Engage in brutal combat with a diverse roster and cinematic single-player campaign
Engage in brutal combat with a diverse roster and cinematic single-player campaign
Pros
- Graphics look stunning
- Plenty of characters, each with three style variations
- Loads of single player game modes
Cons
- PC version suffers from technical issues
- Some players may dislike the in-game purchases
The gruesome fighting game is back for its 10th edition.
Released in the spring of 2015, Mortal Kombat X marks the 10th main instalment in the Mortal Kombat series; ignoring expansions, cross-over titles, spin-offs and re-releases. It serves as a direct sequel to the 2011's highly successful reboot of the franchise, with this game's events taking place 20 years later.
Like its immediate predecessor, the character models and levels in Mortal Kombat X are rendered in 3D, but its core gameplay is closer to the series' original 2D era. This time around, however, the game features increased interaction with environments, gorier finishing moves and the addition of three fighting styles for each character.
So is the game another major success for developer NetherRealm Studios, or does it fail to live up to its prequel?
Gameplay and Modes
The combat system in Mortal Kombat X is very similar to that of the previous game, although players can now use the environment around them as a weapon. 'Fatality' moves - performed at the end of a fight to really emphasise superiority - are back and more brutal than ever, which will appeal to many Mortal Kombat fans.
A chief criticism aimed at fighting games is the limited appeal to lone players, but that is not the case here, with a vast array of single player game modes on offer. These include exhibition, practice and various 'tower' modes; like Survival, where players must battle numerous opponents, with their health carrying over between fights.
However, the main single player option is Story Mode, which has a compelling plot set 20 years after the previous game. This mode takes several hours to complete and does an excellent job of introducing players to the characters. Of course, the game also allows two players to square off against one another in several modes as well.
Characters and Variations
Mortal Kombat X comes with 24 playable characters, including most of the series favourites, like Scorpion, Sub-Zero and Liu Kang. In addition, it introduces various new characters to the franchise, such as Cassie Cage, the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade (who are both also on the roster).
The cast of 24 characters can be expanded through downloadable content, which takes the number of fighters up to 29. Two of these characters are guest characters, who will be instantly recognisable to film fanatics - Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th, and Predator. Familiar faces Rain, Baraka, and Sindel appear as non-playable characters.
In addition to the 29 fighters, each character has three variations, with each variation having a different fighting style and moves list. For instance, Scorpion features one variation which is sword-based, while another relies primarily on fire-based attacks. This is a superb addition, providing players with a huge range of moves and styles to master.
Online Play and In-Game Purchases
As you would expect, Mortal Kombat X features a number of online gameplay options, allowing players to fight each other one-on-one, or join the Faction Wars. This latter option is a cross-platform online team mode, where gamers join one of five factions and try to win points for them.
In terms of faults, the PC version is prone to several technical issues, causing the game to crash or freeze at times; occasionally impacting upon online play as well. Moreover, in-game purchases allow for 'easy' Fatalities to be bought, which some players will feel has cheapened that aspect, removing the need to learn the lengthy combos.
Yet, regardless of these problems, Mortal Kombat X remains a very good fighting game, especially for single players. In the end, its large cast of characters, variety of fighting styles and numerous game modes ensure it is a more-than-worthy addition to the iconic series.
Pros
- Graphics look stunning
- Plenty of characters, each with three style variations
- Loads of single player game modes
Cons
- PC version suffers from technical issues
- Some players may dislike the in-game purchases
Pros
- Stunning graphics
- 29 characters to choose from
- Pushes the standards of the fighting games
- Fun online gameplay
Cons
- Real money causes imbalance in the game
Mortal Kombat X, hands down the best Mortal Kombat game in the franchise, has a deeper and more mechanically rich game than ever seen before. The game takes on entirely new risks, and you have eight completely new characters added to the old crew. The graphics are stunning to say the least, and they are probably some of the best graphics in a game of this generation. You have new and interesting attacks in Mortal Kombat X and, like always, there are new fatalities, which is what originally made the game popular in the arcades.
The best part about Mortal Kombat X is how character can convey their fighting style better than ever before. There is a new variation system that lets you choose among three different variations. For example, Liu Kang's duelist version focuses on spells. That makes the game more fluid because the controls are less confusing and flooded with different attacks. It also allows players to choose their own fighting style for each character. With that said, there are a couple downsides to Mortal Kombat X. While it might be a small nit-pick, you have some fighters that were given better detail and were more drawn out. Also, the spotty voice acting in story mode can take you out of the game. Overall, though, you have a riveting story line that will keep you playing from start to finish.
As with the other Mortal Kombat games, the fights in Mortal Kombat X take top priority. You have a whole list of new and interesting fatalities and attacks. The Mortal Kombat series first took off more than two decades ago in the arcades. After a while, the series began to lose steam, but in 2011, NetherRealm Studios released the ninth Mortal Kombat game and started to rekindle its old popularity. Mortal Kombat X, released on April 7, 2015, was the most impressive game to date. You have a five-hour campaign that lets you take control of a variety of characters. While the newcomers to the Mortal Kombat series might struggle with understanding what is happening, a little time with the series gives you a better idea. There are also some features that have made the game imbalanced. For example, you can pay real money for in-game currency that will give you access to the upgrades of the game. That gives players in the online gameplay an unfair advantage.
It total, Mortal Kombat X has 29 characters that you can master, and that amount means massive replayability value, and you should have an easy time choosing the right character. The campaign will last around four hours, and while that sounds short for a fighting game, that is pretty good. Every environment is unique, and you have different objects that you can use to hurt your opponents. You can use them to start off a deadly combo that gives you an edge.
Pros
- Stunning graphics
- 29 characters to choose from
- Pushes the standards of the fighting games
- Fun online gameplay
Cons
- Real money causes imbalance in the game
