Mortal Kombat 1 review

In the realm of fighting games, 2023 has been a good year already with the launch of Street Fighter VI, and Mortal Kombat 1 has emerged as another contender not to be ignored. Following the success of Street Fighter VI and with the eagerly anticipated Tekken 8 on the horizon, NetherRealm Studios is back with their own blood-soaked offering, a fusion of a fresh start and a continuation of what worked well in Mortal Kombat 11.

With Mortal Kombat 1, the series takes a soft reset, building on the narrative events of Mortal Kombat 11, where Liu Kang seizes control of time. The developers are now taking this narrative development to provide players with a new canvas to reintroduce well-known characters, reimagining their stories as they get introduced. Over the 4-5 hour campaign, you’ll ride an emotional rollercoaster in a very engaging storyline. NetherRealm skillfully reframes the background tales of iconic figures, injecting a certain freshness while paying homage to the series’ legacy at the same time.

While some pacing hiccups occur in the latter half of the story, the tongue-in-cheek approach brilliantly balances the narrative. From Johnny Cage’s witty references to the Lin Kuei clan’s dramatics, nostalgia meets humor seamlessly. Mortal Kombat stories haven’t always been the best, but this one manages to entertain a lot during its (albeit short) runtime.

The heart of Mortal Kombat 1 lies in its refined combat mechanics. The game abandons character variations, interactive environments, and customizable moves in favor of precision, timing, and intricate inputs. It’s a return to the essence of the franchise, emphasizing the mastery of precise frames, complex combos, and coordinated specials. Initially, we really missed the interactive environments and the game felt like a step back in time, but as time passed we embraced the more stripped-down approach that lets players focus on skill and precision instead.

Enhanced moves receive a subtle yet crucial adjustment, demanding simultaneous inputs and thus elevating the skill ceiling for online play. This makes Mortal Kombat 1 less forgiving for newcomers who want to venture into the online realm, but the change ultimately enhances the experience, discouraging the spamming of moves in favor of more dynamic fights.

Mortal Kombat 1 introduces the Kameo system, which is a notable departure from previous iterations. This system allows off-screen fighters to execute specific moves or combos before vanishing again. While it’s a little sad that some fan-favorite characters are relegated to this feature, it’s fun to see them at least make an appearance – and perhaps future DLC will reintroduce them in a bigger way. Not having a full move set (or proper control over them) felt a bit limiting, so ultimately it feels like a novel concept that doesn’t quite hit the mark and we’d love more flexibility with it in the future.

The addition of Invasions mode injects a breath of fresh air into the game’s structure. Seasonal resets with new maps and enemies should add an engaging layer of strategy, while elemental traits bring a new dimension to combat, encouraging the use of multiple characters rather than just focusing on a single one. And while Invasions can feel a little grindy at times, it offers a welcome departure from straight up combat. You can check out some (not too impressive) gameplay below, from a recent pre-release session during Gamescom.

The online experience in Mortal Kombat 1 is a testament to the game’s balanced roster and engaging progression system. The smooth online play and well-structured Kombat League ensure competitive and rewarding matches, and while there are definitely some opponents out there who will make it hard on newcomers, the game does a decent job at accounting for this, offering a sense of balanced competition even to so-so players like ourselves.

In terms of the audiovisual experience, NetherRealm makes great use of current-gen hardware to deliver a visually stunning experience – and we wonder how they managed to get a Switch release ready for this one. The detailed character models and beautifully rendered environments create a captivating backdrop for the brutal combat, and while those interactive environments are absent the visual spectacle remains a standout feature – especially when you initiate finishing moves.

As such, Mortal Kombat 1 marks a triumphant return to the roots of the series, offering a compelling campaign, engaging modes, and a meticulously balanced roster. While the Kameo system may not resonate with everyone in its current form, the refined combat mechanics are undeniably enjoyable. NetherRealm’s expertise shines through, making this installment a promising beginning for the franchise’s future. With the dynamic Invasions mode and a robust online suite, there should be plenty of lasting appeal, especially when you consider the post-launch characters we’ll no doubt get – we’re already looking forward to them.

Score: 8.5/10