While revealed only recently,Mortal Kombat 1is almost in players' hands. Those lucky enough to get into the online stress test have already experienced the game, albeit with some technical issues that should be ironed out in the actual release.Mortal Kombat 1looks very promising, with the excellent realistic visuals and eye-popping use of color fromMortal Kombat 11combined with new approaches toMortal Kombat’s legacy characters. There’s a good chance that the past four years of waiting for a new NetherRealm Studios title will have been worth every day.
Mortal Kombat 1is the first instance in a long time when NetherRealm Studios has released back-to-backMortal Kombat’s, and the amount of feedback directly from the prior entry is evident. Variations have given way to movesets larger than anything each character has had before, andMK1’s Kameo Fightersand air combos introduce a new level of frantic action toMortal Kombat. It will be interesting to see howMortal Kombat 1reinventsMK’s story mode as well, especially in its rebooted setting. There’s only one key presentation aspect thatMortal Kombathas struggled with, but, thanks to a new hire,MK1could surpass every title that came before it.
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There Haven’t Been Many Memorable Songs In Recent Mortal Kombat Games
Music andMortal Kombathave had a troubled relationship in recent years. Any fan of the franchise since the ’90s can easilyhum theMortal Kombatthemeplayed by many of its arcade cabinets. That techno track is one of the most iconic songs in fighting games, and holds a lot of sway in the mainstream consciousness.Mortal Kombattypically emphasizes its grim atmosphere with dark backgrounds and a moody soundtrack, but many entries also pepper their scores with more energetic electronic tracks. Unfortunately, that side ofMKmusic has fallen out of use.
Many modernMortal Kombatsongs work with the locations they’re in, but aren’t terribly memorable. It could be said thatMortal Kombathas taken a cinematic approachto its score, reinforcing the tone while fading into the background behind gameplay’s vicious martial arts duels. This has never caused any issues, but in recent years fans have begun to notice the lack of standout tracks.Mortal Kombat 11especially drew attention to it by using a fitting mix of rap songs in trailers to represent past and present characters, but not in the final game.
Mortal Kombat 1 Is Bringing Its Soundtrack Back To The Forefront
From what little players have heard,Mortal Kombat 1is trying something completely different. The title screen of the closed stress test alone has caught players off guard with a serene track played over an uncharacteristically calm backdrop. If players load into the Cage Mansion stage, this is quickly replaced by a high-energy techno theme that wouldn’t sound out-of-place in one ofMortal Kombat’s old arcade stomping grounds. This is a far cry from the past decade ofMortal Kombatmusic, and seeing it in a preview build speaks to how differentlyMortal Kombat 1is handling itself.
Some listeners may get familiar vibes from the Mansion’s music, and the culprit is none other than Casey Edwards, a musician who hasworked onDevil May Cry 5,Doom Eternal, andKiller Instinct 2013. WhileDMC5was previously his only composer position on a game, and he isn’t alone in composingMortal Kombat 1’s soundtrack, the impact and energy of Edwards' music is still felt. It’s good to hear aMortal Kombatsoundtrack stand out again, and that could prove to be the missing piece ofMortal Kombat 1’s presentation.
Mortal Kombat 1will be released on July 03, 2025, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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