If you’re about to cap off a combo, you can call in a Kameo to either extend the string of attacks and loop your opponent back into your clutches. Cinematic contributions aside, these new assists add some very satisfying tools that elevate MK to a new speed and dynamism. Not only will they help you out during a match on command, but they can also contribute to the already brutal cinematic moves like Fatalities and super moves. Depending on which direction you press when you pull in the Kameo, they’ll perform a different attack, lending additional depth and an extra layer of strategy to each assist pick. It works like a variation of the assist systems from other popular fighters like Dragon Ball FighterZ or the Marvel Vs.

That new mechanic was undoubtedly the highlight of both the hands-off and hands-on sections of the demo. It feels like it’s been tweaked in just the right way to accommodate Mortal Kombat 1’s biggest addition: the Kameo system. There’s a more distinct flow to the combat that makes pulling off combos feel easier, but still rewarding all the same. In MK 1, hits and animations feel slightly smoother. While I’m not the most NRS-inclined fighting game player, I could still feel a slight difference from Mortal Kombat 11.

MK feels especially well poised to cash in on that sensation too, with showy super moves and gloriously gory fatalities, there’s a sense of joyful humiliation that comes from a skull-crushing finisher that elicits a driving urge to win the runback. That joy becomes even greater when your opponent’s right next to you fighting games always have been and always will be best played with a rival at your side to groan at an impressive string of attacks or talk trash after a close game. There’s a unique satisfaction to crunching your opponent’s bones as you combo them into a bloody pulp with NRS’ distinct, staccato combat. Even a Mortal Kombat or Injustice game that competitive players tend not to favor (like MK 11) is still great fun to play casually. After a breezy run through the Tower on the normal difficulty as Kitana with Sonya to assist me, I felt like I had my sea legs and challenged another journalist to a few rounds. The only playable modes available in the demo were the standard Versus mode and the Tower mode, which functions as MK’s Arcade Mode.

After the presentation, we were let loose on the demo to try out the game for ourselves.

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