Mortal Kombat 1: Reptile and More Revealed

This week at EVO, NetherRealm Studios unveiled three fighters who will be joining the fight this September. Headlining this newest reveal trailer was the fan favorite Reptile. I’m excited to see that this character has received a complete overhaul in terms of story relevance while keeping his iconic gameplay style. In past games, Reptile is nothing more than a background character, often serving as a henchman for the true villains.

Mortal Kombat 1 is turning this narrative on its head instead placing Reptile as a key ally for the forces of good. Along with this shift in characterization is an exciting redesign of the character. Reptile can now freely shift between his classic ninja design and a more monstrous form reminiscent of his movie appearances.

Along with Reptile, this trailer also featured the return of Ashrah and Havik. These characters originally debuted in Mortal Kombat: Deception and have not been playable since Mortal Kombat: Armageddon in 2006. Ashrah is a demon hunter who comes from the Netherealm despite her holy-looking garments. In past games, she utilized the power of an ancient weapon called the Kriss, which purified her soul the more demons she vanquished.

On the other hand, Havik is a cleric from the Chaosrealm who utilizes blood magic and his regenerative powers to sow anarchy wherever he travels. While both characters look to be filling their traditional roles within the story of Mortal Kombat 1, it’s nonetheless exciting to see less popular fighters getting a new chance to shine. Ashrah in particular has a great redesign that helps her look more visually distinct while still capturing the core themes of her background story.

Alongside Havik was the newest Kameo fighter, Sareena. Like Havik and Ashrah she was last seen in MK Armageddon, but debuted in the Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub Zero spin-off title. Mortal Kombat 1 is certainly shaping up to be one of the franchise’s most expansive rosters since Mortal Kombat (2011). I’m excited to see who else will make an appearance in the main roster or return as a Kameo fighter.