The Terminator has finally arrived in Mortal Kombat 11 after a long wait, and aside from the detailed, polished resemblance to both a younger and older Arnold Schwarzenegger, we can now evaluate his tournament variations and potential for competitive damage. With that said, it is great to see such a well-made likeness of an iconic character, and it may be quite some time before such a feat is accomplished again.
Model 101
The Terminator sports two tournament kombat variations that allow for distinct play. Model 101 has been surprising thanks to its Endo Lunge. On its own this allows a player to do a short, leaping overhead strike, however, holding forward when executing the command extends the distance covered by approximately double. This allows for almost a full screen jumping arc attack that can be used to leap over spammed projectile, or simply to close a gap, of course one should not use it often to avoid telegraphing their moves.
Both variations allow for the use of shotgun blasts. These can be spammed, and like Erron Black’s weapons are instant in their travel time, not firing a projectile to be dodged. This can be amplified up to two times and allows for the character to move back or forwards.
Once up close, the Terminator can inflict some real damage with its grappling moves. Similar to Jax, the Terminator can initiate a quick command grab that can be amplified up to two times. The move can be used to either toss an opponent away, or to slam them down next to the Terminator for follow up attacks.
Deadly Assassin
The second kombat variation is Deadly Assassin, which lacks the mobility of Endo Lunge. Instead, this variation sacrifices that freedom of movement by ramping up the grappling moves, and some players will love it purely for that reason. In a sense, the Terminator does still retain some mobility with a running charge and tackle, however unlike Endo Lunge, one would need to run straight into incoming projectiles, so it does not serve the same purpose. Still, the move allows players to pick from either a hard tackle, a kick, or an uppercut, and in the corner this last move serves as a combo starter that costs no offensive meter.
The final part of this second variation that will probably help propel it to the preferred choice for competitive matches are the inclusion of two different grenades. Similar to Erron Black’s acid, it forces area denial against an opponent. The first, Rolling Grenade, has a time delay that a player needs to avoid upon explosion, while the second, Incapacitator, produces a debuff that prevents the use of offensive and defensive meters.
In the competitive scene, it is this second grenade that might become the most impactful part of the Terminator’s kit. Currently, an opponent can be knocked into the air to be juggled, and then can be hit with an Incapacitator. From this point, an opponent cannot use a wake up, and they cannot roll away, further limiting the options one has against the Terminator.
A Deadly Kombo Maker
A look at the available kombo strings leaves a great first impression, because most appear to be completely safe on block. Catastrophic Crash is punishable, in a manner of speaking, but most appear to be primed to be used often in competitive matches. Having options with numerous safe strings means that an opponent will have a hard time knowing what is coming next if a player is mixing up their moves.
The more time one spends playing around with the Terminator’s kombo strings, the clearer it becomes that this character appears to be almost too forgiving in its design. The simplicity of kombo strings and ability to start air combos paired with overall safe attacks that are difficult to punish will make the Terminator popular with beginner players and possibly a nightmare for those in the competitive scene.
The Terminator Seems Primed For Nerfs
With several safe kombo strings, great grappling and anti-air abilities, and a variation that includes the Incapacitator grenade, we may be seeing the Rise of the Machines in Mortal Kombat 11. On the other hand, the Terminator may simply be a headache for players for a short while until they become accustomed to his toolkit.
Time will tell how effective the Terminator is in the competitive scene, as it has not yet been formally stated when the fighter will be allowed at official tournaments. If Nightwolf, the most recent DLC fighter is any indication, we should be seeing the Terminator as a viable option in about four to six weeks.
For now, best of luck to all the players who do not have early access to the Terminator, as they might be in for a bit of a shock based on how great the character seems at first glance. For those who do have access to the early access period for the Terminator, don't forget to go clear out the Towers of Time for some Terminator related cosmetic items.
