Speaking to C&VG, Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon has revealed that he wants Mortal Kombat 8 to achive the same level of graphical accomplishment as Gears of War. During the interview, he states that "When I saw Gears of War, I was like, "Holy s***! That's the look that we've been talking about". If I'm frank, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Mortal Kombat would have achieved it's own graphical style, it being in it's eigth incarnation.

Over the years (the few years, I might add) of listening to developer types, and publisher types, and all manner of marketing types, I think it would be fair to say that I have quite a good skill for noticing when said types are being a mite shallow. When you hear a former EA employee talking about Gears being devoid of originality, you prick your ears a little, and with good reason. The same should apply here. What this man, this Ed Boon, is doing is trying to dissasociate himself with any failures the previous games have had. How can it have taken 15 years for a game to 'find itself'? At what point does Mr. Boon think "Shit! We haven't been doing what we talked about for 15 years at all! Maybe we should try something new!"? If a series really does need such a kick up the arse that it requires an entirely new approach really deserve a new title? MK has endured so many changes, each of which meant to do "something ... that's unbelievably unexpected" (thanks Mr. Boon), and revitalise the genre?

Boon proceeded to pour words further, adding that MK8 will have brand new fighting system (for the umpteenth time) - "We're not going to have three fighting styles, we're not going to have the same punches and kicks and the same kind of control scheme. Everything is getting trashed. We're reinventing everything from the ground up. We really think that's needed". Wait, didn't he say that with Shaolin Monks, or whatever the last bastard child of MK and Zelda was? Or was that Deadly Alliance? Or is it the forthcoming TableTop MK - Which I've titled "Mortal Dear God Why Are We Still Playing Tabletop Games Kombat"?

Boon gave a vague sounding (because Christ knows it won't come out on time) "Novemberish time" release date.