Agree on some things already said and like to add some new. Here we go:
1. No more long animations FB - if anything, make FBs the new extra / one of two Fatalities in the way of 2-3 moves leading up to a final move in a new cinematic way. Tired of this move used as a cop out and taking so long, totally breaking the flow.
2. X-Ray - one move per character that truly does something like breaking an arm, neck, where bone and maybe some muscles are shown like during KB but more impactful, maybe slow motion and no requirements and no extra damage if blabla.
3A Camera options - I want the old dimensions back so relatively smaller characters on a background that is further away, deeper and shows depth far off in the distance. A simple option is to have various angles and or zoom functions to have characters appear larger and more of a zoomed in version of a stage.
OR
3B Close up combat - I want them to try and take MK in a whole new direction that is risky but might be the future of fighting games, as in a much more cinematic 2.5/ 3D experience, as shown in the X and 11 trailers. Tired of all these games sticking to a 20-30 year old 2D plane. If it fails then go back , but at least try and innovate. We will always have 11 for the traditional style.
4. Simple Fatality - At least 1 of the 2 should be a simple old school fatality in a new coating. The killing someone 4/5 times in one sequence has been done and done to death. Beating a dead horse even. Time to go back to the simple yet gruesome.
E.G. Baraka’s MK2 fatality where opponent is impaled, slowly sliding down the blade. The twist could be on one blade w/ another waiting for the opponent to slide down enough to get their eye / mouth impaled as well.
5. Brutality combos - the entire combo system needs to switched up and I’d love one where each button needs to be pressed after the initial hit in a sequence, leaving 0,5-1 second room for opponent to interrupt / block and easier to pull off. The brutality part is that if you manage to do the long string combos, that a part of it is an animation where the final few punches you can just sit back and enjoy.
But also that you are rewarded for being fast and faster executed combo strings lead to more recovery time of the opponent - stunned for a bit longer than usual - and like in real life, the faster you hit, the faster the controlled character will hit. So this way you can actually pull off original Brutalities without the explosion and will be called as such.
It will also lead to great blocking sequences - no flawless block - that actually is more realistic so various blocking animations. Also gives chance if successfully blocked a window of 0.5 / 1 second to immediately hit and stop the sequence all together.
This is my top 5 most wanted gameplay aspects. Story wise I just want no time travel, no more Titans nonsense, somehow an involvement of the One Being and or Dragon King and finally just a surprising daring story that does not hold on to the restricted character driven chapters and truly pulls us back into the magical, Asian inspired mythology and phantasy origins. Roster wise all I need is: Havik, Ashrah, Smoke, Kintaro / Goro and a return of Baraka and Fujin.
BONUS
If somehow NRS dares to be different then for once I’d like to see a boss battle be fighting several characters in a way that can be like MK1-3 / DA with a Moloch / Motaro / shokan and a boss in the likes of Shinnok / Shang / Quan or Onaga / Blaze.
However, unlike the cheap Kronika minion regular characters, have you fight 1 or 2 enhanced versions of a playable/ unlockable character between the goon and final boss. Think fast Noob / Smoke from MK2. This fight should be with the same energy bar as the goon fight or final bout.
If they decide to somehow make the story a mix of cinematics and conquest / shaolin monks (limited) roaming mode, then these final battles can be at a castle / temple where you will face the first at the bottom of the steps, the next on your way up and the final at the top. That is my ultimate dream
For the ladder it can be just the fights in at least 2 different arenas.