Mortal Kombat: Kahn's Konquest

Mortal Kombat: Kahn's Konquest is an upcoming real-time strategy game for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is co-developed by Netherrealm Studios and Electronic Arts, due to be released in early 2014.

The game is a departure for the Mortal Kombat series, having previously consisted mainly of fighting games and several action-adventure titles, and serves as a spiritual successor to EA's The Lord Of The Rings: The Battle For Middle-earth series. The game's story follows Shao Kahn's days prior to becoming Emperor of Outworld and his quest to dethrone Onaga, the Dragon King.

Gameplay
Mortal Kombat: Kahn's Konquest is a real-time strategy game. Similar to The Lord Of The Rings: The Battle For Middle-earth, the game requires that the player build a base with structures to produce units, gather resources, research upgrades, and provide defenses. Units are used to attack the enemy and defend the player's base. Players win matches by eliminating all enemy units and structures. As well as units, players are able to recruit "Heroes" to assist them in battle. The games HUD shows the player's hero units and their abilities, a mini-map, and objectives.

Hero units are unique in that only one of each can be created; they consist of characters from the Mortal Kombat series, such as Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Liu Kang, Sonya Blade and others. These heroes level up and gain new abilities through defeating opposing units. Higher-level abilities have incredibly destructive capabilities. For example, Liu Kang's level ten ability allows him to transform into a dragon, giving him bonus HP, defense and damage against structures, while Shinnok's final ability calls forth an army of skeletal warriors to assist the player.

Mortal Kombat: Kahn's Konquest features four factions with their own unique units and heroes. The four factions are: Earthrealm, Outworld, the Netherrealm and Edenia. Each faction has different strengths and weaknesses. The Netherrealm, for example, features cheap but easily dispatched units that are most effective in large numbers, such as Oni and Zombies, while Outworld's units specialise in siege warfare, utilising the strength of Shokan and Centaur warriors. They also have the benefit of the highest number of hero units. Earthrealm's units are the best all-rounders, featuring an eclectic range of Shaolin Monks, Lin Kuei warriors and the Outer World Investigation Agency's military units, while Edenians focus on a mix of defensive and ranged attacks with Royal Guards, Archers and Sorcerors.

As the game follow's Shao Kahn's rise to power through the single-player story mode, Outworld is the only faction available for use. However, in single-player skirmish and multiplayer modes, all factions are available for use. In single-player mode, the player has primary and secondary objectives to complete across various levels and the completion of secondary objectives unlocks bonus hero units in skirmish and multiplayer modes. In true Mortal Kombat fashion, many levels are brand new and some will be redesigns of classic levels from the series. The Pit, for example -- previously a thin bridge overlooking a pit of spikes and redesigned to be a square platform in Mortal Kombat: Deception -- is now wide enough for a platoon of troops to cross, with space to build on either side.

Development
Netherrealm Studios wished to try something new with the Mortal Kombat series following Mortal Kombat (2011). A strategy game seemed like an interesting idea and, wishing to use The Lord Of The Rings: The Battle For Middle-earth games as a template, Netherrealm Studios contacted Electronic Arts. EA was of a similar mind to Netherrealm Studios but because their licensing deal with New Line Cinema (holders of the Lord Of The Rings license) had expired in early 2011, they were unable to continue the Battle For Middle-earth series. The idea of a strategy game set in the Mortal Kombat universe appealed to EA and members of their development team worked closely with Netherrealm Studios to ensure it was close to the Battle For Middle-earth series.

EA's assistance was vital in balancing the various factions. For example, there was a risk of Outworld having a significant advantage over the other factions, owing to the large potential for varied units. EA helped trim down the types of units for Outworld and implemented a unique feature where the player must make a choice between using Shokans or Centaurs; once a building belonging to one species has been created, buildings for the other species become unavailable. However, to make sure Outworld was still viewed as a significantly powerful faction, many characters aren't available for other factions to use; Johnny Cage, Kurtis Stryker and Kabal have been intentionally left out for Earthrealm, for example. Likewise, Edenia has the smallest number of hero units but very quick build and research times.

Hero Units
Outworld
 * Shao Kahn
 * Shang Tsung
 * Goro +
 * Kintaro +
 * Sheeva +
 * Motaro ~
 * Reiko
 * Baraka
 * Ermac
 * Reptile
 * Mileena
 * Kano

+ Only available if the player chooses Shokan structures.

~ Only available if the player chooses Centaur structures.

Earthrealm Netherrealm Edenia Bonus Hero Units
 * Raiden
 * Liu Kang
 * Kung Lao
 * Sub-Zero
 * Jax
 * Sonya Blade
 * Nightwolf
 * Shinnok
 * Quan Chi
 * Scorpion
 * Noob Saibot
 * Moloch
 * Drahmin
 * Sindel
 * Kitana
 * Jade
 * Rain
 * Tanya

Bonus hero units are usable by any faction and are unlocked by completing secondary objectives in the single-player story mode. Once unlocked, they are selectable in skirmish and multiplayer modes while the player selects their faction and map. In addition to the above, all units draw from the mythology of the Mortal Kombat universe. For example, Earthrealm has Cryomancers with the ability to slow and freeze enemy units, Outworld's Tarkatans can cause bleed damage and critical hits and one of the Netherrealm's siege units is the Orochi Hellbeast from Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks.
 * Bo' Rai Cho
 * Johnny Cage
 * Li Mei
 * Stryker
 * Havik
 * Kenshi
 * Kabal
 * Cyrax
 * Sektor
 * Smoke
 * Fujin
 * Onaga, the Dragon King