After a long wait, the Terminator T-800 gameplay video has finally arrived for Mortal Kombat 11. The arrival of the new character, modeled in the likeness of an older Arnold Schwarzenegger, looks stunning in its presentation and pays service to everything fans of the films expect to see.
From the beginning it is clear that we are in for a treat, as the Terminator’s intro pays homage to the iconic scene from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, except that instead of roses, there appear to exist in this timeline Johnny Cage dolls sold in a four pack, for some reason. Maybe three of the toys are stuntmen action figures.
How Terminator Plays
The heft and raw power of the T-800 comes across in an instant as the gameplay unfolds. Its movements are similar to Kotal Khan and Shao Khan, meaning that the fighter carries a substantial amount of weight, and every step feels like a towering menace is bearing down on the opponent. Blocking looks equally as impressive, with what appears like the slightest raise of its arms to stop incoming damage. The Terminator feels like a juggernaut on screen, and it feels so right.
The Terminator’s toolkit both pays homage to the spirit of the character on film, but also radically adapts certain elements in a way that are sure to make the it a force to be reckoned with. While the feel is like Kotal Khan, the gameplay reveals a highly mobile character. Using an animation like the time spheres used to travel through time in the films, the Terminator teleports behind Kano after launching a projectile and then unleashing a world of hurt at close range. The ability to teleport at will might be devastating to the meta and put zoning characters on notice.
In terms of playstyle, it is too early to tell exactly what the tournament variations will offer players as part of a kit. However, there are a few clues to indicate that the Terminator have a similar feel to Jax Briggs. The trailer shows a midair grab enhanced into a throw, followed by a two-hit juggle and another midair grab enhanced into grapple, slamming Jax headfirst into the ground.
Special Moves And New Mechanics
At the same time, the gameplay shows off a great mix of close-quarters combat, like Jax, but also the option to execute moves that leave opponents in the mid to far range. This means that the Terminator may not only be a powerful grappler who can teleport at will, there may also be some excellent potential to control the positioning of an opponent, which is invaluable in the hands of a strong player.
The Terminator also comes with what appears to be the first character in Mortal Kombat 11 to have a transformation while fighting. The trailer shows Scorpion’s flames melting away the artificial skin, leaving only the T-800 exoskeleton behind and granting the character a short duration of armor where they cannot be knocked out of their moves.
Finally, the deadly blow looks to be a mid to high close range attack, that uses the Terminator’s signature customized 12-gauge 1887 Winchester lever action shotgun, and for some fantastic reason, the developers seem to be parodying their own characters, as the Terminator says Scorpion’s iconic “Get over here!”, grabbing Jax mid-air by the ankle to finish off the move.
Terminator's Fatality And Movie Homages
The quality of the voice actor was something that fans were worried about following the news that Schwarzenegger himself would not be lending his own voice to the role. However, the voice actor chosen appears to be a perfect fit for the role. It clearly isn’t Arnold, but it still sounds great.
The fatality shown in the gameplay trailer raises a few questions. It begins with the Terminator using the shotgun to take out both kneecaps belonging to Jax, but then, we see that a message from the Terminator’s perspective that states “Time Sphere Imminent.”
Jax is teleported through time into the future and killed by another T-800 presumably controlled by Skynet.
In this way, the Terminator character did not directly kill Jax. Will the other fatalities also indirectly cause the deaths of an opponent? If so, what about brutalities? It is an interesting point to consider until the character is released, and we know for sure, especially because Arnold Schwarzenegger has long been against violent video games.
One possible solution to that concern might have been to include the Terminator but exclude the killing of opponents. It may be possible, though that goes against what the rest of the game is in spirit. On the other hand, if the cost of having this character in the game is no killing, that is absolutely a fair trade-off.
Early access for the Terminator begins on October 8, so while we only have a tease right now, he’ll be back!
Source: mortalkombat.com