A new Mortal Kombat 11 Shao Kahn trailer from NetherRealm Studios has finally shown off gameplay of the pre-order bonus character.
The former emperor of Outworld returns in MK11 with some enhancements to his signature moves. As in past games, Shao Kahn swings a mighty hammer around to crush his foes’ skulls. However, this time he no longer just uses the hammer for a few moves. Instead, Shao Kahn constantly wields it, ready to swing it at a moments notice.
Additionally, Shao Kahn seems to also be able to summon a spear. The trailer shows Shao Kahn using this to skewer his opponents both from afar and at close range. Both weapons play part in his fatality.
His use of the hammer seems to indicate that Shao Kahn is a character can dominate the neutral game, thanks to the weapon’s reach. Indeed, the trailer shows a number of moves that can let Shao Khan hit opponents from farther out. Meanwhile, opponents trying to jump in on him risk getting impaled by the spear.
In addition to this, the trailer also demonstrates Shao Kahn’s classic call-outs and taunts. Series veterans will recall that Shao Khan actually served as the announcer of earlier games. It was Shao Kahn telling the player to “Finish Him” at the end of a match, and the one saying “you suck” when a player loses. Indeed, Shao Khan actually says the latter in the trailer. However, the end of the trailer does confirm that Shao Kahn isn’t the announcer in MK11.
When Mortal Kombat 11 launches on April 23, Shao Kahn will be available to players who pre-ordered the game. As with previous pre-order bonus characters, NetherRealm is bound to have him available for purchase as DLC.
For those looking to see more Shao Kahn gameplay before launch, NetherRealm will be breaking him down in a “Kombat Kast’ on April 22.
In the meantime, check out the Mortal Kombat Shao Kahn trailer below.
