Caelin Bragg
Advertising & Distribution Manager
Mortal Kombat 11 is the most impressive showing of the series to date, though some questionable progression choices hinder the overall experience.
Mortal Kombat 11 is the latest in the infamous Mortal Kombat series, a fighting game series featuring an increased level of violence and gore which got the industry in hot water in the 90’s. As the series has continued, however, the level of violence has been taken to such ridiculous extremes that the series has basically become a parody of itself.
11’s story directly follows where Mortal Kombat X ends, after Shinnok’s defeat at the hands of Earthrealm, and features a new villain, Kronika, as she attempts to reset the timeline and erase Raiden, Earthrealm’s protector, from existence, who she says has continuously upset the natural flow of time.
Ever since the series’ reboot in 2011, NetherRealm Studios has become a powerhouse for their story modes, which no other fighting game has quite been able to emulate. 11’s story mode is short and to the point, almost to a fault sometimes, but features some of the most impressive cinematography to date from a game and still helps continue to expand the lore of the series nearly 30 years later.
But fighting games live and die by their gameplay, and 11 doesn’t spare any expenses in that department. The game is the cleanest feeling Mortal Kombat yet. Fights feel snappy and responsive, and it never felt like I was fighting the game itself. There is also a wide variety of characters to choose from, all of whom have customizations to their moves that basically increases the number of characters even more.
Unfortunately, as is common in many AAA games seen today, the progression system for unlocking collectables, like costumes and extra fatalities, is extremely broken. The Krypt returns in its usual fashion, however, the currency that the player needs to obtain to unlock collectables comes at such a slow rate that it feels like the game expects players to be playing the game 24/7. They also made the choice to randomize most of the chests in the Krypt, so now they just feel like glorified lootboxes.
Overall, Mortal Kombat 11 is a showcase that the series still has its appeal, and NetherRealm Studios knows how to make a satisfying feeling fighting game, it’s just unfortunate that the experience is marred by the lackluster Krypt this time around.
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