The Mortal Kombat 1 launch trailer doubles as a Reiko and Shang Tsung gameplay trailer, revealing a first look at a pair of suitably gruesome fatalities.
The potentially NSFW trailer, below, shows off story elements lifted from cutscenes of the new Shang Tsung, who is reborn in the universe created by Fire God Liu Kang. Shang’s famous shapeshifting magic is present and correct, and lets him morph into his opponents and copy their moves.
We also see Shang Tsung’s fatality (shown off in the slideshow of images below). This fatality shows the evil sorcerer open a wound in his hapless opponent’s chest, pour some foul concoction in the hole, then sit back as a demonic horror bursts out for a savage bite. You can see why fans have already dubbed Shang Tsung’s big finisher the ‘alien fatality’.
The trailer also showcases gameplay for General Shao’s second-in-command, Reiko. Reiko’s equally gruesome Krushing Blow sees the savage warrior chuck a spear straight into his opponent's chest, break it in two, then run the remaining part through their skull.
Meanwhile, developer NetherRealm revealed Mortal Kombat 1’s set of accessibility options, which includes audio descriptions amd cues for on-screen action that play contextually during gameplay.
Mortal Kombat 1 launches September 14 for those with early access from the Premium Edition, and on September 19 for everyone else. As with previous games in the series, Mortal Kombat 1’s Shang Tsung is a pre-order bonus.
For more information, check out the recent reveal that series veteran Nitara is joining the roster (and is voiced by actress Megan Fox), our interview with development chief Ed Boon at gamescom last month, and the live-action trailer featuring Dave Bautista, which pays homage to the iconic Mortal Monday TV commercial.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
