its latest chapter, the team at NetherRealm
Studios have pulled no punches in trying to
make Mortal Kombat 11 the most engrossing, expanded, and extreme chapter yet. To learn more
about the game, we spoke to senior systems
designer Derek Kirtzic.

nessed innumerable timelines pass and fade.
For all that, Geras is powerless to alter destiny,
existing only to serve Kronika.
Kollector is the tribute collector for the Outworld Empire. Born into poverty, the Kollector
seized his imperial collections duty with a zeal
that impressed Shao Kahn. He stole riches
from Outworld's people, rewarding himself
with wealth and status in turn. Everyone he
ever stole from wants to take back what was
once theirs, but they'll have to pry it from the
Kollector's dead hands, because once something belongs to him, he'll never let it go.
Finally, Kronika is the Titan of Time, Mistress
of Destiny. A god before the Elder Gods, Kronika is a legend even to immortals like Raiden.
She gave life to the Sands of Time, creating
history itself. Yet all has not gone as Kronika
designed. She comes now to correct that, erasing all that came before to birth a new era.
WGC: What new experiences await players
in regards to Mortal Kombat 11's story and
single-player content?
DK: Mortal Kombat 11's story is, hands down,
the biggest, most elaborate story ever presented in a fighting game-maybe in any game,
ever! Our cinematics teams spared no effort to
create a martial-arts fantasy that's on par with
any major motion picture. Players also have
access to the Towers of Time, an ever-changing
single-player experience with new challenges
to complete and towers to conquer. The player
is [also] always being rewarded through a
weekly single-player competition called Race
Against Time.
WGC: If you had to try to survive living in
the Outworld and could pick any Mortal
Kombat fighter to serve as your bodyguard,
who would you pick and why?
DK: Mileena. She's from Outworld, so she
would know the ins and outs of the realm and
would probably be able to get us into all the
classy Outworld clubs and restaurants. Plus if
you know what's good for you, you don't cross
Mileena or she will eat your face. And she's
my favorite character in the Mortal Kombat
universe.

https://www.walmart.com/cp/mortal-kombat/2594761

GameCenter - Issue 64

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