The story was neat for what it was, but some things felt fumbled. All the characters are either SUPER GOODY GOOD or SUPER EVIL BAD. Which I'm not sure why they handled it like that. MK's the perfect franchise to have a whole swarm of Anti-Hero characters. Bi-Han SHOULD'VE been that guy. A real Anti-Hero character. Looking at Mythologies Sub-Zero, Bi-Han cared mostly for the Lin Kuei, but saw good in Sareena, Bi-Han wondered if he still had good in himself, and was weary of Quan-Chi off the jump. But was still cold-hearted in a lot of other ways too, given that he kills Scorpion. But MK1 takes him and makes him Ice Vergil. Which feels like a missed opportunity. There's no reason for him to be fully evil, because that's what him TURNING into Noob Saibot was for.
I feel like NRS should PROBABLY have a tournament mode for people who don't want to grind story mode can play Havik. I know it only effects a small group of players, but it would go a long way I feel. It'll be a good balance so that normal players can unlock cool stuff, while pro-players can hit the ground running.
Mileena was handled well enough I guess. They made her more of a sympathetic character, her mutation being Super Rabies, loosing her Mom. And not getting with Tanya, not because they're Gay(well, part of me think Mileena is still gonna be Bi, but that's neither here nor there), but because the Not-Dora Milaje are effectively monks. I hope it'll take her character in interesting from here on.
Baraka and Reptile escape the Jobber Dimension, at least for now.
Johnny was pretty cool, he's been written well enough since MK9, though he's makes a few too many movie references. His bromance with Kenshi is pretty nice.
Tanya was just Diet/Boneless Jade, but not nearly as cool. Nor did she feel like she did anything of note. Her design is still too "Live Action Adaptation" Busy for my liking. Nearly everyone barring Raiden and the Male Ninjas kind of have that problem. But I get that they wanted a more West-African inspired Tanya, but I think it could've done that exact idea and be cooler.
Kuai Liang as Scorpion....I'm mixed on. He'll always be THE Sub-Zero to me, and this is coming from someone who likes Bi-Han as well. But he's still cool as a character. It just sucks that we end up losing Hanzo on top of that, and that Kuai as Sub-Zero is my favorite MK character of all time. Watching Snow Blind reinforced that further for me.
Smoke didn't do much, but he looks really ****ing cool. Like the guy from Tenchu.
Geras was a bro, and he gets a little more agency.
Ashrah is fine, same as before expect we know her old crew was the Brotherhood of Shadow, now a Sisterhood since I guess Noob not being there made them want to just make them all girls? I guess.
I hate Shao Kahn's design. He looks like a dumb Bioware/Baldur's Gate DnD reject. Nitara too. Both of their old designs had more personality, or SOUL as the kids say these days.
Reiko and Li-Mei are Omega-Level Jobbers. Kitana too technically, All of Reiko's moves feel less interesting visually now, while Li-Mei is the exact opposite, they took her core kit and made it flashy and cool visually at least.
Shang Tsung was the Smuggest Man Alive. Good ****.
