6 reasons why you should play Mortal Kombat 1

Mortal Kombat 1 game.

It’s almost impossible to not think of the Mortal Kombat franchise when you think of the fighter genre. Even those who aren’t plugged into the gaming world have the name living rent free at the back of their minds for no reason. Mortal Kombat 1, particularly, is a great successor to the franchise and the already successful Mortal Kombat 11. Albeit the chronology is questionable at first, you can see the designs of where the franchise is headed. Here’s six reasons why you should pick up or upgrade to Mortal Kombat 1:

Enhanced Gameplay Mechanics

One of the biggest differences you will notice is the enhanced gameplay mechanics of Mortal Kombat 1 over its predecessor. The combo systems feel a bit more fluid; tying them with your next move in the arena makes you feel like you’re one with your character. Kameos add an additional creative element and really mix things up, breaking the monotony.

Kameos

Perhaps, the biggest addition to the entire franchise is the introduction of Kameos. These are semi-active characters that you can summon to add to your combos or break free from your opponents’. Kameos have their own set of moves as well and aren’t just a quick summon at the touch of a button. Chaining them with combos or saving your character for breakers is crucial to competitive play in the new system. The roster of Kameos too brings forward some forgotten fan favorites including Sektor, Cyrax, Motaro and more.

Character Roster

While Kameos remain secondary, your main character roster too has been given weight. You have 21 characters to choose from at the beginning, however more characters are slated to arrive with updates as well as DLCs. Facelifts have been given to iconic folks such as Rain, Reiko and the highly demanded queen, Sindel. You can upgrade the customisation of each character through unlocks by farming.

Fantastic Story Mode

Generally not its core competence but Mortal Kombat 1 offers a highly enjoyable story mode. Packed with the beginnings of characters such as Kung Lao, the references made through the course of the story are definitely ones that would perk up fan’s ears and make their eyes go wide. For the most part they manage to balance intrigue, comedy and blood in its short-lived course.

 Towers Of Time

Mortal Kombat’s classic tower battle system is back. This time the towers add an element of lore that’s too hard to resist. Fans now will get individual lore or story elements for the characters they pick to defeat the towers. At some instances, the individual character endings even offer hints to what we could expect in the sequel. Interpret them as you see fit, it’s clear that the developers intended to add more weight to the existing arcade system in the game which we think is a clear win.

Striking Visuals

NetherRealm Studios has cranked up the visuals all the way to the maximum and given the stages a facelift too. Bringing in maximum brightness to the screens from its usual dungeon-esque aesthetic, introduction of cherry blossom trees and colors that were never seen before, visuals have received a massive overhaul. Even amidst some of the happier setups, the gore still remains at its peak. Perhaps the best feature is how the loading screens have been made interesting with lore-specific banter taking place between the characters that are about to face-off. This adds an illusion of almost seamlessly jumping from character selection to the stage fight.

Overall, Mortal Kombat 1 is definitely a huge step up from its previous entrants. For long term fans of the series plus newcomers to the title, Mortal Kombat 1 is balanced and beautiful. This is an entry that’s a pivotal moment for the series are they go back to origins and start the lore afresh while retaining its nostalgic moments, making it perfect for anyone to pick up and play.

Reviewed on Playstation 5. Also available on Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and Windows Review code provided by Games The Shop