Since Mortal Kombat 1 has arrived on multiple platforms, players have been enjoying a powerful roster of characters. Out of these original characters who are from different walks of life, few stand out as completely new entries from different universes. Some of these universes are from beloved comic books and TV Shows, and there’s where Omni-Man makes a mighty entry into the edgy world of Mortal Kombat 1.
The team at NetherRealm Studios has put in quite the focus on Omni-Man’s intricate details; from flying swiftly and dashing opponent’s attacks to reflecting on his Viltrumite-yet-human nature through impeccable voice acting and cutscenes.
How the Design Team Brought Life to Omni-Man’s Character in Mortal Kombat 1
Note: Major spoilers for Invincible and Mortal-Kombat 1
If you’re not familiar with Invincible, you might make some familiar guesses as to how powerful Omni-Man really is. After all, the powerful character completely evades projectiles and attacks in his Viltrumite stance. There are a lot of comparisons to be made with Superman here, but once you’re familiar with the source material and where Omni-Man really gets his behavioral quirks from, you’ll likely tip a hat to NetherRealm Studios’ attention to detail when bringing this character to life in a video game.
In an Xbox Wire article, the lead designer explained the team’s design philosophy for Omni-Man’s gameplay mechanics:
For the most part, every special move we’ve created for Omni-Man in Mortal Kombat 1 relates to something we’ve seen from the show, even down to subtle nuances. During the design process, we compiled tons of references for motions, poses, FX, and sounds to be used as a basis to form a gameplay design. From there, we went into the motion capture studio where tremendous care was taken to capture performances that in some cases exactly match the references we had.
– Nick Nicastro, Design Manager, NetherRealm Studios
Much of Omni-Man’s moveset involves tactical use of speed and strength. Noting the opponent’s movement and then quickly evading in, finally countering it with an even deadlier attack is what makes him faster and stronger in fights. However, even after all the brutalities and fatalities are in place for the extremely powerful anti-hero, there’s a deeper problem that troubles him – his relationship with Earth, and the complicated bond with his son, Mark.
Mortal-Kombat 1’s Omni-Man Shows a Polarity Between Power and Regret for Who He Has Become
It’s not surprising the NeatherRealm worked with Skybound (the people behind the animated adaptation) to make this happen. With that, there’s that ‘aha!’ moment as to why we can see such solid similarities between Omni-Man’s presence in the game and in the show.
One of the things I appreciate and respect the most are all the creative ways Omni-Man exacts his vengeance, something I think we have in common with the Skybound folks, in the sense that we’re constantly thinking about and coming up with creative Fatalities. When coming up with one of the Fatalities for Omni-Man, the choice was just too obvious, and I think it turned out to be one of the best we’ve ever done.
– Nick Nicastro, Design Manager, NetherRealm Studios
Despite all his brutalities, most of Omni-Man’s presence adds to his loyalty to a planet he once called home. In multiple cutscenes towards the end of Mortal Kombat 1’s story. Omni-Man explains how in his home timeline, his mission to pacify Earth for the sake of Viltrum was left incomplete. In order to redeem himself, he tried to deliver Mortal Kombat 1’s timeline instead.
Unfortunately, none of this would truly redeem his failed quest, and you can sense his disappointment from Omni-Man’s voice. What adds to his setback is having to return to Earth once again in order to complete his mission. But this time, he’ll probably face a different, more mature Mark.
A comment on the YouTube video of the cutscene makes a great observation:
You can tell that he isn’t going to enjoy fighting his son. But he has no choice in the matter because of the empire. While he is an incredible warrior, the father in him will always beat him.
– User @harry__vince
With Omni-Man’s superb entry in the series, we can only imagine what’s in store for us with future characters. More importantly, all the interactions between characters like Homelander, Peacemaker and more.
Follow us for more entertainment coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
