Unfortunatly i have to agree with this. Mk sure is missing something.

I read its missing that 80s kung fu flick feel. Maybe its a combination of different elements that created that specific feel?

* music
Music plays a big role in creating an atmosphere. the music changed alot. From dark cult, aggressive to fantasy ambiant with some rock tunes mixed in.

* setting
The east meets western settining has faded a bit. they kinda went into the western fantasy direction. The asian mythologies feels feels left out a bit.

* mysterious setting
In the late 80s ppl loved mysterious stuff. Occult, magic shit was very intrging, and still is. Mk shared alot of those msytical elements that gave a unique and imo awesome feel to the series. Something i dont saw/see in other games.

I hope mk becomes like what it used to be. It was so unique, made me instantly fan of the series. This vibe kinda went away when tobias left the team. Still, Da and DEC shared that feel, so i now it can without jt. it seems that the old devs and nrs have a different feel for the game now.

This is well said, I totally agree here. Although I don't like Konquest because like Story Mode, it is a waste of resources in my opinion. I am more of an Arcade purist.

Totally agree that MK has gotten away from the occult, other realms, mysterious oriental roots to more of a mainstream earthrealm western based Special forces vibe which doesnt suit MK at all.

I am hoping that once we get the actual game in our hands that the over analyzing we are all doing on every aspect of the game (plot points etc) will disappear and it will be a great experience to play, I haven't watched the spoilers in story mode yet since I am waiting for the game so I can't really judge the feel or execution of the story....

I have immensely enjoyed all the MK games story up till MKA (thought it and MK9 were subpar story wise especially since the original couple MK's were soo good MK9 kind of botched things with some corniness and WTF aspects like cyber sub zero ) with MKDA and MKDeception being the high points of the series really expanding the MKverse and developing the characters really well.

I think once the game is in our hands that alot of the concerns being raised will disappear and we will simply hope/get a more balanced roster/oriental/other realms feel for the next MK game, I would really have liked for earthrealm after shao kahns invasion to have brought back to the dark ages where it was sort of a cataclysmic/apocalyptic event where alot of technology was lost and earth returns to more martial arts, medievel , fantasy, occult/magical roots. The MK verse shouldn't parallel our modern world at all this isn't call of duty lol.

Umk3 was dark and gritty compared to mk1 and 2.. I think it has more to do with your personal preference than the game itself. It's still campy and cheesy as hell, it's almost like you have a problem with decent visuals and animations lol. You're free to your opinion but I think you are wrong personally. What pays more homage to the 80s than putting voorhees and predator in your game? I don't think your opinions line up with reality, no offense. You not buying doesn't affect me any I'm just saying.

One of the key MK differences from another fighting games, was that it always changed. From one entry to another MK changed not only rosters and control schemes, but also atmosphere and styles.

You'd thought, that after 23 years of that, people will get used to it. But, no. They still bitch about something that was one of the elements of the series from the very beginning.

I wonder: is that simple fanboism or just lack of ability to see a bigger picture?
Guess, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Also, MK Deception was not a good game.
It was decent in some things, but some stuff was seriously botched.

I especially find it extremely funny, when people praise MKD story. It's like they forget how fucked up Konquest was, how boring and stupid Shujinko was or that half of the roster was garbage tier (realization-wise) and pretty much useless in the story (Darrius, Dairou).
MKD had a "good concept", but good concept doesn't equal "good realization". But of course, some people are willing to forgive its mistakes because they played this game, when they were young (or younger).

And after that they have a gall to call MKX "bad game"...LOL. Guess, it's fanboism and pathetic nostalgia after all.

I remember the day I saw the first picture from that (once) obscure and mysterious game. The year was 1992

Two ninjas, one turquoise-ish and one yellow. I beleive they where in what was going to be known as Goro's lair.

The cool kids from my school where looking at the magasine. Mortal Kombat... with a K. I got hooked at first sight.

Finaly I played the game. Never was a fan of StreetFighter anyway. I thought the input button was easier in MK.

The over the top blood and gore, the simple character desing, the old kung-fu music all gave that game it's appeal. And the stroy was, in my opinion, so awesome and engaging.

Moreover, there was the secrets. Haaaaa the secrets. Those "finish him" moves. And Reptile. Then, latter more "funny finish him". And Smoke, Noob and Jade. The legacy continued.

And then I layed eye on Muchacha. That weird looking thing, with the white hair and the flight ability. By that time, MK was so over the top I was starting to wonder where it would go next.

And I waited... and waited....
To end up playing MK4 and wonder... why is this game so strange. Why is Kano not Kano and Kitana not Kitana. And why are they so freaking square?

Then, it happened. The overly knight-itize Scorpion. The strange ambiance and sence of "not finished" game that was MKDA. The idea was great. Thepremise was awesome. Liu Kang. Dead. Whaaaat? They got me intrigued... questionning why was the game not finished. (No acid pool pit)

MKD ("deception" in french means "disapointement/failure") was, I thought it was weird name. But Kitana design was great!!! The new characters... unrelevant?! When you have to create worlds to serve a story when the already establiched world are not fully exploited. I thought it was weird. It felt... empty...

But the taste of things to come had me tuned in for the next chapter.

Armageddon. The chapter that finaly acknoledge that the creative team might have when a bit overboard with the strangeness of it all. It was suppose to be a way to start all over again. Start anew.

The reboot was a nice way to revisit the classic. The idea was great, And it deleivered. The tone was nice. The changes made me happy. My fear that MK would finish et begome forgotten was finalyy put to rest.

I look foward to MKX.
However... what pisses me off is all those damn spoilers. Not the leaks.

The way NRS spoils everything before the game comes out. I know I knowm my problem if I watch it. But I really feels that the production team should have try to just gives us a few things in advance. Not the full roster, not almost all fatality and stages.
Thy should of made us still guess a bit.

Just like it was in 92...
Mystery keeps them wanting more.
Again... my opinon.

Kitana was not in MKD.
She was in MK Unchained for PSP with the same design as in Deadly Alliance.

Loll, so youre a fan of mk bc its random? So much bs. Ill admit ed has a fetish for changing, but dont forget that the team has changed over the years. So things also changed bc of different erspectives.

It must be you whos not seeing the bigger picture. Youre simple view makes it all look so easy isnt it? And nobody said mkx is a bad game...

TRUE!!!
My bad. I meant Mileena. Arabic vail, long/large sleeves garnment.
;)

I do agree MK changes with each entry. Change is almost always required/needed to avoid predictability and staleness.

But it can also alter things so much that the core spirit of what made something great changes into a "well, its tolerable" level with each new iteration.

People getting upset/insecure because some people are discussing negative aspects of the series and bashing them because they "whine" is just as short-sighted (and sign of a juvenile mind) as the people who just embrace everything mindlessly.

I'm happy for those that can swallow everything Netherrealm studios does, good for you! Don't have anything to criticize? AWESOME.

Some of us do though. We all like different aspects of the series here. If the world doesn't share the same ones you have, that's not whining, its just "i have different expectations than yours" so please try to be an adult about it.

How, you ask? You can start by erasing the belief that your opinion is fact. A whole new world of different views and understandings awaits you!

THIS.