Fighting game developers throughout the years have tried desperately to find a place among the gaming community for their games to thrive. We've seen the genre start off in a humble manner, and with basic functionality evolving into a more complicated spectacle of flash, and deeply involved mechanics. From there we've also seen the push for online competition, and casual play as well. We've seen the domination of Japanese fighters, and the rise of a select few American borne creations as well as the fall of both. What we haven't seen though is anyone in the business perfect the formula, and release a fighter that not only offers a tournament worthy challenge, but also proper value for what the consumer pays. It seems more, and more often that studios take away features that were once commonplace in a fighting game, and freely so, replacing them with blatant monetization schemes that take advantage of the community's goodwill. Fastforward to the here, and now and we find Netherrealm Studios releasing one of the most undeserving fighting games in all of fighting game history. A culmination of grind, and greed made manifest in an experience that does not take itself seriously enough.
Having spent enough time in MK11 to earn all, but one trophy I have come to the realization that the game is a time sink not worth messing around with. Instead of incentivizing the learning of modes, characters, combos, and mechanics the developer has made it so that gamers can look the part without ever needing to perform the part. The new AI, in particular, can earn you just about everything in the game without you having to press too many buttons. It's an auto-pilot feature with a pro-tier character output that players can use on sites like Youtube to appear as if they are actually pro players without having put in the effort or time to become professional at any of it. You could argue that the game gives you all the tools to get good, and it most certainly does, but by implementing the AI the way Netherrealm has it has catered to the casuals who merely want to look cool. Thus online competition is nothing more than casual scrubbery.
The only real incentive in MK11 lies with the gear system, and the currency required to unlock various character functions and features. It's this paywall, and resulting grind incentive that keeps players coming back. This, and only this. Even I come back to as my OCD keeps me wanting to complete the collections at hand. I think, in retrospect, that's what Netherrealm was aiming for. A sort of addictive quality to keep gamers invested in the grind, long term. Sadly, they do not realize that the grind will eventually come to a halt. I'm personally unlocking everything at a fast pace, and expect to have everything unlocked except for seasonal, and special event items soon. Even then the need to grind for what's left will slow down to a crawl leaving the undesirable online competitive modes to suffice until the next Netherrealm cash grab.
Speaking of the seasonal, and special events MK11 does a piss poor job at giving anyone a reason to commit. The Kombat League itself features rewards that aren't really all that special. Compounded by the fact that the netcode has gone to shit due to the casual crowd Netherrealm has attracted it's not even worth the hassle. Lagswitching, DDoS'ing, and Hacking ruin any chance anyone had of completing the seasonal Kombat Leagues. Hell, you can't even play Kasual without some random thuglife, pot smoking, script kiddie dickweed messing with the P2P connection.
At the end of the day MK11's only saving grace is the offline. Even that is only enjoyable through the AI auto-pilot, and only for so long. The modifiers therein were, and are an abusive joke, and the towers nothing more than a middle finger from Ed Boon to those who bought into it all. If Netherrealm continues pushing this kind of sham out it will no doubt turn his main fans away, and ruin the one part of this fighting series' legacy that was actually good to turn to. As it is I find it unworthy of recommendation, and suggest to anyone that is interested in MK11 to wait for the discounted Komplete Edition that will no doubt come out. At $20, and with all the DLC content included for free it'll be worth it, but only then.
Having spent enough time in MK11 to earn all, but one trophy I have come to the realization that the game is a time sink not worth messing around with. Instead of incentivizing the learning of modes, characters, combos, and mechanics the developer has made it so that gamers can look the part without ever needing to perform the part. The new AI, in particular, can earn you just about everything in the game without you having to press too many buttons. It's an auto-pilot feature with a pro-tier character output that players can use on sites like Youtube to appear as if they are actually pro players without having put in the effort or time to become professional at any of it. You could argue that the game gives you all the tools to get good, and it most certainly does, but by implementing the AI the way Netherrealm has it has catered to the casuals who merely want to look cool. Thus online competition is nothing more than casual scrubbery.
The only real incentive in MK11 lies with the gear system, and the currency required to unlock various character functions and features. It's this paywall, and resulting grind incentive that keeps players coming back. This, and only this. Even I come back to as my OCD keeps me wanting to complete the collections at hand. I think, in retrospect, that's what Netherrealm was aiming for. A sort of addictive quality to keep gamers invested in the grind, long term. Sadly, they do not realize that the grind will eventually come to a halt. I'm personally unlocking everything at a fast pace, and expect to have everything unlocked except for seasonal, and special event items soon. Even then the need to grind for what's left will slow down to a crawl leaving the undesirable online competitive modes to suffice until the next Netherrealm cash grab.
Speaking of the seasonal, and special events MK11 does a piss poor job at giving anyone a reason to commit. The Kombat League itself features rewards that aren't really all that special. Compounded by the fact that the netcode has gone to shit due to the casual crowd Netherrealm has attracted it's not even worth the hassle. Lagswitching, DDoS'ing, and Hacking ruin any chance anyone had of completing the seasonal Kombat Leagues. Hell, you can't even play Kasual without some random thuglife, pot smoking, script kiddie dickweed messing with the P2P connection.
At the end of the day MK11's only saving grace is the offline. Even that is only enjoyable through the AI auto-pilot, and only for so long. The modifiers therein were, and are an abusive joke, and the towers nothing more than a middle finger from Ed Boon to those who bought into it all. If Netherrealm continues pushing this kind of sham out it will no doubt turn his main fans away, and ruin the one part of this fighting series' legacy that was actually good to turn to. As it is I find it unworthy of recommendation, and suggest to anyone that is interested in MK11 to wait for the discounted Komplete Edition that will no doubt come out. At $20, and with all the DLC content included for free it'll be worth it, but only then.
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