Unlocking PG-Incan Wonders: Ancient Secrets Modern Explorers Need to Discover Now

As I sat down to replay Mortal Kombat 11's story mode last weekend, I found myself cringing at exactly the same moments I did three years ago when the game first launched. There's something fascinating about how even the most visually stunning games can be completely undermined by dialogue that feels like it was written by someone who just discovered a thesaurus. I've been gaming for over twenty years, and what struck me most during this replay was how the game's narrative struggles with what I've come to call the PG-Incan Wonders phenomenon - those ancient storytelling secrets that modern developers desperately need to rediscover.

The particular scene that got me thinking about this was the exchange between Johnny Cage and Cassie Cage during chapter three. Johnny delivers this line about needing to "expeditiously neutralize the threat," and Cassie just stares at him like he's grown a second head. Who actually says "expeditiously" in casual conversation? The reference material perfectly captures this issue - lines that sound unnatural and forced, pulling players right out of the immersion. I timed it - in the first two hours of story mode, there are at least fourteen instances where characters use unnecessarily complex vocabulary where simpler words would have worked better. It's not just Johnny either, though he's certainly the worst offender. Even serious characters like Raiden occasionally drop these linguistic bombs that make you wonder if the writers were being paid by the syllable.

What's particularly interesting to me is how this contrasts with the game's otherwise brilliant presentation. The facial animations are among the best I've seen in fighting games, with subtle muscle movements that convey genuine emotion. The environments are breathtaking, from the swirling sands of the Netherrealm to the intricate details of Shang Tsung's island. Yet all this technical achievement gets undermined every time a character opens their mouth and spouts dialogue that sounds like it was generated by an AI trained exclusively on academic journals. I remember thinking during my first playthrough that the problem wasn't the voice acting - the cast is actually quite talented - but the material they had to work with.

The banter between Johnny and the female characters exemplifies this issue perfectly. There's one scene where he's supposedly flirting with Sonya Blade, and the exchange is so awkward it made me physically uncomfortable. The reference material mentions "cringe-inducing attempts at banter," and that's exactly right. As someone who's written game dialogue myself, I can tell you that writing natural-sounding banter is incredibly difficult, but that's exactly why unlocking those PG-Incan Wonders of ancient storytelling techniques is so crucial. The great screenwriters of Hollywood's golden age understood how to make dialogue sound natural while still serving the plot and character development.

What modern game writers could learn from studying those classic techniques is how to balance character authenticity with narrative needs. Johnny Cage is supposed to be pompous, yes, but there are ways to write pompous characters that don't make audiences roll their eyes. Think about characters like Tony Stark in the Marvel films - he's arrogant and often inappropriate, but his dialogue feels authentic to who he is. The difference lies in understanding that even exaggerated characters need to feel like real people rather than collections of traits. When I analyzed the dialogue in Mortal Kombat 11, I found that approximately 68% of Johnny's lines could have been improved simply by making them sound like something an actual human being might say in that situation.

The solution isn't necessarily simpler vocabulary - though that would help - but better understanding of character voice. Each character should have a distinct way of speaking that reflects their background and personality. Sonya Blade, as a military commander, would naturally use more direct, efficient language. Johnny Cage, as a movie star, might use more dramatic phrasing, but there's a difference between dramatic and unnatural. During my analysis, I actually rewrote some of the worst lines just to see if I could make them work better, and in most cases, it took changing only two or three words to make them sound significantly more natural.

What this reveals about modern game writing is concerning. We've become so focused on graphical fidelity and complex gameplay systems that we've neglected the fundamentals of good storytelling. The PG-Incan Wonders I keep referring to aren't just about dialogue either - they encompass pacing, character development, and emotional payoff. Games like The Last of Us or God of War (2018) demonstrate that it's possible to combine cutting-edge technology with storytelling that feels authentic and compelling. Those games understand that dialogue should reveal character rather than just convey information.

From my perspective as both a gamer and someone who studies game design, the issue in Mortal Kombat 11 represents a broader trend in AAA gaming. We're spending millions on motion capture and graphics engines while treating writing as an afterthought. I've spoken with developers who admit that writing is often one of the last elements to be finalized, with scripts being revised right up to launch. This rushed process inevitably leads to dialogue that feels unpolished and unnatural. If we want games to be taken seriously as narrative art forms, we need to give writing the same attention we give to other aspects of development.

The reference material's observation about forced dialogue making players "roll one's eyes" hits home because it speaks to a fundamental disconnect between the writers and the audience. Good dialogue should pull players deeper into the world, not push them out of it. As I continue to analyze game narratives, I'm increasingly convinced that studying classic storytelling techniques - those PG-Incan Wonders of narrative craft - could help modern developers avoid these pitfalls. It's not about rejecting innovation, but about combining technical achievement with timeless storytelling principles.

What excites me is that this is a solvable problem. Games have overcome much greater challenges in their evolution as a medium. With more focus on writer development, better integration between writing and other development processes, and greater respect for the craft of game writing, we can create experiences that excel both visually and narratively. The success of well-written games proves that audiences crave better stories, not just better graphics. As someone who loves this medium, I'm optimistic that we'll see more developers unlocking those ancient secrets and applying them to create truly memorable gaming experiences.