Reptile - Like it. It's closer to MK1-Trilogy and MKSM's version on Reptile, and somehow manages to twist his MK4 incarnation in there nicely. There's some sort of pursian twist that the chain mall and rags produce though, which is something I don't particular like. There is also a quality about this design that strives to keep the reptilian aspect of his character secretive... that could be the chain mall again, I guess. Mainly because when I look at it, I can almost hear the sound effect of the chain mall *ching!* when Reptile spits acid or luanches his toungue.
Is it better than the one in the game? I think it's better than Reptiles primary costume, but not the alternate costume. I really like Reptile's MK9 Alternate alot. I think what this design would need to sing would be to hide his reptilian skin, scales, and get rid of the clawed attributes.
I'm old school so, the appeal to Reptile for me is that this monstrosity is there, but you have to wait and work for it. Then, the excitement about that fact is that you will be surprised to see how they present something like the face of this design pops out at you periodically during a match.
Johnny Cage - Isn't this basically what's in the game verbatim? Nix the shorts for the pants that he has on in-game? I don't like it either way I guess. I like
JAX007's 2010 Johnny Cage concept, and the
Miami Vice-like concept art for Johnny from MK9.
By now I kinda feel like we should maybe have to work for his shirt to come off, or have that shirtless costume be DLC.
Cyrax - No complaints. This again, seems to me like essentially what made it into the game. I like the cyclops-like vizer Vincent gives us here, but idk if I can correctly visualize what that would translate to in-game.
I do like this interpretation of him better than what's in the game though. Because it's cleaner, sleeker, and seems more like a functional work of art instead of what's in MK9.
Mileena - Looks far better than what's in the game. It's sexy, functional, and is character specific. Only thing I might change about Vincent's version of her here is, give her the heel she has in MK9 instead of that merged heel. That is all.
Sub-Zero (new/white fur) - Do not approve. Seems like a few too many ideas mixed together to me. Looks like a fury mess with metal in places they should be, but designs carved in them all wrong. That's too much for my taste. As such, I like what's in the game all the way better than this one.
Nightwolf - MAKE HIM LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THIS PICTURE PLEASE. In the game, he's too bulky-looking. In-game, Nightwolf needs to mirror Sal from back in MK3-T. His height, weight, how calm he looks but with the aggressively designed and bright red tattoos, the whited out eyes from back then....all of that.
Now, from Vincent's concept here, I love the ponytails, the feathers
(where and how they are placed), the headband is rightly designed and placed, the jewelry, armbands and stuff like that is all beautify depicted.
Makes him look like a regular dude...until you look at him again, and realize that there's something else going on with why a person might wear stuff like that.
The way he has things on the character in this picture suggests that there must be some meaning behind each item Nightwolf is wearing. Should get a little spooky if he ever explained any of it to us in a live action film// t.v. show, or somewhere in a story/konquest mode.
Raiden - Said all this before because I've seen this image before but, I'll say it again. I like the feeling of it, but don't much care for the actual design itself. Screw you buddy
(in general, not anyone specifically) but hey, I like the hat alot, ok? It's very reminiscent of the character
Lightning, from Big Trouble in Little China, AND THAT"S WHAT I WANT. I used the same hat on my created character in MKA, and I would love to see at least some kind of alt in a future game with it on Raiden.
Especially because, the way I had my created character set up, my character had on all the blacks and browns and silvers. LIKE THAT MOVIE. It looked slick. It looked good when lightning was summoned and thrown...it looked good in-game already. And let's be honest, MKA's graphics were not anywhere near top notch. So, I'd love to see it.
What I mean when I say I like how Vincents image here feels, is that it presents Raiden really "God-like". Which excuse me but, Raidens a God, right? So, do it! lol The only game(s) that got this quality right for Raiden was MK1, maybe the still images of Raiden in MK2, and then they designed him
well enough in MKDA. The thing about the MKDA design though, is it was subjected to the "cartoony texturing" practices of that time. But, for that games time period, it looked alright. This image makes Raiden look more realistic, and has an awe inspiring quality about it. This character handles lighting so, I think it fits really well that whenever we see him in the game, he should be seen that way.
Things about Vincents image here that I'm not particularly fond of is:
a.) The clothes flying all over like that. Seems like too much clothes, and as such, closer to something like a Fujin concept art.
b.) The colorful jewels and extravagant designs all over his vest, guards, and that weapon. For this, I'd go alot closer to what the first MK movie did, where
Christopher Lambert played Raiden. The texture of his garments were good enough. I'm not saying that absolutely no designs should be there but, simplify that stuff if its there.
c.) That weapon and the penny loafers have to go. Raidens weapon is the staff. Period. He's had a mallet but, I personally didn't like that for Raiden after the staff had already been established from MK1,2, and 3. When it ws introduced in MK4, it just kinda made this fact inconsistent out of the blue. So, staff only, please.
I like the footwear they've been giving him lately
(last two games or so), I'd like to see that stay relatively the same from now on. No toes out, nothing over ridiculous...just kinda as it is. That's fine.
Overall I think it's a nice reimagining of MK1 Raiden but, it's not so much Raiden. That's not him.
That all said, I like this image better than Raiden's primary in MK9, but the Alternate costume in game blows this concept out of the water.
Sonya - I like her shirt... Nothing else really works for me. I mean, I guess the style is right, but there's too little where there needs to be more
(pants man...com'on), and there's too much where there needs to be less
(too much weapons and tattoos). She's depicted too young in this image too.
I like what's in MK9 better all the way around. They only really fouled up on her shirt, and those heeled boots iMo.
Scorpion - I am still a huge fan of this Scorpion. It NEEDS to happen in a game. I think Vincents fouls are small, and character specific with this interpretation but, this thing is exactly what I wanted from an undead Hanzo Hassashi.
One or two of the fouls are that the akunai needs to come out of his hand. Not be a mechanical device attatched to his arm. I think it's pretty slick, and should stay looking like that to some capacity, and the harpoon needs to come out of his hand. The other thing I think someone cursed me out for one time is, I'm not too sure the Japanese do the "ring on the finger" thing. Idk about that but I remember someone telling me about myself on that issue.
Everything else is fantastic though. Dead skin tone, washed out and probably stained and ripped up garments, the dead eyes...perfect. Gimme please.
Kano - I like this Kano overall but, he just doesn't fit for an Aussie underworld boss type. He looks like he could be Japanese or Chinese in influence some kind of way. That's just wrong for Kano by now I think.
Sub-Zero old/sword - I LOVE this Sub-Zero so much better than what's in the game. This one gets the same kind of praise from me as the Scorpion design.
I like them so much because they look more realistic like MK1 vs comparing it to....just about every other MK game. This design is more realistic, more practical, and retains the fantasy element just enough. Inxidentally, this Sub-Zero and Scorpion design, glean alot of the same stuff I like about the live action web mini series; Mortal Kombat Legacy. Episodes 7&8, I think it was.
---
Haven't done that in a while, thanks for reading!
/rant
gamertag: jeeringjunk
