I think it's a couple of things.

-After so many games, it's harder and harder for them to impress long time fans with characters that have been in the game several times. But those characters draw casual players, so I think some almost see them as a necessary evil at this point.

-I think trilogy era characters are getting a bit more hate now because MK9 was basically trilogy era fan service with the real or imagined promise that they'd be moving on from the era to a new era, which they certainly seem to be if the comic is any indication. So now there's more of a "seriously? Again?" Vibe from some fans for trilogy reveals.

-Which I think has been compounded by how they've revealed characters. Four new characters plus Scorpion and Sub Zero followed by a string of five trilogy characters and the highly predictable Quan Chi since E3.

Had they mixed the new characters in, I think some people wouldn't be getting fatigued by familiarity. I'm sure an unexpected character or two would also help.

-But some would still be fatigued. It's personal preference. Some people are fatigued by a lot of these characters, especially the more ancillary characters that keep reappearing. Some people never liked Kano or Kung Lao or some of these other characters to begin with.

Most of us have characters we dislike. I personally dislike every new character from MK3 not named Kabal. Some of them strongly.

So yeah, add it all up and I think that's where the negativity comes from. Well, that and some people are just trolls, highly combative, hyper defensive and/or looking for an argument.

Hopefully the backlash against characters will lessen as the game gets closer. This is the best time of the waiting season, when the hype flows. Plus, there's so much left to see! I'm hoping some of those put off will be appeased at some point.

But they can't please everyone. Some that love Reptile could hate the next reveal and so on. I just try to enjoy the lead up as much as possible and let those that can't or choose not to be happy do their own thing, but that's just me.

I have a feeling the next character will be fighting Reptile in the next trailer. It seems to have this trend these days on the trailers.

Probably not, I just happen to be partial to designs that lean more towards Man-Lizard vs Lizard-Man if that makes any sense. Especially with the head and face. To me if you make Reptile too bestial in appearance he just looks like a generic Lizard-Man character. Also as an aside (and not directed at Darkhound74), regarding butthurt over character reveals (or whatever really). I've tried to say this over the years but if someone is obviously trolling or being all emotionally overreactive and shit, just don't respond. I mean I get it's annoying but it actually encourages lame conversation by bumping up and reinforcing the whiny stuff and deters more chill convo. I know it deters me from personally posting here on MKO when I see conversations tip that way. I just can't relate to or care to indulge that kind conversation.

Weeelllll...if you listened to the Netherkast episode where we discussed Reptile... :P

I believe I said MK9 Reptile was my favorite. This version of Reptile looks to just be a more well designed and polished version of that, so I'm digging it.

My least favorite would probably be UMK3 or MKDA. After each "ninja" has come into their own and been further detailed to be more unique from each other, it's hard to look at plain human Reptile from MK2 and be excited. I also didn't care much for the de-evolution of Reptile from Deadly Alliance, I like him better with the MK4/Shaolin Monks/MK9/MKX design approach. Green scaly skin and face, vicious, but with no tail and his ninja outfit on.

I feel like they're the J&J security of Mortal Kombat

I'm sure I did, I just forgot. I've listened to all of them.


Yeah me too. I dug the monstrous MK:A default design but I respect the lean towards "raptor face".


Yup, same here. That whole "de-evolution Dragon king" business was bad in my eyes.

Reptile usually causes a shitstorm whenever he's revealed. He's in the same boat as Smoke; legions of people are fans of one form or another; and there's no real way to keep everyone happy. But the design he's got going on right now pulls from a lot of his prior looks and combines them into something nice, methinks.

Now, I've been saying lately that if all that awaits Reptile is more abuse at the hands of a cruel overlord, then I rather he not show up at all. But that doesn't seem likely to happen this time:

For all that we've seen of Kotal Kahn in the comics and solicits for upcoming issues, it can be discerned that he's somebody who actually gives a shit about his allies, who'll go so far as to avenge their deaths. Needless to say, that's the kind of guy Reptile needs to rally under; someone who has every intention of keeping their word, and it looks like Kotal is that guy.

I don't know if Mileena and Reiko cast him out or tried to kill him, or he decided they weren't worth his time (god I'd love that to be the case), but I'm optimistic that he's wound up with Kotal. Let's see where it takes him. He'll never be a leader, or have the brains to strike out on his own, but he may be on a decent path for once.

...It's a strange thing when we as a community can sympathize with a vicious, crazed, flesh-eating lizard monster.

All Reptile really needs is a hug.

.......One of you go first.

So many people complain that Reptile's story never changes -- that he's always a henchman working for someone who promises to restore his race, and never gets anywhere. Same kind of thing with Scorpion, and often Baraka.

Now here's a big question for you guys: Why are you picking so hard on these characters in particular?

Tanya apparently has a shitload of fans who want her back, but she exhibits the exact same behavior pattern. She teams up with the bad guy of the year and loses. Johnny Cage, Sonya, Jax, Jade, Kung Lao... none of these guys have ever really evolved in their roles in any significant way, but a lot of people love them, and only Cage seems to have a notable share of haters (because of his personality, not his story). Reiko didn't do shit and people are climbing all over him.

So why are we picking on Reptile so much in proportion to the other guys? And for that matter, what kind of specific progression do you want to see from him? Does he become the leader of his repopulated race -- thus following the exact same line as Sub-Zero, Kitana, Sektor, and now Scorpion? That seems way too predictable.

What if he moved up in "rank" from being Shao Kahn's pet? Like, what if he got promoted to full-on general and got to commit genocide against entire worlds, like in MK4? Or what if he discovered a key to the secrets of his past, like in MKDA? Or shit, maybe he could even discover that he's the Chosen One to house the spirit of the original Dragon King of Outworld?

Or if you reeeeally wanna give him his race back, why not have him live out his actual story from MKA when he works with the Red Dragon to clone back his fucking race in the only way he can.

I'm not going to pretend that the developers haven't made some shaky decisions with their story, but Jesus Christ, it's not as bad as some people are making it out to be. Reptile has seen more shit in this game than almost any other character, and somehow it's not enough. I'm looking at complaints in this thread that his gameplay looks the same as before, that it looks boring, when he's vomiting acid traps and throwing people around with his freaking tongue. I'm looking at complaints that his costume is boring (wuh?) and looks too much like his MK9... but no one can agree on what kind of look would be better. Right now, Kano, Kitana, and (sort of) Quan Chi are the only returning characters with designs that go way beyond the normal level of updating (largely because characters generally don't need off-the-wall updates), and Reptile's bone armor is entirely new to the series.

Come on, people. I hate to sound like an apologist all the time, but it seems like the internet has spawned an entire subculture that conflates "critical thinking" with "being critical." I'm not even wanting people to just shut up and enjoy. I'd simply rather see more critiques that are less reactionary.

See @Shadaloo brings up a good point and for me it's always one of the biggest difficulties MK has with it's overall narrative: character development for the "side characters". Reptile has a decent origin story (oppressed by Shao Kahn and forced into servitude) but after establishing that, it's like NRS never knows what to do with Reptile AND can't devote enough screen time to explore his motivations.

Some good coherent writing could maximize and at least try to expand upon side-characters in a narrative that places heavy emphasis on other characters but, NRS writing isn't always coherent.

Starting to think Tanya won't make it now

You're way too reasonable for this community. Please leave.

12 hours later and yet more quarrels being had. Life is good heh

Brownies are better than cookies.

Guess I'm getting old or maybe the ppl on here are just getting younger.



I took the time to go back and rewatch most of the character reveal videos for MKX shown thus far. By doing that, you're able to appreciate Kung Lao, Kitana and Reptile a lot more because you will realize that you have seen close to nothing of these new reveals compared to the other characters revealed.

My point is that you guys should wait before judging any of them, especially Reptile. After Thursday's big reveal and variations breakdown, I think most of you will be SOLD.

The game needs lackeys regardless. It would be nice to see Reptile get some love in the comic or game though.

That Throw is too funny. Especially with the suckerpunch at the end.

Real talk, anyone who shits on Reptile in MKX can

I don't hate Reptile, but this reveal was rather weak. He is less changed than most of the shown characters, his gameplay is a heavily enhanced take on his MK9's (even the uppercut is kinda ... 100% the same) and then they put him head to head with King Lao, with a goofy intro conversation.

I welcome his return, but I think by far this is the weakest reveal.

"Ladies and gentleman...

Llllllllet's get rrrrready to suck ittttttttttt"

People judging gameplay before variations are shown is lolworthy.

And this isn't necessarily directed at you, but I don't recall people bitching about Kitana's moves all being the same in her trailer a few weeks back, so this site is filled to the brim with hypocrites it seems.

This made me laugh harder than it should have

At least Reptile is capable of speech rather than snarls and growls

The trailer has grown on me a little. I still have the "meh" feeling. But that is simply because I was expecting more. From all other characters we've seen before Reptile seem to have more new stuff going for them BUT that may have to do with the face that we haven't seen Reptiles variations (Then again I haven't seen Kitanas either).

Many moves he has is still the same old. While not being a negative thing, might not be superpositive either = meh, in the middle.
His looks are very similar to his MK9. This is also kind of a meh thing. I think we all expected him to change more(both more in the lizardway and more in the human way). But his looks is absolutely not bad. He looked good in MK9 and the same goes for MKX.

His fatality feels like there's nothing new or any wowfactor to it, but then again we haven't seen all of it.

Down the line he will probably be my fav anyway :)
NRS, reveal Sheeva, Jade, Sektor and Kabal next! I expect a BIG WOW from Sheevas reveal :)

My God there are some serious assholes on this forum. Leaving aside calling a game we know less than 50% of 'samey' and accusing NRS of lacking effort and not changing anything from MK9 despite a radical overhaul of the actual content of the game, including a massive balancing job complete with 300 professional testers and a massive redesign of pretty much every character, imagine comparing someone to Fred Phelps over his opinion on a fucking video game? How much of a dickhead do you have to be for that to be your mental process? Some people on this forum are the most entitled fucking brats on the entire internet