Sub-Zero's alternate costume is Bi-Han's (The Original Sub-Zero) costume. If you listen he even has Noob Saibot's voice set, only he sounds less wraith-like. I thought that was interesting.

Of the characters you listed, the only one I really like is Scorpion's alternate. It's his best design since his Deception primary; It's simple, but it works.

Liu Kang looks like Liu Kang, it's just uninteresting. Both of Kung Lao's costumes looked better in Deadly Alliance. Sub-Zero's primary also just seems like a poor remake of his Deadly Alliance alternate. They've been using that DA mask design for a while now, and it's never looked as good as it did in that game for some reason. It might be the face that's worse, actually.

Before anyone pulls out a "WELL THAT'S YOUR OPINION!!!", obviously it's my opinion, or I wouldn't be saying it.

Null

Let's see here...

SCORPION
Primary - I really like it. The hood and the mask are real nice touches, given that they look like a scorpion. The chest and gauntlets are pretty nice as well. It's a clean outfit for Scorpion, something we haven't seen in far too long. 9/10

Alternate - I strongly dislike the hood. Makes him look like he has a pompadour. The mask is better than the one on the primary, but the rest of the outfit is average to me. 6/10

LIU KANG
Primary - It's about what we've come to expect from Liu Kang, pretty similar to his MK3 look. At least he isn't a zombie here. 7/10

Alternate - Not feeling this one. It's weird seeing Liu Kang all covered up. It's also weird that I just said that. I'm rambling. Whatever. 4/10

KUNG LAO
Primary - Nicely done. Not too busy, I like the color palette they chose, looks clean. Doesn't blow me away, though. 8.5/10

Alternate - ... you mean they aren't the same outfit? Way too similar to the primary. It's kind of a mix of his MK2, MKSM, and MKDA (alt) costumes, but I'd rather have seen something more original here. 5/10

SUB-ZERO
Primary - Love it. Good job sticking with the MKDA/MKA template and making enough changes to give it a new feel. I'm a big fan of what they did here. The belt and upper arm pieces are nice as well. 10/10

Alternate - It's kind of plain, but it works. I'll take anything that isn't Shredder-Zero (MKD primary/MKA alt) or Grandpa Subby (MKDA primary/MKD alt) at this point, anyway. 6.5/10

Scorpion:

PRIMARY: Too saturated and looks a bit stiff, uncomfortable to wear. 3/5

ALTERNATE: No major complaints. 4/5


Liu Kang:

PRIMARY: Nice and simple, works just fine for Liu. 4/5

ALTERNATE: Something newish for Liu and it's really good, but like Garlador once said, that revealed nipple is a bit disturbing lol. 4/5


Kung Lao:

PRIMARY: Great update of his 3D era look. It's stylish and it's got enough details to keep it interesting. When something is great, why change it. 5/5

ALTERNATE: As a costume for itself it's fine, but in combination with the primary this one is just not different enough and therefore redundant. The costume itself is not bad however. 4/5


Sub-Zero:

PRIMARY: While Subby has had some 5+ looks in the past, the new costume is not bad either. It's simple but it still has some lovely details like the armor and the bandages. Love the shade of blue. 5/5

ALTERNATE: Just boring and plain. 2/5


Looking forward to the next batch!

Great thread! I hope you update soon with the Next Round of character costumes.

A friendly suggestion that would make your thread better and probably more popular: It would be great if you could add one good shot of each character's costume for everyone to see every time you make an update.

If you don't mind me doing it, I'll go ahead and edit your post with one good picture for each of those characters you posted. You can than do it yourself for the rest of your Rounds or I can happily help you out with good sized pictures that fit your post, look pretty, and show off the characters.

If you don't like this idea, please don't worry, let me know, and I'll remove the pictures right away.

It makes your thread more interesting and "accessible" than it already is. Having the character costumes "visible" from the let go allows people to go deeper into their evaluations of each costume. It might take a bit more time for you, but, it pays off.

Anyway, here is my analysis:

Liu Kang Primary: 7.5/10

A nice update from his classic look. Nothing too exciting or amazing to make us go 'wow', but, definitely a costume that works for him. I would have had a serious problem with it if his alternate would have NOT been (finally) something unique and original. I've been wanting something different for Liu for a long time, and, thankfully, his alternate delivered.

Liu Kang Alternate: 10/10

Absolutely flawless. Finally a distinctive, unique, and very different look for Liu Kang. Something he's never really had before and that truly works well. I love it and I hope that if he ever returns they take inspiration from this look and forget all about the primary.

Scorpion Primary: 10/10

I'm not going to lie, thanks to his new look in MKvsDC I actually found some lost interest on Scorpion. I absolutely loved his costume in that game and MK9 improved it quite nicely. The ninja bores me and his past looks have simply not done it for me, however, the lovely attention to detail in this game really made him stand out. I'm a big fan of his costume and I think they did great.

I still think it's about time that they took him to a whole new level though. His Monster Costume in MKD will forever remain as my favorite. It's a real shame they never used that one.

Scorpion Alternate: 7.5/10

A great alternate. Not my favorite, not jaw-dropping like his primary, but, still a nice update of his past looks that made me fall asleep before.

Kung Lao Primary: 6/10

The costume itself is great and it looked lovely back in MKSM. However, I was surprisingly annoyed at how boring it looks for this game. Its exactly the same thing we've seen before. There really was little to no innovation with his look.

Again, its a lovely costume that would have gotten a 9/10 back in the MKSM days, but, considering that it was sort of re-used again, well, I couldn't help but to feel bored.

Kung Lao Alternate: 7/10

Definitely an improvement because it feels new and fresh. It's a nice look that could have done with a few more detailed additions here and there, but, this costume is something fresh to look at and I don't feel like I'm going back to MKSM.

Sad thing is, it looks much better in his concept art than it actually does in the game, for some reason. In the game it looks a bit too dark while the concept art makes him stand out more.

Sub-Zero Primary: 5.5/10

Honestly, I prefer Sub-Zero over Scorpion any day, but, this time around, I was really disappointed by the lack of novelty or freshness that this character provided. Overall, this feels like something I've seen before and that could have been better. His MKD Shredder look easily got him a 10/10 from me and I was a huge fan of his fantastic MKDA designs.

This one, ironically, is superior in details, but, overall, it just doesn't stand out to my eyes.

Sub-Zero Alternate: 9/10

It's fresh and new despite the little resemblance it has to his classic looks. The awesome "goth" style/approach is fantastic and this definitely feels like the strongest costume of the two. Quite stylish, imo. I absolutely love the random straps/belts around his waist. Looks awesome.

Looking forward to your next round!

All I know is that I love Smoke's, Noob Saibot's, Rain's, Sektor's and Mileena's primarys (Even if I do use their klassic kostumes most of the time...except Mileena for obvious reasons.)

It's nice to know your opinion, but, those characters are currently not under discussion.

It would be great if you spoke about the current costumes that we are all debating: Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Sub-Zero, and Scorpion. What is your opinion on those costumes?

The rest will come in due time.

okay then.


Scorpion (I don't know how to make things bold)
I like it a lot. Very detailed and looks nice. I love the scorpion stinger designs on the sword handle, the shoulder pads and the shin gaurds. The scorpion on his mask was a nice touch too.

But it all looks a little too gimmicky for Scorpion.


For his alt, I don't really like it very much. I don't know why though.



Sub-Zero

It's okay

Nothing really spectacular though. One thing I noticed is that in that picture, the art sketches, those blue ribbons didn't make the final cut.

His alt is bland as can be.



Liu Kang

It is really cool and it fits Liu Kang. The arm gaurds he has are cool.

His alt, I freaking hate it. Liu Kang should be shirtless, it's one of his trademarks. With Taylor Loutner its fucking annoying but with Liu Kang he's been like that since 1992. That and I hate the ponytail.

Kung Lao


I like it for the most part, but they just kopied it from Shaolin Monks.

His alt, I freaking hate it too. It just doesn't look right on Kung Lao.

Edit: nvm misread.

You know what I don't like about Liu Kang's costume (even though I do like his alternate this one issue aside) it's that it draws your attention to his nipple like 9 times out of 10 much like what the vest does on Lieutenant Boobs.

Liu Kang's Primary is refreshing in that it's not the same pants we kept on seeing throughout the series (apparently he was even buried in that thing). This new look however is sort of similar to the original but it looks much cooler.

Scorpion:

Primary: This is my all-time least favborite Scorpion costume. It looks silly, sloppy and overdone. The over use of the Scorpion elements make it one of the worst designs I have seen in this series.

Alternate: This is a costume from him I really like, but those gauntelets and those unecessary Scorpion-like elements take away from the appeal of it.

Sub-Zero:

Primary: When I first saw it, I loved it. This is one of his best looks and the Cryo Mask works well with it. The only thing I don't get is the purpleish wraps under the torso gear, that is ontop of the hood.

Alternate: BI-Han's costume is really neat and I think it's one of the best. Of all the costumes the Original Sub-Zero wore, this is his top look. THe only thing I'd change is the random straps around his waist; they look tacky and chaotic.

Liu Kang:

Primary: This is my favorite and by far the best of all of Liu Kang's costumes. It's fresh and unique, while keeping the familiarity of the character. The one think that takes away from it is the base model wearing it.

Alternate: This is another unique costume in the game, and it's really neat. It's new and shows his Shaolin roots. Not better than his Zombie or Spirit forms, but still pretty good.

Kung Lao:

Primary: This costume is nto one of my favorites, and I hate he way the pants look, but it does have a nice color scheme.

Alternate: This is one of my favorite costumes for him, and it's tied with his MKDA Primary costuem as my all-time favorite for KL. It's not perfect, and I think it needs another armband and a loincloth.

Nice, albeit short analysis of the four characters' outfits. I agree with some, disagree with some, but overall nice job. You are being constructive instead of just going "Nyeh nyeh, this sucks!" which I think is the best way to approach something like this. So kudos to you. ^^

Yeah I realized mine were short as well so I think I'm going to add on to the first four later.

Well, I do understand that you don't want to make a novel for each character costume. It's about finding that balance, what is too much, what is too less... And don't just write something if you don't have more to say. :P

I think mainly I should concentrate on looks, uniqueness, and how it fits the character.

I don't get your logic.

I don't think Liu Kang should be shirtless in every costume he wears, and I think he should have a primary wearing a shirt or a jacket of some kind...

-------
Also,

I don't recall see seeing it mentioned we just had to discuss the characters he felt adding at this time.

Not to mention the pics slow it down for me.

Awesome thread!
(I know how to bold but I'm on a iPod and too lazy)

Scorpion Primary:

Love it!!!! The mask is amazing and I would pay $1000 for one lol.
The hood is also awesome and really goes with the mask and the rest of his outfit, I love the Scorpion like designs on everything he is wearing it is a great touch and this is by far the best costume he's ever had. The swords are brutal! Great addition and I hope he keeps them. His torso is very cool the design on it is mind mindblowingly gnarly! (havent used that word on like 10 years). Scorpions belt is epic, as are his shin guards. Love the skulls.

11/10
Scorpion Alt.:

If I were to sum it up into one word, that word would be "Jizztasticinmypantsblowmymindoutbutnotasgoodashisprimary"
His head has too much going on, I don't like the hood it's to glossy. The mask is great not as good as his primary tho.
That's all I have to say about this one.

9.0/10

Sub-Zero Primary:

It's a great costume for him, I'm getting tired of the Cyromancer mask tho. I wish they kept that bandana this he had in his render that would've been epic. It's an awesome update and definitely fits Kuai Liang tho. I'm glad his arms aren't frozen again that was just plain dumb I thought. It's sorta bland and as some have said, I feel like I've seen it before.

7.5/10

Sub-Zero Alt.:

Wow, love it love it love it LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!
Everything on this costume is fucking awesome, the mask is really gnarly (did it again)! The belts around his waist are very cool and without them this costume wouldve been too bland. Love how it's Bi Han's voice and the costume definetly fits him and I wish for the into he would say "Feel Deaths Cold Imbrace!" as stated above.
One of my favorite costumes in the game hands down.

11/10

Liu Kang Primary:

Feels like a revamped MK3 look and fits him well. Um....that's it haha very Liu Kang-y.

5/10

Liu Kang Alt.:

I prefer this over his primary it's nice to see him dressed in something different for once (not counting MK4) and I love this costume for him, even more Liu Kang-y!!!
(I don't like Liu Kang very much so I don't have much to say)

7.6/10

Kung Lao Primary:

Like Liu Kang, feels like a revamped MK2/3. I don't like his vest very much but I think the sashes are a nice touch. His blue pants are awesome brings me back to the old MK2 days... also MK:DA days... *cough*
Not much of a change but fits.

6.9(lol)/10

Kung Lao Alt.:

Waaayyy better than the primary!! I use it all the time and this is my number 2 favorite costume next to Subby's Alt. The cloth isn't there so when he does his 2nd Fatality it doesn't look like the cloth is not affected by a razor sharp blade.
Tip of the hat to this costume! (pun intended)

10/10

Overall these are the best costume designs ive ever seen in a MK game, can't wait till your next updat with more characters!

Scorpion:
His primary is one of my favorite costumes in the game. There's nothing silly, or sloppy, or overdone about it. It evokes the animal where he gets his name from and the armor looks like an actual carapace. It's also got a perverse macabre feel to it with things like the spine pattern running down the back and the ribbed gauntlets design for the shins and arm guards. It shows that he's brought back by means of dark magic. All in all it's a great costume that basically tells his resurrection.

His alt is what I'd expect Scorpion to wear if he was still alive. Once again the armor has a carapace feel to it, from the V shaped tabard to the face mask. Everything is meant to show off that exoskeleton. His gauntlets might be a bit much for this outfit though. They seem kind of heavy. My favorite part of the armor though is the undershirt.

Lui Kang:
Not much to actually say regarding his primary. It's certainly an update to his old track pants and kung fu shoes look that he's been sporting for almost 20 years now. I do like that he has the dragon belt though as a sign of his win. The side guards are also a welcome detail. It's not the best look in the game, but it's at least a decent update to a very simple look.

His alt is fantastic though. I like the monk uniform and it's a look that I think he should've been sporting since the very beginning. Why would a representative of the Shaolin Monk society show up to a tournament in a pair of track pants? I love the sashes he's got flowing over his top half, I'd just suggest he wore a rosary of prayer beads.

Kung Lao:
Kung Lao's outfits are a bit weird because it looks like they took his MKDA alt and split it into two different outfits. The colors went into his alt and the form went into the primary. His primary looks good though, it's a much more formal at the top and waist, and he retained his blue pants from his original MK2 look. But let's just be honest right here, his original MK2 look was not much to look at. His alt looks interesting, his tank top looks like he might have gotten it out of a Mickey Finn's No Fear section. I like the black pants with the red leg straps though.

Sub-Zero:
Sub-Zero's main in this game is sold. It's what we've come to expect from him and Scorpion. I wish they kept the long straps that he has in the concept art, but seeing how much trouble Unreal Engine 3 has with long cloth and hair physics, I'm kind of glad they cut those. I like his shoulder guards, but they aren't really needed. His mask is fine, I don't have a wild hare up my ass like most people do with it. It's very slick, the front has an alienware vent look that you might see on one of their tower cases. His arm and shinguards might be a bit too ornate though.

His alt's really simple. It's Bi Han, and it's kind of interesting from a story perspective. I like the sleek arm and shin guards though. I think all the belt straps aren't needed. Reminds me too much of Tetsuya Nomura's characters from the latter Final Fantasy games. The straps on the abdomen are fine, but cut a few down on the legs. The new mask looks good, but it's also used for Noob Saibot, which makes sense, but is also kind of disappointing. And considering that the same costume is used for both, it tarnishes them a bit.

Something I'd like to point out about Kung Lao is that I was extremely disappointed with his face design/model in this game.

Why does he look so old and ugly? Seriously...

He looked fine and I'll go as far to say "sexy" in MKDA. A handsome dude. He looks odd in MK9. I don't mean this as an offense to anyone because I understand he was made to resemble more his "asian" roots, but, Liu Kang (in-game) looks acceptable.

Liu Kang's face, in most of his renders, looks hideous. His in-game appearance is good though.

I think I'm not the first one to point this out. I've read a couple of similar posts concerning Lao's face around.

I think in-game Kung Lao looks fine. HIs vs render isn't doing him any favors though, that's where you really that disconnect and it makes him look much older than he really is.

Scorpion
Primary= 6/10
Alt.= 9/10

Sub Zero
Primary=8/10
Alt.= 6/10

Liu Kang
Primary=7/10
Alt.=6/10

Kung Lao
Primary=8/10
Alt.=5/10

wow i think this is the first time ive seen liu kangs and kung laos alternates lol

I think a big problem with the majority of the alternate costumes in the game is that they're far too similar to the primaries.



I miss that.