On the way to the cafeteria at the NetherRealm Studios offices, we have a large poster of Ermac hanging on the wall. Seeing it often reminds me how far he has evolved over the years. Back in the early days before the Internet, rumors often ran rampant about him and drove all kinds of speculation, particularly in the arcades. In the first Mortal Kombat arcade game, there was a diagnostic called ERMACS short for “Error Macro” that appeared underneath the number of “Reptile Appearances” and “Reptile Battles,” and it was therefore assumed by sleuthing fans that there must be a hidden character in the game. Over time, these rumors had taken on a life of their own and wound up being the catalyst to Ermac’s eventual creation and inclusion as a playable fighter in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.

Since the character’s arrival, Ermac has always been a vessel for souls and would use these souls to manipulate their energy for his own devious purposes. For Mortal Kombat 1, we wanted to further evolve the visual presentation of Ermac by leaning heavily into certain horror inspirations, and then explore the idea that Ermac has been haunted by unique souls he has captured throughout his existence. The collective of tortured souls include: the Witch, the Old Woman, the Monster, and the Soldier, each one playing a key role throughout Ermac’s move set. For Ermac’s classic Lift special move, the Witch’s soul bursts outward from Ermac to lift the opponent and slam them to the ground. The idea that these unique souls manifest themselves throughout his attacks is a common theme we wanted to showcase.

To me, one of the most compelling aspects to the design and implementation of Ermac was the challenge he presented to us. The last time we saw Ermac in a Mortal Kombat game as a playable fighter was in Mortal Kombat X, and we are lightyears ahead in terms of our capabilities from a visual perspective since then. For us, this meant an opportunity to evolve the look of his soul energy to create intricate visual effects-based attacks that help sell the unique telekinesis power he possesses. The inherent challenge is to ensure the visual elements are impactful, blend well with the gameplay elements, and are readable to the player. This is something the design and visual effects teams are constantly iterating on.

Gameplay wise, Ermac stands out as a character with interesting combo potential and routes, especially from the air. In terms of special moves, he employs a variety of his mainstay special attacks as well as new additions for Mortal Kombat 1. One of the main design goals was to evolve and showcase his classic attacks in a distinctive way while at the same time creating new special moves that both serve his gameplay plan while giving players a fresh experience. For instance, Ermac can still perform his Teleport attack but can now initiate it from either the air or ground then cancel it into an air or ground version just before he teleports acting as a mind game with options for different setups.

One of his new special moves is a Mana Shield where one of his souls creates a shield around him whereby incoming damage depletes his super meter instead of his health. Additionally, he has another new attack where he violently ejects souls upward, capable of launching the opponent and allowing Ermac to dash cancel out of. Lastly, one of my personal favorites and something players will want to check out is a brutality we created off Ermac’s Lift special move, which is a clear nod to his telekinesis Fatality from Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.

Working on klassic characters for a new Mortal Kombat game is almost a sacred responsibility, let alone one of the ninjas. I joined the team many years ago for the first Injustice game and I will always remember the surreal moment working on Scorpion attacks for the first time. This responsibility is a sentiment shared by everyone on the team. We are all very pleased to bring Ermac back in Mortal Kombat 1 and hope players enjoy playing him as much as the team did working on him.

Mortal Kombat 1

Warner Bros. Games

☆☆☆☆☆
391

★★★★★

$69.99

$34.99

Get it now

It’s In Our Blood!

Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by the Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and fatalities!

MK1: Kombat Pack

Warner Bros. Games

☆☆☆☆☆
208

★★★★★

$39.99

$19.99

Get it now

The Kombat Pack includes the Johnny Cage character skin featuring voice and likeness of actor and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme (available now), along with 6 new post-launch DLC playable characters and 5 new post-launch Kameo Fighters. Kombat Pack also includes 1-week early access to all DLC playable characters. 

DLC Playable Characters (All Coming Post-Launch)
Omni-Man (Invincible)
Quan Chi
Peacemaker (DC’s Peacemaker)
Ermac
Homelander (The Boys)
Takahashi Takeda

DLC Kameo Fighters (All Coming Post-Launch)
Tremor
Mavado
Janet Cage
Ferra
Khameleon

MK1: Ermac

Warner Bros. Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

No longer Quan Chi’s slave, nor bound to a royal family, Ermac must find a future worth fighting for.

This pack includes playable character Ermac including all new movesets.

Dead Island 2’s upcoming SOLA expansion introduces a whole new area and storyline set around the ultimate California festival. But when the mosh pit’s crowded with zombies and the backstage is a bloodbath, you know you’re going to need new tools to clean up the mess.

Luckily, SOLA packs in two new legendary weapons, giving you even more ways to slice, dice, disembowel, decapitate, and dismember your decomposing zombie foes.

Dead Island 2 players will be familiar with F.L.E.S.H., the game’s brutally ingenious procedural damage system, which enables limbs to be lopped off, skulls crushed, and organs splattered in spectacularly gory style. The two new legendaries are a love letter to F.L.E.S.H, taking the carnage to a whole new level.

Crafting the Ripper

Long-term fans of the series will be delighted to see the return of the mighty Ripper, repurposed as a flagship weapon. “It’s a homage to the weapon upgrade from the first Dead Island,” explains Dambusters’ Combat Game Designer Haris Iqbal. “But from our end, we wanted to give it that Dead Island 2 signature appeal.”

The team evolved the original concept of a baseball bat, augmented it with a spinning blade, and made it into the ultimate machine for cutting through an undead mob. “Ultimately, we want to add to all the gore-filled spectacle with our new legendaries,” says Iqbal. “But also make sure that every weapon, especially the legendaries, feels like its got its own interesting micro-mechanics and loops.”

With the Ripper, that means a weapon that feels like a bat when you first start swinging, but with a blade that keeps revving up, spinning faster and faster until you’re pulling off impossibly gory kills and finishers.

It not only gives you a new way to engage with the game’s brutal melee combat, but also a new way to showcase what the F.L.E.S.H. system can do, delivering the kind of ultra-violent slapstick that’s so core to Dead Island 2’s appeal.

Building the Saw Blade Launcher

The second weapon is the Saw Blade Launcher, a multi-functional ranged weapon that fires out industrial sawblades capable of tearing through a mob of walkers and cutting the toughest apex zombies down to size.

“It’s a very fresh weapon for us,” says Iqbal. “We’re taking the ranged weapon in a different direction this time around. We really wanted to emphasize the F.L.E.S.H. system and let players play around with it a whole lot more.”

To this end, slayers can fire out the deadly, saw-toothed discs either one at a time, or charge all their shots and release them in a single burst – perfect for wrecking multiple flesh-munching menaces or chopping through the limbs of the tougher brutes.

“We’re giving players more options with a single weapon,” Iqbal notes. “With previous ranged weapons, you could shoot off limbs. But with the sawblade launcher, we really wanted to make it much easier to do. It gives you a new way to interact with the F.L.E.S.H sandbox and, besides, it’s just fun to use.”

Time to mix it up

“We really try to look at the player’s fantasies,” adds Lead Game Designer Matt Abbott. “These new weapons might be a bit more potent moment to moment than we’re usually comfortable with, but how can we put in the mechanics to give players that kind of pinnacle fantasy without it being too easy? They can charge up multiple blades then fire them out, and chop a zombie clean in half!”

What’s more, the new weapons encourage players to mix things up and explore different ways to slay. “Each weapon feels like it’s got a play style you might want to lean into as well, to get the most out of it,” says Abbott; Iqbal agrees. “It’s always about promoting varied attacks, and allowing players to really engage with each weapon, moment to moment.”

The team can’t wait to see how you make use of the new legendaries or the other weapons waiting in the new expansion. “I think it’s always cool to see the brutal creativity of our players, and see what they’re doing,” says Iqbal. “I know there are dedicated players who spend hours hacking away at zombies with different weapons just to see how far they can push the system. That excites us and inspires us to keep pushing and give them something fresh.”

Dead Island 2’s second expansion, SOLA, will launch April 17, 2024, for Xbox Series X|S. It’s also included with the Gold Edition and the Dead Island 2 Expansion Pass.

DEAD ISLAND 2 GOLD EDITION

Deep Silver

☆☆☆☆☆
4641

★★★★★

$89.99

Get it now

The much-loved zombie saga is back with a unique formula of horror, dark humor and over the top zombie-slaying, spanning an epic pulp adventure.

Dead Island 2 is thrilling First-Person Action RPG, stylish, vibrant and flooded with zombie infection. Explore iconic, gore-drenched Los Angeles. Meet larger-than-life characters. Slay countless foes in exquisitely bloody detail. And evolve to become the ultimate Zombie Slayer.

The Gold Edition includes the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game, the Golden and Pulp Weapons Packs (both available at launch), and grants access to two upcoming premium Character Packs each featuring a unique slayer costume and weapon, and the Expansion Pass. The Expansion Pass includes the Red’s Demise Katana weapon, and grants access to two upcoming major story expansions and an additional premium Character Pack.

Welcome to HELL-A

A deadly virus is spreading across Los Angeles, turning its inhabitants into zombies. Bitten, infected, but more than just immune, uncover the truth behind the outbreak and discover who – or what – you are. Survive, evolve and save the world!

FEATURES

Explore HELL-A – Dead Island 2 takes players across the most iconic locations of the City of Angels, now stained with horror, in an exciting pulp journey from the verdant suburbia of Beverly Hills to the quirky promenade of Venice Beach.

Brutal Melee Sandbox – Combat delivers the most intense, visceral and gory first person experience possible, with plenty of weapons and tactical (and brutal) options to chew your way through the zombie horde. Whether you’re slicing, smashing, burning or ripping, we want you to truly feel it.

Be the Ultimate Zombie Slayer – There are six characters to choose from, each with their own unique personality and dialogues. You can fully customize the abilities of each Slayer, with our brand-new skill system allowing you to re-spec instantly and try out the craziest builds.

Zombie Infestation – Ready to experience the most advanced dismemberment system in games? Our LA is crawling with zombies that look and react realistically. These mutated wretches are the reanimated, rotten heart of Dead Island 2 with dozens of distinct zombie types, each with their own mutations, attacks and hundreds of visual LA-themed variants. Our monsters are relentless, challenging, and true Los Angelinos. Will you be able to survive?

A Cinematic Co-op Adventure – As a proper RPG experience, Dead Island 2 offers plenty of exciting quests, a crazy cast of characters, and a thrilling pulp story, to truly immerse you in its twisted universe. Re-playability is guaranteed. Add an over-the-top co-op mode for up to three players, and you’ll stay in LA for a very long (and gory) trip.

Alexa Game Control – Use your voice to swap weapons, set waypoints, goad zombies, and much more, available first on Dead Island 2. Play with any microphone or headset, no Alexa device required. UK, US and Canada (English) only.

Players using Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One X consoles can host and join co-op sessions. Xbox One|S players can join co-op sessions, but due to technical limitations they can host sessions for only one joining player.

Dead Island 2

Deep Silver

☆☆☆☆☆
632

★★★★★

$69.99

$55.99

Get it now

Xbox Game Pass

The much-loved zombie saga is back with a unique formula of horror, dark humor and over the top zombie-slaying, spanning an epic pulp adventure.

Dead Island 2 is a thrilling First-Person Action RPG, stylish, vibrant and flooded with zombie infection. Explore an iconic, gore-drenched Los Angeles. Meet larger-than-life characters. Slay countless foes in exquisitely bloody detail. And evolve to become the ultimate Zombie Slayer!

FEATURES

Explore HELL-A – Dead Island 2 takes players across the most iconic locations of the City of Angels, now stained with horror, in an exciting pulp journey from the verdant suburbia of Beverly Hills to the quirky promenade of Venice Beach.

Brutal Melee Sandbox – Combat delivers the most intense, visceral and gory first person experience possible, with plenty of weapons and tactical (and brutal) options to chew your way through the zombie horde. Whether you’re slicing, smashing, burning or ripping, we want you to truly feel it.

Be the Ultimate Zombie Slayer – There are six characters to choose from, each with their own unique personality and dialogues. You can fully customize the abilities of each Slayer, with our brand-new skill system allowing you to re-spec instantly and try out the craziest builds.

Zombie Infestation – Ready to experience the most advanced dismemberment system in games? Our LA is crawling with zombies that look and react realistically. These mutated wretches are the reanimated, rotten heart of Dead Island 2 with dozens of distinct zombie types, each with their own mutations, attacks and hundreds of visual LA-themed variants. Our monsters are relentless, challenging, and true Los Angelinos. Will you be able to survive?

A Cinematic Co-op Adventure – As a proper RPG experience, Dead Island 2 offers plenty of exciting quests, a crazy cast of characters, and a thrilling pulp story, to truly immerse you in its twisted universe. Re-playability is guaranteed. Add an over-the-top co-op mode for up to three players, and you’ll stay in LA for a very long (and gory) trip.

Alexa Game Control – Use your voice to swap weapons, set waypoints, goad zombies, and much more, available first on Dead Island 2. Play with any microphone or headset, no Alexa device required. UK, US and Canada (English) only.

Players using Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One X consoles can host and join co-op sessions. Xbox One|S players can join co-op sessions, but due to technical limitations they can host sessions for only one joining player.

DEAD ISLAND 2 EXPANSION PASS

Deep Silver

☆☆☆☆☆
176

★★★★★

$29.99

$26.99

Get it now

Experience two major story expansions along with brand new missions, weapons, skill cards, zombies and areas of HELL-A to explore.

The Expansion Pass includes:

– Haus: Lose yourself in a surreal, psycho-horror dreamscape as you explore a mysterious villa in Malibu. Descend through madness, debauchery and gore, where survival means confronting a new wave of unexpected horrors.
– SoLA: Lured to the most iconic festival in Los Angeles, by an enigmatic warning message, players must explore SoLA’s ruins and put a stop to an otherworldly menace.
– Red’s Demise Katana: Slice through the zombie horde with the Red’s Demise Katana, which earns you a temporary damage boost with every slay.
– Gaelic Queen Dani Character Pack: Through hail and blood and fire, and a wall of barbs and clashing steel, customise Dani with a unique costume and weapon from the HELL-A Catwalk Collection.
The Expansion Pass is included in the Gold Edition.