With the end of year fast approaching, has MK11 been everything you'd hoped?

[Chernyy Volk]

This is the most disappointing FG I've ever played, especially with the upward trajectory of improvements Netherrealm had in every game since MK9 up to this one. It feels like a step back from the things they did right in Inj2, while they doubled down on things people hated about Inj2, while also going back on things we hated about MKX.

I've been a jerk over this game and I shouldn't have been. It's hard though, with a game like this that has IMO, significantly crippled characters in the same game as perfect characters, a super scrubby scramble intensive poke system, tons of comeback/mistake fix factors (FB's, Breakaway), really arbitrary differentials between characters (KB accessibility, pokes not being uniform, flawless block attacks not being uniform) that further incentivize the need to pick a top tier if you want to compete.

The games subtantially crippled neutral due to movement both being too good and there still being absolutely degenerate forms of keepaway that people bitched about in inj2 like Cetrion which means pure rushdown or pure zoning is king in the game while any character that does anything other than those gets pushed to the wayside.

Also the POORLY thought out variations. The horrific 21 frames of invincibility on wakeup shit, the throw tech system basically punishing you for having defense (50/50 tech AND a no block commit?)

The game also lacks defensive depth substantially. There should be more options against offense besides block or flawless block to give characters more nuance and strength and gameplay variety. I.E, Johnny Cages 124 and 34u3 should be fully duckable so he has to use the alternate strings to condition you.

I honestly think this game would need a complete back to formula restart. I want to like so many things about it, and it's fun in doses. The system, ON PAPER AND IN THEORY is great, but the implementation is all wrong and the balance feels sorely lacking. There's things that can be done to improve it but I'm afraid NRS might be too stubborn to admit they were wrong on a few things in this game to listen to us.

 

[thlityoursloat]

You don't realize how dry this game is until you watch Vman SP footage of it and compare it to previous MKs.
In the old MK videos you can tell he was having a blast pulling off all his cool combos, but then in this game it's just string special or generic jump kick combos.

 

[Johnny Based Cage]

To me it feels like they went all in on custom variations at the game’s inception and when crunch time hit and they still couldn’t make it work competitively/balance-wise, panic-mode hit and they just doubled back to an even less fleshed out version of what the last game offered instead.

It’s felt unfinished much in the same way SFV did at launch, and I worry that as far as that game has (finally) come along over the years, this one likely won’t have the same sort of legs to carry it that far.

I don’t hate it and I really want to love it, but it’s hard to fight this underlying sense of being at least a little underwhelmed and disappointed.

 

[Damaja325]

no, this game is literally trash. was obviously designed so casuals can have fun considering design choices NRS made for the game. hard to anti-air jumpins, free win button fatal blows, cheesy 30% damage hits made possible with crushing blows, no mileena (irrelevant point but just saying), severe lack of combo depth and creativity. mashing is encouraged because of the substantially watered down offense, d2 crushing blows while d2 on block isn't punishable. variations aren't good in this game because characters are already cut and dry and variations just rip characters apart unless ur geras. while the game is pretty balanced as far as the cast goes, it doesn't take away the fact the game is just dry and cheap. this game is a mess and a huge letdown for me.

 

[Dogeofthesea]

Concept of the game is good.
But because of NRS's lack of actual efforts into the game, it has been and is still shitty

 

[NaCl man]

It's ok. It's nrs so it will have some dumb shit but to be honest lately I've had fun with it. Not taking it seriously at all was the way to go for me. Good step forward but not quite there yet. If they keep building on what they have now and go the legacy rout in a couple games it will right up there.

 

[Chernyy Volk]

no, this game is literally trash. was obviously designed so casuals can have fun considering design choices NRS made for the game. hard to anti-air jumpins, free win button fatal blows, cheesy 30% damage hits made possible with crushing blows, no mileena (irrelevant point but just saying), severe lack of combo depth and creativity. mashing is encouraged because of the substantially watered down offense, d2 crushing blows while d2 on block isn't punishable. variations aren't good in this game because characters are already cut and dry and variations just rip characters apart unless ur geras. while the game is pretty balanced as far as the cast goes, it doesn't take away the fact the game is just dry and cheap. this game is a mess and a huge letdown for me.

Man Damaja goin' Hamaja?

 

[Juggs]

I really liked MK11 early, and still like it now, just not as much. I love the meta and gameplay, but no characters really fit me and my style. Nightwolf has been the closest and definitely the most fun character in the game, but he’s not good enough to counter balance what he lacks in a character that fits me. Meaning, if he was OP, like a top 3 character, it wouldn’t matter and I could make it work. Scorpion was also very close to a me character but again, not a perfect fit.

Also to clarify, this has nothing to do with how well I performed in the game. Ask anyone who I’ve played if I was a good player or not. It’s just very hard for me to play a fighting game if I don’t love a character in and out enough to grind everything about it and all the matchups. And since I don’t make content and I’m not a top player, there’s no point in me playing the game if I’m not having fun. To clarify AGAIN, it has nothing to do with the meta or gameplay, but just about the characters themselves.

I’m hoping either Spawn or potentially new characters down the line will bring me back to the game. Until then though, I am pretty much done with MK11 unfortunately.

 

[Son ov Timett]

Nah, I checked out. I played MK9 like a crackhead, played games I didn't like such as MKX and Inj2 a very fair amount. MK11 which I find to be a better game at its core than prior NRS installments, has not sucked me in. Granted getting much older and not hob knobbing with the local community such as back in the day. Little incentive in grinding for online war.

 

[Zhidoreptiloid]

I like that game, best NRS game right now

 

[Zviko]

Not yet. I still want hitbox fixes, highs not whiffing and some other changes like KB throws gone, mid cmnd grabs gone, FBs with no push back and much more unsafe, down pokes more minus. Wifi filter for KL and improved ranked in general. Maybe add separate ranked tied to characters like in Tekken.

Either way, this is my most played fighting game by far and I'm still enjoying it after 8 monts so the game is good. All the above would just make it perfect. Reptile.

 

[fr stack]

I have a love hate relationship with this game some days its enjoyable ... untill weird hitbox inconsistencies block stun inconsistencies . Punish windows . Jump kick and d2 being op . Fatal blows returning . Having to dumb down offence just to compete because of the above points. Etc.

Other days i find a player with a similar playstyle and i have a blast

This metagame is alien and my brain refuses to disrigard my entire movelist for jump kick d2 and L1 so i struggle quite a bit . Bit people have been playing street fighter for 30 or so years this way with no complaints so i try not to bitch too much i just miss mah tech 8(

 

[SaSSolino]

I'm back to SoulCalibur VI, so there's your answer.

 

[DarkSado]

I like the graphics and art work but everything else is wack.

 

[MagicMan357]

When you actually know how to play the game, it has very few flaws. But since TYM is online warriors haven, playing in a slideshow while refusing to lab anything and still talking shit seems to be the wave.

 

[Jbog]

I totally love this game minus the retarded block stun that makes punishing unsafe move virtually impossible. Drop that and add some minus frames on recovery and this is an awesome game. Bit they never will cuz of the retarded mechenics of the block button. Those 2 things are the MOST poisonous part of this game!!

 

[Jbog]

And ps I've labbed for months and play locals. But the incocistiencey of punishes is a for sure problem and pokes

 

[Juxtapose]

And since I don’t make content and I’m not a top player, there’s no point in me playing the game if I’m not having fun.

If only more people realized this, not just for this game, but for every game.

 

[Error404]

Free supers are super wack. KBs are just too random. The lack of blockstun enables constant mashing.

Still , the game has decent balance and a good netcode , so I'll keep playing.

 

[Dankster Morgan]

I think it's an objectively good game. Just not necessarily my cup of tea. I have tried the entire cast and I think they're all very bland. This game isn't as fun as Injustice 2 imo. I do like watching the game though and I respect and appreciate the skill and effort of top players.

I recognize that my life has also had a shift away from playing a lot of games. Iv got more interested in single player games. Iv had a lot of fun with Fallen Order, Witcher, Batman, Uncharted, God of War, and Red Dead more recently to name a few. On top of that iv got back into COD with Modern Warfare bringing a lot of my friends back together that had moved away so iv been enjoying that a bit. My diminished interest in MK11 isn't solely due to my preference of games that play more like Injustice 2, my interests in general have just changed. Once I got into my program at school it's harder for me to play fighting games.

TLDR- MK11 didnt give me what I hoped it would, or reproduce my love for these games like Injustice 2.

 

[Error404]

Also , f.block attacks require timing , and 2 resources. To have them be this bad is unacceptable.

 

[sub_on_dubs]

I'm pretty much done with the game. I try to come back and give it another try every once in a while, but I just dont find enjoyment with game anymore.

I can't really put my finger on why I dont enjoy it anymore. I think the novelty of fighting games may be wearing thin on me. My introduction into the scene was Mk9 so at this point I feel like I've seen it all as far as fighting games go.

I've had a rollercoaster ride with this game. Loving it one day and hating it the next, but at the end of the day, It's like any game, you finally get bored of it.

I will still try out Spawn when he comes out, but if he's anything like the other DLC, my hopes are not high that he'll be interesting and fun.

 

[greeneless]

I’m bored. I don’t think it’s a me thing, I play titles for years, but maybe it is idk meh.

 

[Gooberking]

I didn't think I'd like it when I saw it and how it plays. Ended up liking and playing it more than anything else I think. I've gotten 100x what I thought I would out of it.

I wouldn't mind an input system that "just works" at this point. Some anime fighters are pretty hard core about inputs, so I don't know that it's really unique in how tight some stuff can be, but it's the only thing I find consistently frustrating. The Flawless blocks stuff is about right, but I don't see the point of having to nail a small input window when there are variable wake up timings just to get my character to flippin' roll.

Playing a game like SC6 where it pretty much always does what you ask it to is super nice.

 

[Eji1700]

To echo what others have said, the core gameplay appeals to me, but the balance doesn't. It feels bland/looks bland. Interesting moves and ideas are barely useable while safe and boring stuff is constant. The best characters are jack of all trades and the "feel" of the game is lacking. It's still a good game, but it just doesn't hold interest.

This is especially frustrating becuase there's lots of neat ideas, but their locked away. Either because they're not in variations or because they're just not viable. As I alwyas mention something like iceclone should be character defining and really change the flow of a match, and feature heavily in rounds where it could be used, not sometimes maybe appear and otherwise be a passive threat.