Critical Role hosts a live play collaboration themed to Mortal Kombat 1 using the Till the Last Gasp TTRPG rules from Darrington Press. (Images: NetherRealm Studios/Warner Bros. Games and Critical Role)
- Critical Role collaborates with NetherRealm Studios and sponsored by WB Games for a one-shot TTRPG live play using the Till the Last Gasp rules from Darrington Press.
- Marisha Ray (playing as Sindel) will be joined by Raiden voice actor Travis Willingham, Sam Riegel, WWE Arena host Gina Darling, and MK1 Rain voice talent Noshir Dalal.
- The Till the Last Gasp rules will be modified for 2v2 play, as the standard TTRPG version is designed for dramatic 1v1 duels.
NetherRealm Studios teams up with the well-liked Critical Role actual play TTRPG troupe for a one-shot following the massive success of the launch of Mortal Kombat 1. The Darrington Press dramatic storytelling guidelines, Till the Last Gasp, will be highlighted in this episode.
The reason Critical Role is so well-known is because of their live Dungeons & Dragons play performed by a group of voice actors. Under the direction of Matt Mercer, who typically played the role of the Dungeon Master, Critical Role played a significant part in popularizing tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) among contemporary youth. In addition to D&D Fifth Edition rules from Wizards of the Coast, Critical Role has included other role-playing games (RTRPGs) like Pathfinder from Paizo and their own systems through its publishing division, Darrington Press LLC.
The Mortal Kombat live play one-shot, which will convert the Mortal Kombat characters utilizing the Till the Last Gasp rules system, was confirmed and released on Critical Role’s X (previously Twitter). In addition, Warner Bros. Games is the official sponsor of this episode.
FLAWLESS!
Tonight’s one-shot was inspired by @mortalkombat from @wbgames!
Mortal Kombat 1 is available NOW, Experience a revitalized Mortal Kombat Universe crafted by Fire God Liu Kang on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.https://t.co/EkKfNdEhHt“>https://t.co/EkKfNdEhHt#MK1Sponsored pic.twitter.com/Ve8sGo7ywI
Critical Role (@CriticalRole) September 20, 2023
Marisha Ray, who is portraying Queen Sindel, will be in charge of the proceedings. The remaining Kombatants in this Mortal Kombat-themed one-shot are Critical Role staples Sam Riegel as Johnny Cage and Travis Willingham as Raiden, fittingly given that Willingham portrays the character in MK 1. Newcomers to the performance, Gina Darling as Kitana and Noshir Dalal as Rain, will accompany them.
Sam Riegel as Johnny Cage, Travis Willingham as Raiden, Noshir Dalal as Rain, Gina Darling as Kitana, and Marisha Ray as Sindel will all appear in the live performance one-shot. The final two make sense because Dalal and Willingham provided the voices for these Kombatants in MK 1.If those last names seem recognizable, that’s because they do. Darling hosted WWE Arena and G4TV lately. In the meantime, Dalal is a seasoned voice actor who has contributed to a number of video games, including Fallout 76, Guild Wars 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, League of Legends, and Starfield. An additional point of connection between MK and Rain is because Noshir Dalal voices Rain in Mortal Kombat 1.
TEST YOUR MIGHT!
Tune in TONIGHT at 7PM PST on Twitch and YouTube as @Marisha_Ray leads a @MortalKombat themed smackdown with @samriegel, @WillingBlam, @NoshirDalal, and @MissGinaDarling – using Till The Last Gasp from @darringtonpress!#MK1Sponsored pic.twitter.com/MgsFh2saZH
Critical Role (@CriticalRole) September 19, 2023
A modified version of the Darrington Press game Till the Last Gasp will serve as the rules system for this live play. This is owing to the fact that the game’s regular version only allows for 1v1 duels between two players. According to Darrington Press’s official description on their website:
Ready your blades and prepare to bare your hearts! We’re pleased to announce our 2-player dramatic storytelling game of duels, Till the Last Gasp, coming to tables in March 14, 2023! Spanning genres and settings, this game throws you straight into two player PvP action and as blows are exchanged, emotions are betrayed, secrets revealed, and stakes raised. Till the Last Gasp uniquely enables you to capture the climactic energy of your favorite cinematic showdowns, in new tales imagined by you!
Everything needed to stage a dramatic and intense conflict between rivals is included in Till the Last Gasp, including a 40-page rule book with play examples, two player boards, twenty-sided Duel dice, twenty six-sided Edge dice, map cards, character sheets, the Drama Deck of cards, Objectives and Stance cards, tokens, and trackers.
In addition, 12 pre-generated characters are included so that gamers can try it out immediately. Additionally, the rules system of Till the Last Gasp can be modified for different genres, such as Western gunfighters, Jedi vs. Sith lightsaber bouts, and superhero fights, even though it works well for martial arts duels like those in Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter.
Darrington Press’s Till the Last Gasp TTRPG rules are intended for one-on-one combat. And it’s not only martial arts battles like Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter. It also functions well in other genres, like superhero melee, Star Wars lightsaber fighting, and Western standoffs.This is not the first major video game release that Critical Role has officially collaborated on. Other such one-shots include The Elder Scrolls Online (for the launch of Blackwood), Diablo (for the BlizzConline 2021 event), and The Legend of Zelda (in association with Nintendo Treehouse).
However, one would wonder why, given the popularity of Baldur’s Gate 3, there hasn’t yet been a BG3 collaboration with Critical Role. Given that High RollersDND is doing a one-shot Twitch live performance including the voice actors from Baldur’s Gate 3 Originals, is it just a matter of time before Matt Mercer—Jim Cummings’ replacement as Minsc in BG3—and Critical Role do one as well?
Today, Wednesday, September 20, at 12 AM Pacific, Critical Role’s one-shot Mortal Kombat tabletop live play will air on Critical Role’s Twitch and YouTube platforms. On Thursday, September 21, 2023, at 12 PM Pacific time, the VOD will be made available.