Mortal Kombat has come a long way. Once the controversial poster child for 90s video game violence, what it lacked in technical execution it made up for with bravado. Mortal Kombat X retains that flair and reinforces it with polished presentation and an aggressive attempt to push the fighting-game genre forward.
Each of the 25 characters has three distinct sets of abilities, addressing the genre issue of countering a bad match-up. The new faces are a mix of established veterans’ offspring and inventive newcomers, and they’re all a joy to explore. The fighting engine is undoubtedly the best NetherRealm Studios has ever produced, with hugely improved animation, varied characters and interactive elements.
The online “faction war” mode offers plenty of dynamic challenges, and the story mode is far more focused than the 2011 reboot, packed with theatrical choreography and kitsch martial arts absurdity. It offers an entertaining casual alternative to the demanding brutality of the online world.
X is the best Mortal Kombat has ever been – grotesquely attractive, graphically violent, accessible and technical in equal measure.
