2023 will be remembered as the year that versus fighters returned. We have already seen Capcom breathing new life into the Street Fighter series and we have not long to wait until Namco Bandai send Tekken 8 back into the ring. But there’s another classic fighting series that has just seen a bit of a reboot, the back-to-basics titled Mortal Kombat 1.
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If you have played any of the last few instalments you’ll have a good idea of what awaits you here. NetherRealm have really settled into their formula of strong fighting mechanics and have really honed their storycraft to keep you fighting dirty.
Mortal Restart
The story sees the slate being wiped clean from the events of Mortal Kombat 11, mostly. The campaign follows a number of fighters letting you take control of different characters from chapter to chapter.
The highly cinematic tale of the eternal battle between Earthrealm and Outworld unfolds with a few interesting twists and turns. Mortal Kombat 1 also sheds light on characters who have never really been centre stage in the series. Longstanding mystery men like Reptile and Baraka finally get their day.
Mortal Kombat 1 tells an engaging tale that stands on it own while it sets up future threads for the series.
Much of the tale acts as an extended tutorial of sorts, letting you spend just the right amount of time with each fighter before moving you along to another.
Mortal Kombat RPG Side Mode
Outside of story mode, there is also the new Invasions mode. This replaces the classic Krypt mode and is a fresh take on the side-battle modes. Invasions adds a tickle of RPG board-game as you battle countless enemies, level up and manage your inventory of magical potions and doohickeys.
Plus you can swap your fighter at any point for a different one if you want to freshen things up. Each ‘board’ you battle across has a number of different modifiers that mix up the fights as well. There are also hidden boss fights, ambushes and tower battles to keep you on your toes too.
Worth noting is that the Invasions mode is set up as a season. As such, there is an undercurrent of season pass to it as you earn coin while fighting to bag ‘seasonal’ unlocks like colourways and outfits.
This also highlights the reworks to the customisation system, which has totally binned the gear system of the past, for a much easier and simpler system.
Online Kombat
The online side of things you’ll also see all the classic modes returning. Mortal Kombat 1‘s online modes all runs very well for the most part. There’s a feeling of ‘if it’s not broken don’t touch it’ about it all, which is perfectly fine.
Modes and features works well. But more importantly, the online matches are responsive and weighted as you would expect from a MK title. The experience has been given a high level of polish with particular work put into inputs and combos.
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New to the fight side of things is the Kameo system, which sees you selecting a fighter from a roster of 15. These will act as a sort of tag partner that you can call in for a hand. But as you play and level them up you’ll unlock special brutalities and fatalities.
Kameo is Only a Cameo
However, you can’t play as Kameo players directly. This is a real shame as there are some series deep cuts there. Mortal Kombat 1 offers a playable roster of 23 fighters out the box with an interesting mix of new and old. Each fighter has their own move list to master and ever more gruesome fatalities to execute.
Plus, there are cheekily already more brawlers in the pipeline to join the gang. Ermac and Quan Chi – who are key elements to the story mode – are on the way. Along with some more interesting picks; namely Homelander from The Boys, Omni-Man from Invincible and DC’s Peacemaker.
Art of Combat
Mortal Kombat 1 is packed with visual detail and looks amazing overall. From the way fighters move, to the little details in the background of the stages, Mortal Kombat 1 is gorgeous in motion.
The soundtrack is solid. Punches and kicks sound meaty and the voice cast do an outstanding job of bringing each fighter to life. Except for one.
Nitara is a new character voiced by and modelled after Hollywood star Megan Fox. Yes Transformers and Expend4bles‘ Megan Fox. Nitara features easily the worst voice performance of the year. Megan Fox steals the Chuck Norris’ crown for his work in Crime Boss: Rockay City.
Mortal Kombat 1 has been polished to a mirror shine with only a handful of small issues remaining. Fans will have a hell of a time with it. Newcomers will find an engrossing tale that sets up weeks and months of brutal blood-soaked combat.