http://youtu.be/qmfm6JzuoZQ

As we inch closer to the April release of Mortal Kombat X, the creative team continues to slowly leak out intel about the game's fighters, fatalities, and special guests. Series co-creator Ed Boon teased two more character announcements for January 29, but thanks to a gameplay video released today, we have one character confirmation earlier than we expected...

Reptile made his first appearance as a hidden character in the original Mortal Kombat arcade game over 20 years ago and the acid-spitting warrior will return later this year in the newest installment in the fighting sim franchise. The gameplay video above highlights a round of sparring between Kung Lao and Reptile. Lao may have no quarrel with Reptile, but the face-melting ninja gives Lao plenty of motivation to throw that deadly hat around anyway.

The short round of brawling offers a sneak peek at a number of Reptile's standard and specialty abilities. We see a few variations on the acid spit that range from the classic medium distance spit to a projectile vomit attack. Reptile also puts his claws and tongue to use with an attack that allows him to string an enemy up (with his freakishly long tongue) and slash them with his claws. The match culminates with one of Reptile's Fatalities, which is on the same level of gruesome that we've seen from the other new fighters.

Reptile Mortal Kombat X

As we've warned before, the Mortal Kombat X combat - and Fatalities in particular - really up the ante of the graphic violence. The footage certainly isn't for gamers with weak stomachs, but it does keep the Mortal Kombat tradition of over-the-top gore alive. As the cast of characters continues to grow with fan favorites and some new faces, the first current-gen Mortal Kombat brawler is shaping up to be a major hit. Fighting sims are usually attractive only to a niche market, but the Mortal Kombat brand name carries enough popularity to become a major hit.

We look forward to learning more about this version of Reptile and how the character's variation paths will differ. The new feature allows players to take a fighter down a chosen path, similar to a talent tree in RPGs, that will determine how the combatant appears and fights.

What do you think of Reptile's design in Mortal Kombat X? What other classic fighters are you hoping to see revealed? Let us know in the comments.

Mortal Kombat X is set to release on April 14, 2015 on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PC.