In the latest version of "Mortal Kombat", players can compete with lots of different opponents and even with more than one fighter at a time. — Photo: Warner Bros. Interactive/dpa
BERLIN: With "Street Fighter 6", an absolute fighting game blockbuster already hit the market earlier this year. Just three months later, "Mortal Kombat 1" is the next one to follow – a reboot with all kinds of fresh action.
Arena gameplay is the order of the day: two fighters compete against each other, put their reaction speed to the test, and come up trumps with good combinations.
Characters known from previous "Mortal Kombat" games like Johnny Cage and Liu Kang are back, but they get a new look and new skills.
New is the so-called Kameo system, according to which you can call a second fighter into the arena, whose supporting skills become a decisive factor in the fight.
Those who find the competition in multiplayer mode too tough can venture into the extensive story: the fighters find themselves in a surprisingly peaceful world before dark forces suddenly throw everything into chaos.
The events are only loosely based on previous editions, but are still as crazy and silly as before, which should satisfy fans and newcomers alike.
Graphically, "MK1" takes a huge step forward – at least as long as you don't play it on a Nintendo console. While the game runs smoothly on other platforms, complaints about long loading times, stutters, and graphics issues are piling up for the Switch version.
According to critics, "Mortal Kombat 1" is not a revolution for the game series, but it still has a lot to offer with new fighting mechanics and a crazy story.
The game is available for PCs, the PlayStation 5, the Xbox Series X/S, and the Nintendo Switch and costs around €65/US$65 (RM306 in Malaysia). – dpa
