Mortal Kombat X gets the Xenomorph, Leatherface, and a few old favourites

Sonya Blade

Much like her on-again, off-again husband, Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade has undergone quite the transformation in MKX. In addition to locating a tank top, she is a much more well-rounded and fully realized character than in any MK game prior. Shes also an ass-kicking mom who can summon attack drones to harass her opponents from all over the screen. By fighting in conjunction with her drones, theres nowhere for the opponent to hide.

Kenshi

Take the blinded Neo from the end of The Matrix Revolutions and give him a samurai sword. That's pretty much Kenshi in a nutshell, the sightless telepath who can move things with his mind. Depending on which variation you select, Kenshi's able to send out harmful spirit projections, wield his sword like a telekinetic lightsaber, or summon a scythe-wielding demon for some devastating combos. He's also got some of the most sadistic Fatalities in the game, which really don't match his usual calm-and-collected demeanor.

Kitana

The blue-clad Edenian princess is back, and she's royally pissed. Using her twin bladed fans, Kitana can slice and dice opponents from afar or up close, and she has dominant control of the air when played correctly. If you're disappointed that Jade isn't back for MKX, don't worry - Kitana's Mournful variations is an homage to her green-clad compatriot, complete with all of Jade's classic staff-wielding, boomerang-chucking moves. The Assassin variation gives Kitana an equally interesting new tactic: the ability to parry attacks.

Scorpion

Scorpion is still a beast in MKX, without being the overwhelming juggernaut he was in the previous Mortal Kombat. Teleporting? Check. Lighting people on fire? Check. Get over here? Double check. All the classic moves are there, but theyre split up between the three variations available to each character. This means its a bit tougher to cheese your way through a fight using special moves alone. Trust us, weve tried.

Sub-Zero

Sub-Zero (aka Scrub-Zero, aka Is-that-Steve-Blum) is cruise control for cool when it comes to putting your opponent on ice. This frosty ninjas arsenal of ice attacks will have the other player shaking in their boots. Using his expert ice sculpting skills, Sub-Zero can whip up a sword or an entire sculpture of himself in mere moments, before breaking those items upside someones head. Guess its time for them to chill out.

Mileena

Kitana's razor-toothed sister/clone/tormenter is a bit more toned down in MKX - which, if you remember her ridiculous bandages-only outfit from MK9, is definitely a good thing. Mileena finally has some lips to cover a few of those pointy mandibles, so it actually makes sense that she'd be able to speak intelligibly. As for her fighting style, her lightning-fast rolls and high-low sai projectiles can kill the opponent before they know what hit 'em.

Takeda Takahashi

Kenshi's wise-cracking son is one of four members of the secret Special Forces squad that's central to the story, showing off what this new generation of MK fighters is capable of. Takeda's style blends the Shirai Ryu training he learned from a certain yellow-clad master with arm-mounted whips, making him like the techno-ninja version of Omega Red. Oh, and just FYI: you have to be in the air to activate his X-Ray attack.

Cassie Cage

The de facto leader of the new-gen super-squad, Cassie is quite clearly the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, given both her attitude and fighting style. She's got all the military training and natural-born leadership inherent to her mother, mixed with the witty (and completely cheesy) one-liners and cockiness of her father. Cassie has even got her own version of Johnny's iconic groin punch, even yelling out "Ding! Dong!" when she drives home a one-two combo to the opponent's crotch.

Kung Jin

The descendant of the great Kung Lao, Kung Jin rounds out Cassie's team with his Shaolin monk training and education in the ways of Outworld. He may be cocky, but Kung Jin has the skills to back up all his taunting, wielding a person-sized bow that also doubles as a bone-cracking staff. When he's not firing off arrows to the point that you look like a human pincushion, Kung Jin can get all up in your grill with his dive kick and leg-sweeping bow swings.

Shinnok

Ever since (spoilers) Shao Kahn got zapped by the Elder Gods at the end of MK9, Earthrealm has really been wanting for a megalomaniacal tyrant who could scheme to take it all over. Enter Shinnok, the fallen Elder God who's as sinister as he is pale. Shinnok serves as the main antagonist in MKX's story mode, and you'll get a closer look into how he's essentially the Emperor Palpatine of the Mortal Kombat universe.

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