Mortal Kombat X – Scorpion Demo Impressions

It has been said that Scorpion and Sub-Zero are the Ken and Ryu of Mortal Kombat. We know that Scorpion is series creator Ed Boon’s favorite character, so when we took a look at Scorpion in the latest gameplay demo of Mortal Kombat X, it’s wasn’t surprising when he seemed more fleshed out than the other warriors. With the game not releasing until sometime in 2015, we expect many changes to happen between this demo and the final retail release, but Scorpion will likely get fine-tuning as opposed to potentially drastic changes.

Scorpion’s three fighting style options are Inferno, Hellfire and Ninjitsu. All three allow Scorpion to use his trademark spear and teleport punch, but there are a few big differences between them. The big take away from the Inferno fighting style is that Scorpion can summon demons for specific attacks. He can summon a demon from below the opponent who holds Scorpion’s foe in place, allowing a combo follow-up. He can also summon a demon from above that acts very similar to Mileena’s teleport kick. Finally, he can summon a demon from behind the opponent, which is very similar to his classic Teleport Punch (which he still has). This attack should keep opponents’ on their toes and give Scorpion more options from a full screen away.

Hellfire allows Scorpion to summon fire from Hell to ignite his opponent. When this connects, it gives Scorpion frame advantage, meaning he can attack before his opponent is able to move. This doesn’t necessarily guarantee a follow-up attack, but it does mean that Scorpion can continue his offense while the opponent is forced to block. Scorpion also uses a fireball projectile attack that can be charged and even cancelled into a dash. He also has flame armor that damages an opponent in close proximity to Scorpion.

Finally, Scorpion’s third fighting style is Ninjitsu, which is similar to the fighting styles he had in Mortal Kombat Deception and Deadly Alliance. Scorpion uses two katana blades, using them in most of his attacks. We know less about this fighting style compared to the other two, but the blades give Scorpion’s short-range attacks more range than he has in other fighting styles. Beyond the additional range, little is known about the Ninjitsu fighting style, but we expect to know more in the coming months. Stay tuned to Prima Games as we keep you updated on all things Mortal Kombat X.