Game review: Mortal Kombat 11 packs a powerful punch
The Mortal Kombat series has always been very popular ever since the first game came out in 1992. The franchise mainly gained popularity due to its inclusion of very graphic violence. Now we are in 2019 and the 11th iteration of the series is here in the form of Mortal Kombat 11.
The last Mortal Kombatgame I played was Mortal Kombat X in 2015 on the base Xbox One console. For Mortal Kombat 11, I had the luxury of playing the game on a PS4 Pro on my newly bought 4K television. In terms of graphics, the visuals in Mortal Kombat 11 are far better than its immediate predecessor.
Mortal Kombat X looked great in 2015, but looking back the game's character models and environments appeared to be more dark and drab in comparison. As for Mortal Kombat 11, the visuals are much brighter and the levels are more beautiful this time around. The character models are also more detailed and the costumes look cooler in this game as well.
Speaking of costumes, you can somewhat customise the appearance for all of the characters in the game if you manage to unlock all of their skins and accessories. Unlocking cosmetic items are a huge grind though so it will take you a long time to get everything you want. Alternatively, you can speed up the process by spending real money, but I usually avoid doing things like that in video games…
Another thing you can customise is three variations for each of the fighters that are in the game. Each variation kind of alters the fighting style and move sets for their special moves giving you more options to play around with.
In terms of gameplay, Mortal Kombat 11 feels much smoother and more responsive than every other MK video game I've ever played. I found it easier to execute combos and the overall fighting mechanics felt great. Not to mention it is fun to see the gory action of the Fatalities when you do them correctly.
Another cool thing you can do in the game are the 'Fatal Blows' which are special moves to help you get back into a fight if your health is low. These Fatal Blows look far more violent compared to past games and it's a joy to see them all.
Outside of the visuals and gameplay, Mortal Kombat 11 features loads of game modes for you to partake in. One of the best things about the game is the new story mode. The story mode takes you around four to five hours to complete and you are able to control as most of the good guys in the game.
The story this time around is pretty cool because it's set in the present, but many characters from the past come back. One of the best moments of the game is when Johnny Cage sees his younger cocky self and the two have a mirror match! The overall plot revolves around the characters needing to learn from their past mistakes in order to overcome a new enemy by the name of Kronika.
Some people might feel the story mode is kind of short, because it only lasts for around 12 chapters. Not to mention only the good guy characters are playable in the story mode so you cannot fight as any of the villains. Without spoiling anything, I will also say the story also has some shocking deaths so be prepared to bring out your tissues!
As for the other modes, there are many Towers that you can participate in. Traditional towers are where you can unlock character endings while you get many other different rewards entering the rotating Towers of Time. The Towers of Time towers change every few hours, and they're much harder than the traditional towers.
One major thing I don't like about Mortal Kombat 11 though is how long it takes for you to unlock things. Much like Dead or Alive 6, it's hard to unlock things that you actually want because everything is random. For example I wanted to unlock more skins for Sonya Blade, but I ended up getting a new look for Skarlet instead.
Developer NetherRealm has tried to update the game to make unlocking content less tedious, but it's still not enough in my opinion. It would have been better if the developer mimicked the old video games when unlocking content was far easier and more satisfying.
Another thing the game is missing is tag-team battles. It's a bit of a shame because Dead or Alive 6also got rid of this mode too. That being said, the core gameplay is still fun to play although it would have been cool if a tag-team mode was added.
As for online multiplayer, Mortal Kombat 11 is pretty solid. I did not experience too much lag while playing other people online. Thankfully, I also did not run into many rage quitters either so the experience has been great so far.
Anyway, Mortal Kombat 11 is a solid addition to the series featuring fun gameplay and improved graphics. The only thing holding the game down is how long it takes to unlock the stuff you really want. Hopefully further updates are made to make the game less grindy to play.
Verdict: 8.0/10
