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MK1 Invasions Mode: (It Sucks)

Rathalos

Play Monster Hunter!
I’ll be honest when it comes to NRS games there have always been only 2 fun modes, regular ass towers and local VS. Everything else sucks.

that has been this way since MK9.
 

Mikemetroid

Who hired this guy, WTF?
can't even use the stupid talismans on arcade sticks (no "right stick" analog). Johnny's star power doesn't even show up on PC for invasions but it does on PS5...
 

Art Lean

Noob
The lack of indication of what you'll win, if anything, really robs it of any anticipation of reward. "Hey my opponent is looking AWESOME, hope I win that after this fight!!! Oh, a talisman." Things like unlocking a character chest in MK11 meant you knew you were getting a satisfying bounty, here it's just "could be nothing... who knows!"

I was also surprised that when you yourself equip armor, you're basically invincible for the whole fight. Is that intentional? I've used level 14 magic armor since mid-game for when a boss was being a bit of a slog (never received armor talismans higher than that), and I just can't shake the feeling that I shouldn't be completely unkillable, surely? Not that I've minded when a few of those bosses were just grinds, but I digress...
 

Art Lean

Noob
Oh and when you fill up your 5 slots of konsumables (or whatever they're called this time around), I HATE how you have to discard one without being able to use one first then reuse its slot. After one tower I received both a guard's mask (anti ambushes) and a syringe (which are all permanent buffs), but only had one slot available. Why was I not able to actually use one of my older single-fight flasks, the syringe, or the mask, in order to reduce my number of konsumables, rather than have to throw one away instead (especially the damn syringe buff which I'm going to use the moment I can access the inventory obviously anyway).
 

Swindle

Philanthropist & Asshole
I just beat it this morning. God awful grind the entire way through. Its baffling how somebody at NRS can sit down and think that every enemy in the entire mode should have hyper armor, invincible hyper armor. I can't see how anyone found that fun.

I just wanna rant about random shit I guess:

They lead you on early, having you think there's gonna be fun little commentary around each map. There isn't. Liu Kang only shows up on the map's final boss to say some shit like "Scorpion brought in Johnny Cage to stop you!"

The inventory space. By like the 2nd map, you're gonna be maxed out on Talismans, and the game just keeps on giving them to you every other fight. I'm constantly having to go into my inventory and toss them out because no, Reiko, I would not like another level 1 Ice Armor talisman.

They tricked us early on with the footage of Invasions and the Survival missions (where you dodge the fireballs). It looked like it was going to be a callback to MK9 where they had the weird minigames sprinkled throughout the Challenge Tower. No. That is the one, and the only one minigame throughout Invasions. And it does not change. You jump over low projectiles, you crouch under high ones. The patterns never change, the timing never changes.

There is no map. This honestly might be one of the most annoying parts of it. There are little lights on each space that show you if there are uncleared missions in that direction, but beyond that nothing at all. If you missed a chest because you didn't have a key and you're trying to find it again. Good luck, because these areas are mazes. You move slow, and can also be ambushed just adding more to the time sink.

The enemy reuse. Every map in Invasions has a set cast of characters you're going to fight, for the entire time. They aren't random, its always the same. So like in say Sun Do you're gonna be fighting Havik, Reiko, Sub Zero and a handful of others. Over and over, pay attention to how many times you see "Chaosmaker" Havik, because I swear to god I feel like I fought him 20 times in one of the maps.

Talismans are nearly useless, and need to be "recharged".

There are about a 10th of the amount of modifiers MK11 had on launch. The vast majority of them are "Orb comes out of portal" or "toxic cloud"

The XP, oh my god the XP. I used Shang Tsung and Sektor for almost the entire run. 243 fights, about 100 brutalities, around 70 fatalities. And somehow my Sektor is at level 10. They also flat out stop giving you anything at all for Profile Levelups after a while. No currency, nothing. Saving them instead for the larger milestones.

Idk what else, this mode sucks and I hope they drastically reduce the grind for the next season.
Not to mention that you get items to “ upgrade” your talismans…but most of the upgrades won’t work. Example: Talisman has health regen - upgrade with health regen booster - Talisman doesn’t upgrade. OR…Talisman has no health regen - upgrade with health regen booster - Talisman gets no health boost option.
Who designed this, and why do they still live?
 

Nickolaidas

Agent of Chaosrealm
Not to mention that you get items to “ upgrade” your talismans…but most of the upgrades won’t work. Example: Talisman has health regen - upgrade with health regen booster - Talisman doesn’t upgrade. OR…Talisman has no health regen - upgrade with health regen booster - Talisman gets no health boost option.
Who designed this, and why do they still live?
Remember when the MK11 ToT first came out and they were totally ridiculous, as if no one play tested them to see how broken and un-fun they were?

Same energy.
 

Art Lean

Noob
Remember when the MK11 ToT first came out and they were totally ridiculous, as if no one play tested them to see how broken and un-fun they were?

Same energy.
And let’s not forget the infamous severed head exploit! Just hold X on the PlayStation when you enter the krypt from the loading screen, walk to the spike and boom, unlocked.

Going to try and take advantage of the near-infinite invincible armour talismans with several characters if I can get any benefit out of it, got a feeling that can’t be right!
 

Swindle

Philanthropist & Asshole
Remember when the MK11 ToT first came out and they were totally ridiculous, as if no one play tested them to see how broken and un-fun they were?

Same energy.
Yeah, I remember.
Maybe the Day 1 patch will address some of this, but…
 
I also want to add, I've defeated Scorpion and got my first Nether Stone. I went back to a early area, unlocked a gate with the Nether stone and it was very disapppointing.

It's just 4 boss fights and that's it.

Many fights I have are now AI with constantly super armor and +4000 health. Same with end-game towers. Many fight I can't even complete, since the AI and I are so tanky. I win the rounds by doing the most damage by the end of the timer. And all that drops are even more talismans.

These are my stats right now. End game is just fighting eachother until the timer runs out. AI is so tanky, but i'm tanky aswell.
21020
 
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I just started this mode, still early in Johnny's Mansion.

The Gear and Skins you do get in this mode, is it all seasonal-themed only?

The only Skins and Gear that interest me are Story Mode and Klassic ones. I assume you can not get "Dark" or "Titan" Story Mode skins here?
 

skahwt

Noob
It's really boring. The AI is too braindead for there to be any kind of stimulating gameplay. The super armor ruins the fun of doing your flashiest combos to entertain yourself.

I'm still in the first zone, does it get better?

Is there any good stuff you have to play invasions for?
It doesn’t get better, it’s just more of the same. I realize it’s a casual mode but I’ve never been close to losing a fight. I can beat virtually every opponent just spamming the same projectile.
 

Nickolaidas

Agent of Chaosrealm
I just started this mode, still early in Johnny's Mansion.

The Gear and Skins you do get in this mode, is it all seasonal-themed only?

The only Skins and Gear that interest me are Story Mode and Klassic ones. I assume you can not get "Dark" or "Titan" Story Mode skins here?
Not entirely sure, but yeah the majority of skins are Season themed. Gear not so much.

Yeah, I remember.
Maybe the Day 1 patch will address some of this, but…
I doubt it. But they DID fix ToT in MK11 with later patches, they'll fix / add stuff in this mode as well. I just don't think it'll be the Day 1 patch (which I think we already got, tbh).
 

TRi4L N 3ЯЯ0R

The world doesn't adjust to you.
I just started this mode, still early in Johnny's Mansion.

The Gear and Skins you do get in this mode, is it all seasonal-themed only?

The only Skins and Gear that interest me are Story Mode and Klassic ones. I assume you can not get "Dark" or "Titan" Story Mode skins here?

Yeah you're not getting any of that. You actually hardly get anything. It's all seasonal or tied to the theme of the location you're in (usually color pallet)
 

Nickolaidas

Agent of Chaosrealm
It doesn’t get better, it’s just more of the same. I realize it’s a casual mode but I’ve never been close to losing a fight. I can beat virtually every opponent just spamming the same projectile.
Some bosses are cheap as fuck with bullshit like armor, pitch black screen, unbreakable attacks and chaos aura to screw up your controls. This is literally the equivalent of you playing while your six year old steals your controller, closes your eyes with its hands, screams at your ear while playing to distract you ...

You know, fun stuff.
 
Not entirely sure, but yeah the majority of skins are Season themed. Gear not so much.
Yeah you're not getting any of that. You actually hardly get anything. It's all seasonal or tied to the theme of the location you're in (usually color pallet)
Thanks both. I'll play the Mode more since I just started it and see what I think. If I like it, I'll stick with it. If not, then I won't (never played through the Gauntlet last game as I didn't enjoy it. Didn't mind Towers of Time after they were patched).

Worst case then I'll play Klassic Towers to level my profile and characters up for Mastery rewards. I still need to try the Hard AI, but if it's like it was in the Pre-Order Beta, this is the easiest-to-beat AI the franchise has had since Mortal Kombat (2011). Or I've become a much better player. Not sure which.
 

Art Lean

Noob
How do you get to the areas that are blocked off with scenery, but there's no key requirement? There will be like an old cart in the way of a chest and the map line is red, but there's no indication of what you need to do to gain access?
 

Kal

<3
Yeah it's fucking horrendous, at least I found it to be.

I swear this game is unfinished, not just that but I guarantee you it started off as Injustice 3 first. So much mediocrity or shit just straight up missing.
 

TRi4L N 3ЯЯ0R

The world doesn't adjust to you.
How do you get to the areas that are blocked off with scenery, but there's no key requirement? There will be like an old cart in the way of a chest and the map line is red, but there's no indication of what you need to do to gain access?
If there isn't a Klue text on the node before you enter battle, then it likely is accessible from a different area once you use the netherstone to unlock that gate, wherever the nether gate is.
 
How do you get to the areas that are blocked off with scenery, but there's no key requirement? There will be like an old cart in the way of a chest and the map line is red, but there's no indication of what you need to do to gain access?
You need to find a solution for the klue. There is always a hint if you standing right before the cart. It's the fight that you need to do, to get the chest unlocked.

Once you find the solution and what you need to do in the fight, the cart will disappear.
 

Nickolaidas

Agent of Chaosrealm
You need to find a solution for the klue. There is always a hint if you standing right before the cart. It's the fight that you need to do, to get the chest unlocked.

Once you find the solution and what you need to do in the fight, the cart will disappear.
Yup. For example, one klue is gibberish anagrams. You make out the sentence 'Destroy the World', which implies you need to end the match with a Cyrax Fatality.